Part 2
We decided we'd better try get some fuel as the chances of finding anywhere open the following day would be next to nil. We headed back down to Port Ellen where we thought the best chance would be and asked a local where we could get fuel, he pointed to two pumps hidden behind a truck and told us that if the place was closed just to go down the street and knock on no. 11 where the girl lived and ask her to open the place for us. We looked at each other and Big Dave duly headed down the road to knock on the door were the girl said if we gave her 5 or 6 minutes, as she'd just put her tea out she'd come up the road and open up for us.
Fueled for the next day we headed back to Bowmore for a shower and out for a meal and to sample the local brewery's Islay Ales. Next morning after a good breakfast we headed out to cover the remainder of the roads on Islay before our ferry late afternoon.
First stop the Laphroaig Distillery in the south of the island.
Followed quickly by the Lagavulin Distillery.
And then the Ardbeg Distillery.
Now further along the south coast to the Kildalton Church and Cross, a real peaceful location and time for a look at the map and GPS to plot the rest of the route.
The Tiger loves these kind of roads and is in it's element!
We know head back north to cover the Atlantic side of the island before we have to catch our ferry off the island at Port Askaig. But first a hot chocolate.............Ahhhhhhhhh and a few phone calls.
Next to our hot chocolate stop is the Bruichladdich Distillery.
Some people will do anything to catch a drop of the Malt.
Now it's time to get a move on and head down to Port Wemyss and Portnahaven and head round the beautifully coastline.
Just time for the old guy to get a rest before jumping back on the GS.
Now unfortunately it was time to start heading for our ferry but not before a few more roads on the way.
Finally we make it to Port Askaig our launching point the previous day for our trip to Jura and out departure port today for home, it seems like a week we've been here.
The boat is just arriving as we park up so perfect timing and all the roads completed.
Dave looks at his bike, thinking about the cleaning job ahead and then how to get it dirty again.
The last views of Islay as we head of on the ferry.
After something to eat we wile away the 2.5 hours on the ferry looking at maps and timetables planning the next set of islands; the Outer Hebrides which consist of South Uist, North Uist, Harris and Lewis. Looking forward to it already.
When we arrive back at Kennacraig Dave is just heading 20 minutes up the road to Cairnbaan for the evening. I'm heading back to Renfrew, so always preferring a circular route for a trip I decide not to ride back the same way I came the previous morning and head for the ferry from Tarbert to Portavadie, where I meet two guys from Leicester so after a chat on the ferry they are looking to get to Dunoon on their way back south, so I take them a run over the single track roads to Dunoon and head for the Hunters Quay to Gourock ferry. A quick squirt up the motorway and I'm back home for 8.30pm.
Phhhh.....eeew what a weekend! I still need to spend a few hours cleaning the bike but it doesn't mind staying dirty for a while it's had a good time as well; not surprisingly it's an early night for me.
[ This message was edited by: ipg on 2006-10-17 15:39 ]
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