Cycling in Outer Hebrides 2016

Sketches from my not that recent cycling tour in the Outer Hebrides.
It has become a bit of a tradition that every summer I pack my tent, camping gear and a few other useful things into my panniers and I spend a week cycling in the Western Isles, by far my favourite place in the world.

There is not many things that make me happier than cycling through the spectacular Hebridean landscapes, getting soaked by the rain, almost knocked over by the wind and defeated by particularly steep climbs.

This year I cycled 200 miles through Skye, North Uist, Bernaray, Harris and Lewis. The weather was spectacularly bad even for the Hebrides and I would get completely soaked by the rain twice or three times a day. I've developed an affinity for automatic hand driers in public bathrooms and I could write an essay on different types of  hand driers and which are best for drying what type of clothes.

But I don't really mind a bit of rain if I can spend a week cycling through the most beautiful landscapes, watch the seals swimming in the Sound of Harris without even having to leave my tent, meet lots of interesting and friendly people and drink whisky in a pub in Stornoway.

Here is a few drawings I made. For some reason they are particularly dark this year - I will have to bring more colours next year!

Cycling in the Outer Hebrides

So this year I headed to the Western Isles for my solo cycling and camping trip. I think this have become a little bit of a tradition by now. At some point in the summer I pack the paniers, take my camping gear and I go cycling somewhere up north. I get to spend a week surrounded by the nature, cycle through stunning scenery and defy a few gender stereotypes. I don't know what it says about me but these are definitely the best and most relaxing holidays I can think of (although I am not sure if 'relaxing' is the right word).

This time I took the ferry to the Isle of Uist and the plan was to cycle round both Uists and South Harris. The weather was really bad (winds at 30mph and rain, I guess nothing unusual in this part of the world but not the best weather for cycling, especially the wind) so unfortunately I have never made it to Harris. The good thing was that I could explore the Uists more instead of rushing through it so I don't miss the ferry.

I didn't make many sketches as most of the time I was too tired, my hands were not cooperating after a long cycle or it was simply imposible to take out the sketchbook because of the strong wind or the rain approaching (and I was more concerned about getting the next camping site dry and in one piece rather then creating artwork). The sketches don't really capture the spectactular sceneries of the Outer Hebrides but I think they are more true to the nature of the trip (note that most sketches is from the train or the ferry).