KYQ4: Tiree

Tiree Flags

Saturday 2 May - Monday 4 May 2026

We departed Coll for Tiree on Saturday morning. The CalMac ferry was full of cyclists and runners for the May Bank Holiday Half Marathon and 10k Races. As always, it was a ruefully experience to be leaving the island, which was Aileen's special place. I spoke to the people running Tigh na Mara before leaving Controversial Cottage, they confirmed their dismay at their view having being ruined by its construction. They said that Robert Junior still owned Tigh na Mara and they had let it to run the B&B. It was only a kilometre to the ferry terminal and I could freewheel most of the way there with my rucksack, holdall and bag of provisions. As we waited for the ferry, we chatted to Uscha, a German woman and her daughter, whom we had spoken to on the ferry going to Coll and on a couple of other occasions as we cycled round the island . She had lived in southern Bavaria until moving to Halifax 15 years ago. She summed it up by saying it was by serendipity that she had moved from the location of the Sound of Music to Happy Valley.

The sail across to Tiree takes less than an hour. We embarked with a veritable peloton of cyclists, our rented house was at Vaul, near the start of the previous route of the half marathon, but it had been switched to the old route starting at Traigh Shorobaidh, the beach near An Talla, the community centre at Crossapol. We had a 5-mile cycle to get to our house, so booked a mini bus to take our gear. Gregor and Emily rode straight to the house whilst I went to the coop in Scarinish to buy provisions and then cycle to the house. On the way to Vaul, I passed the flat we had rented in 1981 with our eldest daughter, who had her first birthday there and learnt to walk on the deck of the CalMac ferry the next day as we returned to Oban. Oh Happy Day.

I arrived at the house as the mini bus delivered our luggage and took G&E to Crossapol for the start of the race. I unpacked, had some lunch ands then cycled to Crossapol to watch the race. The start and finish of both the 10k and half marathon were along the sand beach, not the easiest surface for running. Emily came 5th in the women's race and 20 minutes later Gregor charged across the beach to win the half marathon in a course record. We retreated to An Talla, G&E were to get a lift back in the mini bus, I had an 11 kilometre cycle but the roads are flat and there was only a gentle breeze. We loaded with some carbs before being picked up by the mini bus for a night out at the Ceilidh.

With the world in a mess; wars in Ukraine, Gaza, Iran, a rogue President in the United States, and the UK going through a mid century crisis, we needed some solace. It happened. The atmosphere at An Talla for the Ceilidh was both electric and sustained by the bar. We found new friends around crowded tables, the dancing got wilder, the laughter louder and Tiree was at one, full of fecund friendships and fun. I even attempted to teach Amanda from Shropshire the Eightsome Reel and Uscha the Gay Gordons. They survived.

On Sunday, we had a lie in and I then explored the nearby beaches at Vaul and cycled to the north of the island at Caolas, where I bumped into Carolyn, a Glasgow GP, whom I had met on the ferry. She was a Tiree devotee and off for a cold water bathe. In the evening the clouds had dispersed and G and I went for a walk to the nearby headland. We were inspired by the light, the frolicking lambs, the distant views to the sma' isles and the creative conversions to the original cottages. The ferry back to Oban on Monday was running late and full of tired Tiree weekenders. Retrieving the car from a distant car park and fixing the bikes onto the car was the only blight on a perfect long weekend on Coll and Tiree.