Hebridean Ride, May 2013

At the meeting last night in the Flowerpot, kindly attended by Les Sims to allow us to benefit from his considerable experience of Scotland, it was quickly agreed that we would take up Maldwyn's suggestion of a ride from Castlebay on Barra to Stornoway on Lewis with intermediate stops at Carinish and Tarbert. We would travel back via the Ullapool ferry and a ride from there to Inverness.
A provisional date of Thursday 23rd May was agreed as the day to arrive at Castlebay - a trip finishing with about 5 hours on a Calmac ferry from Oban. This is based on 2012 summer timetables. The national Rail 2013 summer timetable should take effect from Mid May and so should be available by February.We would hope to have the Calmac 2013 summer timetable by then as well.
It seems sensible, therefore, to have a next meeting in Mid February when we should have enough data to make final plans but with the maximum booking-ahead time still available. Perhaps we can agree a date early in 2013 when Clyde is likely to know when he will be in the UK.