Day 4 – Rain in Mallaig (15 miles)

It was raining when I finally emerged from my tent, it was raining when I struck camp and rode the last 10 miles to Mallaig. It was a constant drizzle which didn’t let up all day. At least the wind had dropped. I hadn’t had the energy to dig out my stove and cook breakfast, so I asked at the shop where I bought some supposedly waterproof gloves if there was a cafe where I could get some breakfast. She suggested the Fisherman’s Mission. Perfect. I shared the place with a few locals and a few trawlermen. We chuckled at each others’ approaches to the rain, me clad in close-fitting multiple layers, them in huge yellow galoshes and so’westers.

I had made a slight mistake with the ferry – they were still operating the winter timetable, which meant only two ferries a day from Mallaig to Skye, at 08.15 and 16.15. The earlier ferry had departed while I was still lazing in my tent, so I had a day to waste in rainy Mallaig. What else could I do? I bought a paper, went to the pub, and watched the rain run down the street to the harbour.