Outer Hebrides

[samid]

Hi there,

I am planning to tour in North-West Scotland in May-June, and would like to include Outer Hebrides into my tour. My current idea is to take a ferry from Ullapool to Stornoway, go up to Butt of Lewis, and then go down to Isle of Harris. From there, I am not sure: either take a ferry to Isle of Skye, or go to North Uist and maybe even further down to Barra. But, I would like to limit that part of my tour to not more than a week, so maybe going all the way down to Barra would be a bit too much. Anyway, that's my current plan but nothing set in stone yet, and any advice re what specific places to visit, the general route etc. would be greatly appreciated. (FWIW, I'm planning to camp.)

One specific question is whether it is possible to ride on a road/touring bike (not MTB) from Stornoway to Butt of Lewis along the East coast?

Thanks.

 

[bonj2]

would have thought you'd be spnding more time on ferries than biking.

 

[samid]

Meaning that going to those islands is a stupid idea, or what?

 

[Alves]

Hi there,


One specific question is whether it is possible to ride on a road/touring bike (not MTB) from Stornoway to Butt of Lewis along the East coast?

Thanks.

This is possible but half way! Only as far as Tolsta and then the Northern portion from Tolsta to the Butt () is a walking track and passable with a reasonable MTB but not a loaded tourer for most of the way. Having said that you could walk the non-cycleable portions (5 or 6 miles of the 10 miles in total) and the views to the East are spectacular so it is possible if you were keen.

 

[samid]

Thanks Alves.

 

[Kirstie]

I did the outer hebrides in a week in September. The itinerary was:

Saturday: travel to Oban, stay in Oban.
Sunday: ferry from Oban - Lochboisdale, South Uist
Monday: Ride from Lochboisdale to Lochmaddy, North Uist
Tuesday: Ride from Lochmaddy - Berneray, ferry to Leverburgh south harris, ride from Leverburgh - Tarbert, North Harris
Wednesday: ride from Tarbert - Garrenin, Lewis
Thursday: ride from Garrenin, Lewis - Stornoway, then get ferry to Ullapool, then bike bus to Inverness.
Friday: Go somewhere else.

 

[Kirstie]

two more things:
Avoid going anywhere on the hebs on a sunday - EVERYTHING is shut.
Check with calmac *on the day* for ferry times, particularly between berneray and leverburgh. Sometimes they change the times if the tides are different, which is a pain in the arse if it goes an hour before the timetable says it's going to go.

one more thing (edit):
try to stay in the gatliff hostels, they are amazing, rustic places. google them.

 

[ASC1951]

I did the outer hebrides in a week in September.

I did the same a few years ago, but instead of crossing back to Ullapool I got the ferry from Tarbert to Uig on Skye, then from Arisaig? on Skye to Mallaig on the mainland and pedalled steadily back to Oban. Mallaig to Oban was a long day with camping kit.

The whole lot including Skye is perfectly feasible in a week but you won't have time for many incidentals. I went to look at the stones at Callanish and right across Lewis to Great Bernera? but not much else. It's just a matter of how much time you want to spend on the bike, because you will have 22 hours of daylight.

I do remember - this was Spring Bank - being surprised that the road round the flanks of Clisham on Lewis had melting tarmac. I hadn't appreciated that the Hebrides got so hot.

 

[Kirstie]

I didn't do the Skye leg because riding across Skye is crap - A roads, basically. Didn't you find that?

 

[ASC1951]

Yes, I did find that. But I had a friend I wanted to see who ran a canoeing school in Uig and I knew the then landlord at the pub in Portree. The roads didn't seem too busy, in fairness, but I don't mind bits of A road if I don't think I'm going to be slaughtered i.e. not the A65.

BTW, samid, I assume that being from Toronto you won't be phazed by midges. Us Sassenach poofs find that the Western Scottish midge is in a class of its own.

 

[samid]

Kirstie, ASC1951 - many thanks for all the info. Yes, I have heard about the famous Scottish midges

 

[ufkacbln]

Two books that are "partly appropriate"

Away with the Ferries
Full Cycle

Both by Stuart Craig who is a Glasgow cyclist with a love for the Scottish Islands and Feries.

 

[Crackle]

The road to Uig is not too bad and the ferry journey good, though it can get rough. I came back from Stornoway to Ullapool in a heavy sea and lay outside on the top deck in full waterproofs, head on handlebar bag and slept through it. Harris to Stornoway has one big climb and then the road is quite open, lots of lochans and it's often windy.

Getting the ferries is all part of the Western Isles adventure.

 

[furball]

It is generally better to travel from the south northwards. The wind is more likely to be in your favour (but no guarantees)

 

[JackE]

The Hebrides Tourist Board (Stornoway) publish a free leaflet on cycling from Barra to the tip of Lewis. I phoned them but you may be able to order it on-line. Very useful for historical background etc.