Outer Hebrides

[Proud2Push]

On Barra try the Castlebay Hotel bar, you might just find the Vatersay Boys giving an impromptu performance like we did when we sought refuge from the rain just as the Celtic/Rangers cup final was finishing - it was one of the highlights of a wonderful trip.

I agree with comments about the roads on Skye. They have terrible surfaces and the traffic past Portree is heavy and fast. It isn't just trucks and coaches, but large motorhomes (usually German and Dutch) - the bane of the Islands. It baffles me why they drive all the way from mainland Europe presumably for the Scottish scenery and then spend their time dashing up and down the islands at 60 to 80 mph. They could do that on their autobahns. The over use by motorhomes of wild camping spots on Islands like Berneray (and the tons of garbage they leave behind) is why wild camping is being restricted so much. That's better - I just had to get that off my chest.

BTW a sidetrip to Raasay gives a good break from the pressures of Skye.

 

[samid]

the_c00ler_king, thanks for bumping my thread - was going to search for it as the time of my trip approaches, and I wanted to refresh all the info in my head. I'm flying to Scotland on May 22, and will start my tour mid of week after that. As several people advised, I will also go from south up... hopefully going with the wind. I'll ride from Edinburgh to Oban, and take a ferry to the islands from there. Don't have any set in stone plans after that... will see how it goes, what the weather is etc. Currently I'm planning to spend around 10 days on the road but could do more. Hopefully will have photos to share when I return.

 

[Bromptonaut]

Been travelling to the Hebrides at some time in most of the last 25 years. Kids etc mean we've mostly been in self catering cottages recently but we've hostelled/bunkhoused as well.

I'd endorse the idea that, while nothing is guaranteed, you are less likely to be wind hindered starting from Barra. Although lengthy the crossing from Oban is, in good weather, a scenic feast. Barra itself is worth a good day, try and arrive at Northbay beach in time to see the "twotter" arrive/depart from the Uk's only sand airport.

Taking the ferry to Eriskay and proceeding up Uist the hostel at Howmore is a must, walk the surrounding lanes in the evening and watch the birdlife, you might also hear but are unlikley to see the Corncrake. Benbecula has always struck me as a bit urban, contaiaing a significant military presence and associated squaddie housing. North Uist has magniifcent beaches and, in the right weather views to the Monach Isles and St Kilda. The eastern coast road round Harris is truly spectacular but as it repeatedly rises to the cliff tops then drops down to the sea again it can be hard going.

Lewis's hidden scenic gem, apart from the road to Uig, is the Pentland Road. Looks like a track on some maps but is in fact mettalled and passable by car along its entire length across the middle of Lewis. Bit difficult to find at the Stornoway end as it its not well signed - it starts by the Citroen garage at Marybank

As others say the Am Bothan bunkhouse in Leverburgh is excellent. There is also camping available near Horgabost where there seems to be an attempt to set up community run basic campsite facilities. The bunkhouse in Tarbert is OK but felt a little densly populated after AmBothan.

If camping/hostelling palls at all there are many many excellent B&B establishments.

Good luck and we may pass on the road as I shall be based on Lewis for the week of the 23rd May - travelling in a Citroen Berlingo with the plate LOV21.

 

[samid]

Many thanks Bromptonaut,
Your advice is much appreciated. I'll be traveling there - at least I hope to be - the same week as you, if you notice a tired guy on a yellow steel bike do stop to say hi - but I'll try to remember your license plate and wave if I see you

 

[Cromcruaich]

Biking it end of may (sounds like place is gonna be swarming!). Planning to take a couple of light rods for spinning, anyone recommend any (sea) fishing spots?

 

[furball]

Biking it end of may (sounds like place is gonna be swarming!). Planning to take a couple of light rods for spinning, anyone recommend any (sea) fishing spots?

I don't know anything about fishing but I met a guy at Howmore hostel who was there for a weeks fishing. I think he took the B890 to its end at Loch Sgioport on the east side and then walked along the footpath past the shielings and fished somewhere round there.

 

[Bromptonaut]

Greetings from Griomsiader, Lewis. How's it going?

Weather at mo is wet and very windy, though it's dropped back in the last hour. Forecast is for an improvement this afternoon but remaining changeable until after Tuesday.


Still, at least the wind is in the south :-)

 

[Bodhbh]

Just come back from just over a week over there, a couple of us heading north from Barra with the odd diversion. Probably too late for the OP, but few things springing to mind which might be of use for anyone else heading over.

The wind was pretty brutal. Not sure how typical it was, but I did not envy the several cyclists we saw heading south into it. We were at best a couple of mph into single figures when we had to go against it.

All accomadation was full. The only time we got a bed for the night was at the Howmore hostel, when we got the last 2. We ended up at Berniray the next night but it would have been kipping on camp beds in the of the floor middle so we camped outside. At Tarbet, despite much phoning about by the lasses at the tourist office, everything was full, bunkhouse, B&B, the hotels and the situation was the same at Stornoway. Not a huge problem as we had tents and the wild camping options were simply stunning, but there were times when we could have used a shower etc. On that note, the swimming pool just outside Tarbet lets you use the showers for a quid.

The warden at the Stornoway campsite said the accomadation situation it had been like it several weeks now, guess weak pound, credit crunch etc, Although he also mentioned something about Calmac had halving the fare on mobile homes.

We were on MTBs and made assumption the East coast path down from the Butt to Stornoway was passable but were warned-off a couple of times and in the end decided not to risk getting stuck. Apparently, it's just flag markers through bog (sorry Wickerman your photos are blocked here) and someone got stranded trying to take a bike through last year.

Great trip btw, not enuff time despite 8 days and 260 miles looking about. Missed the west of Lewis due to some misinformation about the shops over there and running out of provisions. Would love to go back and fix that sometime.

 

[Bromptonaut]

Noticed rather more caravans and camper vans than before but did not make the link with Calmac's RET (road equivalent tariff) experiment.

It was certainly a very windy week right up until Friday morning when the sun and heat finally arrived. Hope I did not miss samid on the road - did see one rider in a Canada shirt making the best of the wind from Gearraidh na h-aibhne towards Stornoway on Wednesday.