Planned cycle ride of all West Coast Scottish Islands - Help!

[David Eves]

Having cycled many of the Scottish islands I thought next year I would try to take a tour and cycle all accessible islands in one go (plus bag St Kilda and Grunnaird if I am able). CalMac cover most of the islands but their routes and days in the week they travel does not make a cycle ride easy to figure out. Thought I would go south to north and start with Bute etc, drop south ending with Arran and then head north, hop over to Islay, then Jura and if possible bag Colonsay before the boat heads north to Oban. This is where my plans get complicated. I can't see how to cycle all the islands and not end up having to double back at least once en route probably more than once. I have spoken with CalMac who couldn't advise on a possible route or say where I go to get help. Hence my plea to CycleChat - has anyone done all the islands in one go and any advise? Much appreciated and thanks for what looks to be an excellent site. Happy New Year!

 

[andrew_s]

How long do you have? If you actually want to ride your bike on all the islands possible rather than just look at them off the ferry, it may require 1 day per island in quite a few cases.
I'd suggest something like the following.
Largs - Gt Cumbrae - Largs = Weymss Bay - Bute - Colintraive = Portavadie - Tarbert = Claonaig - Lochranza - Claonaig = Tayinloan - Gigha - Taylinloan = Kennacraig - Islay - Jura - Islay - Colonsay - Oban - Coll - Tiree - Barra - Eriskay = Berneray - Leverburgh = Tarbert - Uig =- Raasay -= Armadale - Mallaig - (Small Isles) - Mallaig = Kilchoan - Tobermory = Craignure - Oban (Lismore/Kerrera/Luing).

Coll/Tiree to Barra has to be done on a Thursday. Islay to Colonsay is Wednesday or Saturday. That probably means Saturday Islay to Colonsay, Sunday evening Colonsay to Oban, Monday collecting Lismore/Kerrera/Luing etc, Tuesday Oban - Coll, Wednesday Coll - Tiree, Thursday Tiree - Barra

There is a ferry between Tayvallach (W of Lochgilphead) and Craighouse on Jura which would allow you to avoid the double trip to Jura and back (instead of the Kennacraig ferry).
You can avoid the double trip on and off Arran by visiting after Oban at the end, allowing a Glasgow (ish) start and finish.
There is also a ferry between Arisaig and the small isles (Rum/Eigg/Muck/Canna) that may allow you to avoid returning to Mallaig

If you want to do Orkney and Shetland as well, come back from Lewis on the Stornoway - Ullapool ferry, ride to Scrabster or JoG and get the ferry on to Orkney, then pick up the Shetland ferry in Kirkwall for Lerwick, returning to Aberdeen, then riding to Kyle of Lochalsh and picking up the above route

 

[David Eves]

Hi Andrew. Thanks so much - I really do appreciate it. I had started the route in the same manner (Bute) but your suggestion for the small isles makes good sense which was where I was getting stuck. I also agree that a day seems fair for each island rather than wheel the bike off and back on to the ferry. What I love about the islands is that each is so different. I have done three of the small isles but the ferry didn't allow me the opportunity to get off on Rum without another day spent there camping. It was hot but previous days had been pretty wet so I took the advise of the ferrymen to avoid the island as camping would be hell with the midges. Also, I had forgotten the Jura - Tayvallich ferry which I have considered doing in the past. Also, thanks for the day recommendations as the CalMac brochure does take some keen checking to figure out the best day to travel (or, moreover, the days best not to travel!). I have given myself three weeks to get as far as possible and since I would be camping I don't need to worry so much about B&B requirements and commitments. All the very best, David

 

[David Eves]

I assume I will need to go from Oban to get to Mull, Iona, etc and then go back to Oban before heading for Coll and Tiree? There doesn't seem to be a ferry from Mull that goes further west so instead I assume I need to go back to Oban and restart. I think I am almost there!

 

[David Eves]

I take it back - you covered Mull as well!

 

[Guidovdrm]

fwiw: http://www.velotoeren.be/tracks/ShowGPX.htm?gpx=hebriden.gpx
I rode the tour in Juin 2013
Making the puzzle with rides, ferries and b&b's was a long winter job,
but it was very well worth it !
some photos : https://picasaweb.google.com/guidovdrm/HebridenFietstrekking2013?authuser=0&feat=directlink

 

[iandg]

I assume I will need to go from Oban to get to Mull, Iona, etc and then go back to Oban before heading for Coll and Tiree? There doesn't seem to be a ferry from Mull that goes further west so instead I assume I need to go back to Oban and restart. I think I am almost there!

Oban also gets you to Castlebay on Barra, you can then cycle up through the Outer Hebrides, retrace to Tarbert and head for Skye or cross from Stornoway to Ullapool and cycle down the west coast of Scotland and reach Skye that way.

 

[gedstaxi]

I did this in August 2013 and it was FANTASTIC! (even though my maps ran out just short of Tarbert on Harris I made it down through Skye and got the ferry back to Mallaig and train to Glasgow!

I got the ferry from Oban to Castlebay on Barra and then headed north through Eriskay, South Uist, Benbecula, North Uist, Berneray, Harris and Skye. I took 6 days and this was a comfortable 227 miles in total with beautiful scenery and the only "big" hills were through Harris!! Go for it!!