Scottish west coast and islands tour - clockwise or widdershins?

[Amanda P]

Over the next two weeks, I'm thinking of a circuit along these lines:

Oban - Mull; maybe a day on Mull. Then cross Fishnish- Lochaline and up to Mallaig. Cross to Skye; maybe a day on Skye. Skye bridge back to mainland and on to Ullapool, maybe via Torridon and Poolewe.

Cross to Lewis; north to Port Nis then west coast to Callanish and Uig. Harris, Tarbert, the Uists and maybe Barra before crossing back to Oban.

My question is: should I do it that way around, or should I begin by crossing to Barra or the Uists and then work my way around clockwise?

I'm half inclined to do it clockwise on the grounds that I've been to much of the mainland coast, Mull and Skye before, but not the outer islands. If I like it there, I can extend my time there and abandon some of the mainland return trip, returning only to Fort William or Inverness instead of all the way to Oban.

Thoughts?

 

[Spinney]

Cycling north up the Outer Hebrides is more likely to put the wind at your back (I think...!)

 

[ASC1951]

Clockwise, for the reason Spinney gives. That was certainly the case when I did it.

I only had ten days, so I did a day on Mull too (a circuit and over to Iona), then Uist (missed out Barra) up over all the islands to Stornaway, extra day on Lewis (Callanish and Bernera), Tarbet to Uig (extra day on Skye), ferry from Ardvasar to Mallaig, back to Oban via Ardnamurchan and the Corrin ferry.

You could take a bit more time in Ardnamurchan. IIRC there is a road on the south side of Loch Sunart, although I'm not sure whether it goes all the way round. You can certainly leave the A861 at Acharacle and go round the peninsula and back along the north side of Sunart.

 

[Crackle]

Clockwise, although when you get out as far as Barra, the wind feels like it's hitting you from every direction. You know the weather can be fairly grim in September, it's almost better in October at least then you'll get Autumn colours which on a good day is breathtaking worth the bad days but Septemeber is just a windy, rainy end of summer month.

 

[toroddf]

I did Barra to Harris clockwise some months ago and highly recommend that. Going against the wind is murder on that road.

Another thing is the scenery. I was looking back a lot when taking photos and I believe you get the finest scenery straight in your face (and not by spraining your the neck muscles) is south to north, Barra to Harris. It is some of the finest scenery in the UK, btw. My jaw was on the floor the whole way. And that was due to the scenery. The finest scenery was the last five miles before Berneray (the ferry port to Leverburgh). I'll be back !!!

Btw beware of the otters on the causeways.  

 

[Bromptonaut]

Usually go in spring and have found the odd trips in August have tended to be wetter, a trend I suspect continues into Setember. Are you planning on BB or camping? It's not a place to be out of doors in Autumn gales.

Clockwise for the wind reason and get to the Hebrides first; unless you're weathered off, you will want to extend. Try and cover the Pentland Road between Carloway/Calanish and Stornoway; complete wilderness but with endless lochans, heather birds and if you're lucky deer. Looks like a track on some maps but is in fact a well surfaced single track road - though not gritted in winter. Easy to find from the west end but a well kept secret from the edge of Stornoway. Follow the main road to Marybank and watch for a sign pointing inland to a waste disposal site. Take this turn and then first left immediately after the Citroen Garage (Lava's?).

And don't miss out South Harris.

 

[bikepacker]

I would second having more time on Ardnamurchan. You could use the Kilohan ferry across to Mull.

 

[PaulSB]

Clockwise was good for me as we had a south-westerly most of the time! One morning on South Uist the wind came in at 48mph from the west, that was a morning for coffee and cakes.

 

[Bromptonaut]

Clockwise was good for me as we had a south-westerly most of the time! One morning on South Uist the wind came in at 48mph from the west.

Same experience for me circa 1988. Extra day at Howmore hostel with rest of tour skewed to fit.