Cycling the Hebridean Way and exploring the Outer Hebrides.

Cycling the Hebridean Way is the best way to explore the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, an archipelago of islands off the Scottish north west coast. The Hebridean Way is a cycle route that takes in almost 200 miles of cycling between the Isle of Vatersay to the very northern tip of the Isle of Lewis. The route passes some of the best beaches Scotland has to offer as well as providing the opportunity to experience Hebridean food, history and culture, just some of the many delights you’ll enjoy on a trip along the Hebridean Way.

Getting Started

Regular ferry services operated by Caledonian MacBraynes run between Oban and the Isle of Barra. This is where you’ll need to get to first in order to get yourself to the official start of the Hebridean Way on the Isle of Vatersay. The Hebridean Way can also be started on the Isle of Lewis but it is recommended that cyclists begin the route cycling northwards so that the Atlantic winds are generally in your favour. The trip for us took 6 days and this is the time frame recommended in order to fully enjoy the Hebridean Way properly, allowing plenty time for exploring. It is recommended that all ferry crossings for the Hebridean Way are booked in advance and timed into your schedule. You will need to book crossings for Barra to Eriskay and Benbecula to Harris, thankfully all the other islands are connected via a network of causeways. There are a wide variety of accommodation options available across the Outer Hebrides to suit all tastes and budgets. Options range from basic campsites to 5 star spa hotels, regardless of what options you choose, it’s best to get organised early as places fill up fast. Get started by exploring accommodation options across the Outer Hebrides here.

Bike Hire

To save transporting our bikes from Glasgow we hired bikes from Tony at Barra Bike Hire. Tony provides bikes specially equipped for cycling the Hebridean Way and offers a drop off service in Stornoway so there is no need to worry about getting the bike back to Barra. Barra Bike Hire provide an all round excellent service and Tony was kind enough to give us our hire bikes a day early for getting us from the ferry to our campsite (and back to the pub!). Hiring bikes on Barra also gives you the option to fly onto the island. Operated by Loganair your flight will land on Traigh Mhòr beach which is used as the runway for Barra airport. Loganair also operate flights from Stornoway for your return journey.

Arrival Day

We arrived on Barra off the lunchtime boat from Oban arriving around 6pm on the Saturday evening. We camped at the Wave Crest campsite less than a 15 minutes bike ride from Castlebay. Facilities here were great and the camping ground was situated on the machair at the edge of the sea. We ate at the Castle Bay Hotel where there were healthy portions and local seafood options. There was a great atmosphere in the bar too.

Day One – Vatersay to Eriskay

If you’re staying on Barra on the first evening, you’ll need to make your way to the starting point on Vatersay at Traigh a Bhaigh beach. A stunning beach that has the most picturesque gated entrance and crystal clear turquoise waters. I’d recommend camping here before you start the Hebridean Way to avoid cycling the road to Vatersay and back in the same day. (The hills on this stretch of road can be a shock to the system!)

The cycle north through Barra begins along the west coast before heading inland towards Northbay and the Eriskay ferry terminal. Before heading for the ferry I’d recommend taking a detour down to Barra Airport and if you can, try catch the plane landing on the beach. There’s also a magnificent beach over a path through the dunes behind the airport terminal. You’ll approach from above the dunes and the views are spectacular and well worth the detour. When you reach the ferry terminal for the boat to Eriskay you’ll be able to enjoy a good coffee and fresh home baking from Ardmhor Coffee that also has some picnic benches out the front.

The ferry from Barra to Eriskay only takes around 40 mins. On arrival you’ll be greeted with another stunning beach to your left hand side of the ferry port. Most pass through Eriskay on the first day of cycling the Hebridean Way however we decided to camp here on our first night at a picturesque spot by the causeway to South Uist. For us a visit to the famous Am Politician was a must. A pub at the centre of the island named after a ship which sank off the shore in 1941. The ship was making it’s way to Jamaica carrying 1000s of cases of Scotch whisky and after the islanders had helped rescue all the crew on board they proceeded to help themselves to the whisky from the sinking ship. A film called “Whisky Galore” was made about the event!

Day Two – Eriskay to Benbecula

Day two’s cycle on the Hebridean Way was through the isle of South Uist and onwards to Benbecula. Arriving on South Uist it felt very remote. We searched for somewhere to eat and found ourselves in Lochboisdale, the main village on the island. The hotel and the shops were all closed up with the exception of a second hand bookshop. In all honesty quite a strange wee place. We wandered down towards the end of the newly built pier and came across the Sky Dancer coffee cabin and had some brilliant coffee and bacon rolls. The friendly couple who run the place were blasting techno tunes from the kitchen, quite the change from the usual traditional music we are all too familiar with.

The cycle onwards was across some remote single track roads, we took a small short cut to a small pebbled beach before the route arrived back on the main road passing the mysterious looking Ministry of Defence base. Nearby is the Our Lady of the Isles sculpture, a really good spot for a breather up a steep path off the main road. Here you can enjoy some spectacular views right across the island.

We camped that night at the Otter’s Edge Campsite in a convenient spot with well kept facilities. There is also a stunning beach behind the campsite just a few minutes walk through the dunes. Dinner that night was at the Dark Island Hotel which served a good selection of meals and a fair range of whisky and gin in the bar.

Day Three – Benbecula to North Uist

A shorter day of cycling today so we set off a bit later than usual. After some searching we were eventually pointed in the direction of Charlie’s Bistro for a hearty breakfast and coffee (plus shelter from the rain!).

The weather wasn’t on our side this day so it was a real effort to get onto our next stop so little to report on this route other than a short visit to some interesting ruins along the way, they were well signposted but I’ve no idea what they were called or the story behind them.

We were pleased to arrive at our accommodation early at the Tractor Shed Bunkhouse. Our digs for the evening consisted of a large farm building converted into small units and kitchen facilities with several pods dotted about the grounds. Facilities were brilliant and we made the most of the kitchen, buying dinner supplies at the local shop and cooking our own meal for the night.

Luckily the weather cleared later in the afternoon and we took a walk down the dirt track running by the bunkhouse to the beach. The beach was a hotspot for kite surfing and some had travelled from all over the U.K to surf this particular spot.

Day Four – North Uist to Tarbert

We were up early to catch one of the early ferries and were thoroughly soaked through as we arrived at the ferry terminal. The weather was bleak so a detour to the famous Berneray was simply not possible in the conditions we were working with. The ferry to Leverburgh across the Sound of Harris was around an hour and gave us a chance to dry off!

Soon after our arrival on Harris we got our first glimpse of the famous beaches most will be familiar with from magazines and Instagram. The Hebridean Way conveniently passes along side the famous Harris coast and offers views of some amazing beaches from the roadside. A stand out point was the views across Seilbost beach, even on a miserable and wet day, the colours were still stunning, see below, no filter!

Shortly after Seilbost is the turn off for the famous Luskentyre Beach. The weather again impacted our original plans to wild camp near the beach and we decided to head onwards to Tarbert for more substantial accomodation. (We were returning to Luskentyre Beach later in the week). Regardless of your schedule or the weather, Luskentyre is an absolute must at some point. Easily one of the best beaches in Scotland, if not the world. There is also a wee beach hut on the track to the beach selling ice creams and souvenirs.

Beyond Luskentyre be prepared for some difficult cycling as you ascend the never ending uphill road towards Tarbert. This part of the Hebridean Way was the most difficult, with a good solid hour of continuous cycling uphill through rocky mountainside. The cycle down to Tarbert afterwards was of course a breeze.

We managed to get booked into the Hotel Hebrides by the pier in Tarbert and this was definitely a splurge option for us although we enjoyed what seemed like luxury for the night. The hotel were also happy to store our bikes for the night across the road in one of their ship container units.

Day Five – Tarbert to Barvas (Isle of Lewis)

The final full day of cycling with some more uphill struggles as you leave Tarbert all made easier with the full Scottish breakfast offering at the Hotel Hebrides. Some of the scenery on this stretch was stunning and much of the cycle on Lewis was through several small villages and most of the time on the main road.

We stopped for lunch at Crust Like That, a converted shipping container serving homemade pizzas on the Hebridean Way route. A tip for here would be to phone ahead with your order. Shortly after a left turn from the main road, we arrived to the deserted car park and made our order. We were slightly puzzled to be told they were busy and we’d need to wait a while. Then soon enough a trail of vehicles arrived one by one collecting their pizzas. The pizzas were worth the wait!

The remaining cycle towards our AirBnb accommodation took us along some more remote villages and the delights of Lewis’s west coast. Along this stretch of the Hebridean Way you’ll find Traigh Dhail Beag beach, the Callanish Standing Stones & Gearannan Blackhouse Village. These are all worth a visit and only a short detour off the cycle route. You can explore nearby accommodation options for this stretch of the tour by clicking here.

Day Six – Barvas to The Butt of Lewis

Cycling the Hebridean Way in 6 days (you could argue we done it in 5 and a half days as we were finished by lunchtime!) was an unforgettable experience and a great way to explore the Outer Hebrides. The final day was only a few hours of cycling and the hebridean wind thankfully pushed along the way for the final stretch. You’ll pass more villages again with a few food options for cyclists to stop at and fuel up. As you reach the Butt of Lewis the lighthouse is in full few and the cliff tops surrounding the lighthouse are quite spectacular. A great spot for birdwatching and a well deserved rest! So this point marks the end of the Hebridean Way, luckily we had transport organised and we made our way back to “the town” (Stornoway) to drop off our bikes for Tony and grab a spot of lunch. What an experience!

Hopefully this guide has been useful for anyone thinking about cycling the Hebridean Way. I’m happy to answer any questions to help with recommendations and planning your route. Please add your questions, share your experiences and feedback in the comment box below. Have a great trip!

Love the Scottish islands and want to explore more? Check out the Simply The West blog post for reasons to visit the Isle of Islay in the Inner Hebrides.

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