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| Beaches near Solas, North Uist |
If you've found this blog, you are probably thinking about doing a cycling trip around the Outer Hebrides so I'm not going to waste any time telling you how brilliant you're idea is because you already know that. It's a great idea, but it requires a little bit of planning so I'm going to give you some hints and tips on how to plan your own trip. If you want to read about my experience, please go ahead and read my other blog.
Step 1: When to go?
In the summer months these islands are seriously popular and not only do the B & B's get booked up in advance, so do the ferries. Taking a car across on the Caledonian MacBrayne (Calmac) ferries isn't a particularly cheap holiday (you're looking at £96 return minimum plus the price of two passengers), but taking a bike is completely free. Yes, you read that right. It's free. So cycling is a great way to visit the islands. If you want to go in June-August the key is to book ahead... like way ahead, possibly even a year in advance. However, April and May can be pleasant in the Highlands and September can surprise you too. These 'quieter' months are more likely to have availability at shorter notice, so if you're prepared for rain and wind (which, let's face it, is always a possibility on the west coast) consider these months too.
We want in early April, in fact we were either the first or the only visitors at all of our accommodation. This might be because we're a hardy highlanders or we're just a little bit crazy...
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| The beaches on Harris are beautiful, even in the wind and rain |
Step 2: Getting to and figuring out the ferries.
There are quite a few choices in terms of routes to get to the islands. You could do a return trip (therefore a circular cycle route) or more interesting and most likely the choice you will go for is to start at one end and work your way to the other end. Whilst the ferries regularly fill up for vehicles, there always seems to be space for more passengers and cyclists. However, in the summer months, I would advise again that you try and book ahead. You can take a look at the ferry timetables here: http://www.calmac.co.uk/timetables/
The only thing to look out for with getting to and from the ferries is that Citylink buses (the main Highland service providers) don't take bikes. It's infuriating that they don't promote cycling but at the same times it's kind've understandable because they'd probably get overwhelmed...
On the plus side there are trains to Oban, one of the ports to the Outer Hebrides, and the trains do take bikes. Again though, its best to book ahead with these types of things as there's only so much space.
I guess you could rent two cars, drive both to one end and leave one for your return trip, take the other to the start, go and do your trip, then pick up the first car you abandoned and drive it and both your bikes to the second one you abandoned. But once your brains figured all of that out and you've coughed up all the cash to do all of that, you could have taken both the bikes and a car over to the Outer Hebrides and back for cheaper. Its a pretty drastic option but, hey, it is an option if you are desperate and money and time are no issue.
We took the ferry from Uig to Lochmaddy, and back from Stornoway to Ullapool.How? We bribed those that we loved into giving us a lift to the ferry terminals and into coming back and picking us up. Bribing those closest to you is always a great alternative to public transport, just be sure you're happy to return the favour if they ever fancy doing the same crazy things.
If none of these work for you and your bike, there is another option...
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| Cycling is relatively flat and easy going on North Uist |
Step 3: Bike rental
As you have probably realised from the last step, getting bikes on to the Outer Hebrides can be a little bit of a challenge. So alternatively, get yourself there on public transport and hire a bike once you arrive. As we didn't do this I'm not 100% sure on the logistics, but it seems like there are quite a few places to hire from. Google is going to be your best friend to figure out what works best for you.
Step 4: Accommodation
As I said earlier, the key to getting accommodation is to book in advance. However, this isn't always possible. In order to find some accommodation, I've listed below a few good websites for locating a place to stay. When you book your B&B make sure you plan ahead: give yourself a realistic distance to cycle between places (yes we did a 50 mile day over Harris, but it was hard work and a long day - not everyone will manage this, especially if the weather was a horrid as we had it), be aware that there aren't that many cash machines kicking about either so its probably a good idea to check ahead if they accept credit / debit card payments. Also, another life saver is finding a B&B that offers evening meals. It might not always seem like the cheapest option, but trust me, you will be relieved after a full day cycling that you booked in advance rather than winged it. If you don't want to do this, check where the nearest shop / restaurant is from your accommodation, and most importantly when it opens / closes. Sunday's are a particular issue as is discussed below. One thing to know to safe you some time is that self catering places tend to run on a weekly basis and very, very rarely do less than a 4 or 5 night stint. B&B's are your best bet, they also offer great breakfasts to get you set up for a day cycling and are reasonably priced.
Before you book anywhere check out other people's reviews on tripadvisor. Trust me when I say, it is always worth checking reviews before you book. I've learnt the hard way. Three stars and up is generally a safe bet:
The obvious first stop for accommodation on the Outer Hebrides is here. Get emailing and phoning these guys for the best up to date information: http://www.visitouterhebrides.co.uk/accommodation
Visit Scotland have recently updated there webpage's accommodation to include availability. It's worked out most of the kinks in this new system and seems to be running pretty smoothly:
Other options:
Personal recommendations: We stayed in three places, two of which I highly recommend. Firstly the Rowantree in Solas, North Uist. Linda was a wonderful hostess and made us feel very welcome:
Secondly, Gledfield in Balallan. Marion and Iain were excellent hosts and they give a special welcome to cyclists. We were there first visitors in the 2014 season and were given a truly wonderful stay. We arrive cold, hungry and drenched to the bone but left with miraculously dry shoes, warm hearts and full bellies:
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| Cycling on Lewis undulates: it's not as flat as Uist, but it's nothing compared to the mountains of Harris |
Step 5: Sundays
Typically the Outer Hebrides are friendly, welcoming and interesting folk. Six days a week they go about their business like the rest of us. But on Sundays, its a bit of a different story. Everything is closed for the day. Everything. You should find accommodation but anything else i.e. attractions, restaurants, shops, cafes etc are very much closed. Why? Inherently the islanders are a very religious community, and they take the bible seriously when it says that Sunday is a day of rest. If you want to get away from the world and want a beautiful, remote island all to yourself, go on a Sunday. It's quite likely you wont see another soul all day, not even in their own gardens or peering out of their sitting room windows. Why do I warn you of this? You need to be prepared in terms of food. There are a few places that do serve food but they are few and far between. I would advise that you either book a meal with your accommodation in advance, locate a nearby restaurant that is open (and reserve a table) or pack your own supplies for your Sunday cycle.
Step 6: Visitor attractions
Whilst you are cycling around the Outer Hebrides, be sure to make the most of the local attractions. Again, spend a little bit of time researching this before you book your accommodation. I point you towards tripadvisor for the best advice and ideas of what there is to see. Personally, as an archaeologist, I wanted to see two sites in particular: Dun Carloway Broch and the Callanish standing stones. Both blew my mind. If you do the same route as we did, they are right next to the road and are both completely free:
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| Dun Carloway Broch |
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| Callanish Standing Stones |
Step 7: Final pieces of advice
Book ahead.
Set yourself realistic distances.
Be prepared for the weather.
Pack light.
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| Enjoy your cycle! |
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