My Hebridean Way Experience

I completed this ride in July 2024. The experience is much more than the ride itself, and for those doing the route from South to North, which is generally the preferred option, it really starts before you board the ferry at Oban for Castlebay, and maybe, if you stayed in the town the night before, then someone you met is also getting the same ferry, (there's usually only one a day) so with the people that you meet, you talk about your plans for your journey, where you plan to stay, and how far you will be travelling. So I met a man from Northern England with his bike, who had taken the train following completing a shift at work, and had a good night's sleep at the hostel I was also staying at. Harbourside, I met a man originally from the UK but who lived on Vancouver Island, BC, Canada and also a young couple from the same general place. There were others also in the bike queue including a lady from Dijon, France. Check in is harbourside next to where the ferry docks, and you are the first to go onto the ferry. I let the crew sort out the ropes that will hold the bikes together (two are side by side), and we get first choice on where to sit and that is probably the top inside deck with great forward views. Just take any bags and things that you need as this is a 5 hour plus crossing. Even though I was solo, being with this group meant that your things could be left on the seat if you needed to go somewhere, whether for food or drink or something else. You land as Castlebay on the island of Barra either late afternoon or early evening. Many of the others were going to the nearby Co-op shop if they needed to and then over the causeway to Vatersay and the official start of the Way. Camping here is normal. The Community Centre opposite offers 50p (cash) showers and a request to give £3 for staying there overnight. Naturally with the long days you can venture further up the west coast of the island to other spots if you want, but I stayed at the Dunard Hostel which had an under cover bike storage area, and a variety of rooms. I had booked all my travel and accommodation well in advance as I like to have certainty. I decided to stay here for two nights. It is a really good hostel and helped me in many ways with what was to come. The next day I decided to go over to the start of the Way on Vatersay. On my way there I met the lady from Dijon who was heading out and up the west coast road to the ferry, and the man whom I had met at the Oban hostel before we both got on the ferry. I guess that both were wanting to make progress. However, the man from Vancouver Island, the young couple and others were still at the "site", and I rejoined the man for a coffee at the Community Centre at its opening time. He was doing a lot of riding on this "holiday" so his bike was loaded and camping was going to be his main form of overnighting. I decided to ride with him for much of his journey up towards the ferry terminal at Ard Mhor and we did have a good lunch at the Northbay Cafe which is just a few hundred metres after the turning to the ferry - but you stay on that road and come back on yourself afterwards. We said goodbyes when he turned to go to the ferry - watch out for the ferry timings, whilst I headed up to the north of the island, passing the iconic Barra beach airport and with planes landing and taking off, before coming down the east road back to Castlebay. This is a tough road although well paved generally. Day 3 and an early start and retracing my pedal strokes up the west coast of Barra, then across to Northbay and up to Ard Mhor, with predominantly a tailwind. I was able to get the earlier ferry but was able to get a coffee and cake at the cafe there basically to go and then to put my bike in a safe place towards the front of the functional ferry. Having a bike stand helped. Arriving at Eriskay and then being one of the later people off the ferry meant that I went to the terminal building there before mostly walking up the hill leading away from the terminal. It does allow you to take photographs of the ferry leaving the bay heading back to Barra. Then through the village and right then second left to the well tarmacamed road to the causeway and my first "Otters Crossing" signpost. Realising that the wind was going to be headwind at times, just took it easy pedalling and enjoying the views of the seascapes ahead of me. Gave a quick glance at the Kilbride campsite in case someone was there and I am not sure that I recognised somebody's bike, but later I heard that someone was staying there. I had ensured that my Garmin GPS had all the necessary routes on there with appropriate titles so I could just follow it's directions and having also looked at "Street View" previously could see things in a familiar sort of way. Buildings being improved on and buildings that were basically a shell, including what looked like places of worship were on the route here. At Daliburgh I turned left onto the main road and decided to make for the Kildonan Museum which had a good cafe for lunch and a look around the artisan's shop (some nice things there TBH). As I was sitting in the cafe, the man from Vancouver Island arrived and joined me for a short time and visited the museum before he headed north, but wanted to make as much distance as possible with the weather looking to worsen the next day so would not follow the "Way" unlike me. I saw the ruins of Ormacleit Castle, enjoying the relatively flat and staight roads of the area with little traffic, excepting phone vans, and the occasional barking dog. I kept to the "Way" instead of using the trail between the machair field near Homore before heading north on the main road again, passing the "Lady of the Isles" and the golf ball domes of the Qineti tracking station. Two ladies on fairly lightly laden road bikes passed me and left me as if I was standing almost still but such is life on a hybrid bike. I was soon to turn right off the way to my next overnight stop at the Orasay Inn for D, B&B. There was no bike storage place here but all was safe, and fortunately the weather remained dry, but a room where I have en-suite facilities and to charge batteries and other things. Day 4 and retraced back to the main road and turned right to get onto the causeway over to Benbecula. Again I thought that I saw a tent and bike belonging to someone from the Oban ferry in Liniclate. Followed the B road alongside sometimes a sea wall up the west coast to Balivanich and to get something to eat for lunch as this was a long day of cycling. Sometimes vehicles would just be a little bit too close or aggressive in passing me, even here on a road with room for vehicles in two lanes, but in general I tried to get to the "Passing Places" as quickly as possible when there were vehicles coming behind me or towards me throughout this journey. The crossing of the North Ford Causeway went well, passing some parked motorbikes who overtook me a few minutes later and saying hello to a cyclist coming in the opposite direction as well as someone walking in the same direction as I. Soon after I saw a worrying sign, Temple View Hotel is up for sale. This had been on my options early on in my planning for stops. The weather began to worsen with rain and gusty winds which would hit me through most of the remainder of the journey. I made for RSBP Balranald. It was truly a respite. I could put the bike in a sheltered area of the building whilst I could use the facilities and eat my lunch whilst looking at the indoor displays. I had met two lady riders just before arriving there and we all said hello. With the weather bad, it was really a case of moving on from this point until the rain relented which was just before the causeway over to Berneray. The roads were undulating and I had to take regular breaks with the headwinds and rain affecting me, hoping that there would be some form of relief if I made it to the treeline I could see ahead, but there was not. I had planned on going to Sollas Bookbinding as something that would be interesting to see and buy, but I had seen that it was closed temporarily and had been told that the person was probably on holiday. I had bought a book and it is really a nice thing. Then you turn for directions to the causeway to Berneray and you think that it is not far to go now, but time seems to take forever to get to a point where you are looking down on it and a chance with the rain having stopped and the wind lessed to stop just short of the causeway to have a snack and take another "Otters Crossing" sign photograph. Not far to go now, just to get up the incline on the other side and stop at the Berneray Shop. From there it was just over a mile to my overnight stop at Seal View B&B. I had a fantastic room to myself (very large) with a shed to keep the bike in and to freshen up and change before walking back to the Berneray Shop (which has a Bistro) and as it was Friday, for me it was fish and chips. It's a very popular place so you do have to book. Day 5 and after breakfast it was a quick ride to the ferry and over to Leverburgh. Two German speaking Swiss guys were also taking this ferry and they were wanting to get things at a shop and have a coffee so pointed out to them the An Clachan shop, where they stopped. This part of the journey from here to Tarbert is absolute wonderful and if possible take your time doing it, especially if the weather is kind to you as the views all around and the beaches near and far are something else. I was again very fortunate to meet up with a couple from Belgium who I had met briefly earlier and they had stayed the previous night at a B&B in Leverburgh, and had been fortunate with the owner taking their luggage to the hotel in Tarbert that was to be their next stop. They were also both riding e-bikes, so I was drafting wherever possible!!! Unfortunately significant inclines were places where eventually I had to stop and walk with the bike. I was having issues with the lowest gears and believe that the bad weather had done something. However, they waited for me in appropriate stopping places and upon entering Tarbert I headed into the Backpacker's Stop Hostel whilst they continued to the Hebrides Hotel. Even though I arrived mid afternoon I was basically the last person to arrive in the room, which was fully occupied except for one bed. The window was opened for reasons that you may be able to guess about in this men's room. It was a mix of young and old. Again a shower and change of clothing and making the best of the situation - using a space in the room to keep my things, but then heading out into Tarbert where I met up again with the Belgium couple and agreed to meet up a little later for a coffee. Although I did not go there, the Harris Distillery is a popular place but I had my item relating to this place from another place. It was late Saturday afternoon so got some things at a supermarket as everything basically was closing between 4pm and 5pm. Only the hotel was really open so that is where I had dinner and enjoyed the company of both the couple and other people who were in the bar area and were doing similar travels at the same time. Day 6 began with the expected not great night's sleep but this was going to be another long day. It is Sunday. Basically nothing is open on the island of Harris and Lewis on a Sunday. You have two options, if possible. Stay in Tarbert and use the hotel facilities or ensure that you have provisions for the day and the following morning's breakfast, if you need more that what is available at the hostel, or have that breakfast and head out. I did the latter so had provisions for having lunch en-route. Walking up parts of the hills out of Tarbert and on towards Maraig. I was to meet up with the German speaking Swiss guys later on who were staying mainly in hostels and wild camping and were staying at Gaitliff hostels and that night had made it to the Rhenigidale hostel. This riding, when on the bike around here, was wonderful. No vehicles to talk about and flowing bends, watching the brakes as I came down the road near Loch Seaforth. Not sure that I would enjoy coming in the opposite direction. I was making very good progress and stopped to eat, have a drink and rest at the otherwise closed Balallan Community Hub. At least it was not raining but the headwinds from the left turn heading west towards Calanish all the way was bad. It was on this road that I again met the German speaking Swiss guys. I parked up near Calanish III at the seat and walked around to see both III and II before retracing my steps to the bike. Onto the site of the visitor centre which is basically fenced off with work underway to "improve" the facility. It was clear from the actions of some people that the hope that certain facilities would be open were dashed. I managed to walk my bike up the hill behind the centre to the stone circle I and get through the gate, with some Swiss help and to enjoy the largest of the collection of stones here. I then moved up the back road before turning onto the main road again heading towards Carloway and my evening destination of Doune Braes Hotel for D, B&B. Here I basically had a commercial sized shed/garage to use for my bike storage. Day 7 is a Monday and I had planned this to be a minimal riding day. No need to return to Calanish stones really so instead went direct to Dalbeag Beach. It is worth it even with the hilly undulations that you have. Then back to Carloway itself and the "iconic" wee shop and cafe for lunch and provisions. I had brought a bag with me for this purpose and used in hostels as tonight I was staying at Gearrannan Blackhouse. I was so lucky to be the only person there with the exception of a German family travelling in a hire car who were using the "family room" and staying there for several days. This like some other hostels have bunk beds that are on top of each other in that you could put your arm out to the side and you would go over the bed beside you. Fortunately I had space and was also able to shower and change. Once I had worked out how the microwave worked - there was a logic to it, then a curry dinner was ate and also a walk around the area up into the hills to the north followed. Great views. Day 8 and the push for the Butt of Lewis. Headed off early and except for times when I had to get off the bike to push it, the ride was really good. Made it to the lighthouse and to the end point "monument" which is identical to that in Vatersay basically. Then as planned a ride around to get to the Wobbly Dog Cafe. This is an iconic and quirky cafe and items for sale with a toilet and it is where I had lunch. I asked about where the bus would be going from as I planned to take the bus to Stornoway rather than riding it back. Do look at this as a good option because the ride to Stornoway is not a short one unless you are staying the night in the area, possibly at the Cross Inn. At Stornoway I stayed at the Heb Hostel. For the ferry to Ullapool, just take the bike on board as it is. I had booked the Citilink buses, firstly from Ullapool to Inverness. They had enough passengers to run two buses and I was allocated to the second bus. The driver of this bus was very helpful. He brought on the sock (see their website for how it looks) and as long as you take off any panier bags you have then you will be fine. I also bought a collapsible bag that I could put my pannier bags in and this could also be put in the "bike compartment". The second bus was about 40 minutes later and that was going to Fort William. I was also given a sock but this one was new and so difficult to get over the bike. In hindsight as I had brought a collapsible soft bike bag with me then I wished that I had used this instead even if that meant that the handlebars would not be inside the bag. I had a long wait in Fort William and basically moving from Stand 5/6 where the bus arrived to Stand 7/8 where the Oban bus would depart is what you need to be aware of. Here the bus is operated by West Coast Buses. The size of the compartment is such that with my medium sized bike I had to take the front wheel off but with the bike in my bag and the wheel and other bag in the compartment , it could be closed without problem. On reaching Oban and taking my items out of the compartment, all I had to do was reattach the front wheel with axel onto the bike, which took a few minutes and sort out the bags. This was a wonderful journey and I am so glad that I did it. I met a number of people and wished that we had passed details but maybe that is not the thing to do these days. If you are thinking about this journey then I can wholeheartedly recommend it. I did meet people coming in the opposite direction at times so work out if you can do that or the usual preferred direction. If you use social media then seek out Hebrides and island specific groups to help you out and I can also recommend the Hebridean Way cycle map and book as both are good tools whether you have fully planned your journey or not and potentially if there are issues, what options you may have. Enjoy.