Thinking of doing this in early September of this year over the space of 7. I havn’t done any touring before but this seems like a decent route that I could break up into manageable stages.

Probably take a small tent and wild camp over the period of the trip with occasional bothy stops and a hostel stay in Stornoway before the ferry home.

Once I get to Lewis I’ll get the ferry back over to Ullapool and then ride down to Inverness and catch the train home.

Whole trip will probably take me 7-10 days.

Anyone here done the route? Any tips or recommendations for riding on the hebrides?

I did it before it was signed. Fabulous route. Don’t rush it. My one regret was a long day across all if North Uist and all the way to Tarbert.

Get your ferry timetables carefully worked out.

Remember that lots of places close on a Sunday (but not all).

Go all the way to the Butt of Lewis. Don’t be tempted to leave it out.

Drivers are mostly very tolerant. I felt very safe and didn’t bother wearing a helmet (almost unique for me).

I’m not long back from camping at Balranald. Great quiet site in the middle of an RSPB reserve with nice beach, fresh eggs and a food/coffee van during the day.

We’re planning to go back next year too.

I did it in 3 days south to north. 98miles the first day Vatersay to Berneray. Stayed in Dunard hostel in Castlebay before starting then the Gatlif hostel on Berneray the next. Then 45miles to Ravenspoint hostel at Tabost 2nd night then up to Butt of Lewis and back to Stornoway last day 90miles. The roads on the Uists are flat and amazing surfaces. Lewis was a bit boring and barren plus nothing but the odd settlement and no shops/cafe till the butt of Lewis (which is stunning). Stunning ride all in all and the drivers all very courteous and patient. Ride back to Inverness from Ullapool is decent as well and not too hard going.

Thanks for the info guys.

I’ll be taking my camera and hoping to get some good shots on the trip so I’m happy to take my time and do it over a number of days.

Good to know the ride back from Ullapool to Inverness isn’t too bad either, was a bit worried about traffic. I have a feeling that day will probably be the longest single ride of the trip.

Having said that I am actually looking at doing it on a folding bike, not having a car means I’m on public transport all the way to Oban (including the bus to the nearest train station) so being able to easily get on and off trains, buses, ferries etc would be welcome.

Did this last year with the Mrs, plus south again to Oban through Skye/Ardnamurchan/ Mull. you’ll have a ball. I’d not worry about taking a conventional bike onto trains and ferries; no problems. On the island ferries your bike gets parked in a wee area at one end of the car deck; some of these boats are big. Agree about the Ullapool/Inverness road; pretty civilised, but no grub shops anywhere between Ullapool and Contin, so stock up.
You may want to book your bike onto trains though; I’ve always managed without booking but perhaps more by luck than judgement. There are a lot of trains south from Inverness, so plenty of choice if you choose not to book and take a gamble.
Echoing much of the above, try not to rush the journey north and take your time everywhere and especially the Uists and Harris, perhaps do some riding out onto the machair instead of the main (and only..) South Uist road. Think picnic on a deserted white beach with corncrakes providing the soundtrack. Benbecula is the dullest island (cut straight across it) while the west road around N Uist is well worth the diversion before heading up to Berneray.
Cicerone publish a good cycle touring guide to the Hebrides, I can recommend for it.

You can get the morning ferry from Stornoway, cycle to Garve, have a Wyvis Burger from Out of the Blue and catch the train to Inverness.

I did it a couple of weeks ago – a combination of wild camping and hostels.
I thought lewis was a bit nondesript, other than the butt at the top. If i was doing it again i’d head for stornoway from the Bravas junction. Harris was great, linger there is you’re going hang about anywhere.

Definitely book your train from inverness. We missed ours by 2 minutes and couldn’t egt the bikes booked on another one for a couple of days at this time of year. You can take your chances with the guard but it’s risky – luckily had a mate in inverness we could leave our bikes with. In case you’re tight for time from ullapool to inverness there’s a bike bus you can catch – leaves from outside the ferry terminal. Enjoy.

The west coast of Lewis gets a bit of a bum rap – unfairly in my opinion – but if you’re missing it out then take the Pentland Road from Carloway to Stornoway. It’s a lovely piece of singletrack road that wasn’t even tarmacced when I first went there.

Uig on Lewis is also stunning but off the main through-route so no one bothers going there 🙂

There’s also a bike-carrying taxi service that can take you to/from the ferry terminal and Inverness

http://www.tickettoridehighlands.co.uk/cyclist-transport.php

Thread hijack – I’m thinking of doing this next spring / early summer with the girlfriend and the baby, who’ll by then be about 6-8 months. Suitable for riding with a little one in a trailer?