Looking at doing a tour on the Hebrides may half term next year, kids will be 11 and 8, will have a max of 8 full days as we could travel up Friday evening to starting destination. Looking to use hostels, bunkhouses or B and B’s.

Can anyone give suggested routes that would give a good mix of seeing the islands alongside enjoying the riding and seeing beaches etc including days off the bike if there is something that is worth seeing doing.

many thanks

Bookmarked as I’m interested in something very similar…

This place is brilliant,http://www.gatliff.org.uk/?page_id=9
Very rustic but on a great beach

Did a camper van tour earlier this year in May – route was: Adrossan-Arran-Cloanaig-Oban-Mull-Kilchoan-Ardnamurchan-Arisaig-Mallaig-Skye-Uig-Harris over 7 days. Arran (Lochranza) and Arisaig were pretty busy and would avoid the next time. Best beaches were Knockvologan (Mull) and Horgabost (Harris). Because of small roads, distances aren’t covered quickly, so really depends on how much driving you want to do, or whether you visit fewer places. I’m not sure I’d go back to Skye either – very busy and not cheap.

Inner or Outer? We did the Lewis / Harris / Skye this summer and it was fantastic. Where are you travelling from as you need to factor in getting to Oban or Ullapool and ferry times, depending on your route.

Lewis had amazing beaches and Harris had great hills, so depends if you plan to ride, surf and or canoe. My kids are younger than yours, but happily played on the beach all day. However, stunning scenery on top of stunning scenery might not necessarily appeal to your kids.

Stornoway is pretty, lews castle and museum are interesting plus there is a cinema and swimming pool for when it will be chucking it down.

Lewis, Harris is the aim, looked at going from Oban but getting back to Oban looks a pain. I don’t mind having to ride / train back to collect car at the end of holiday. kids love the beach and love swimming, happy to walk and like castles.

travelling from North Cumbria so Oban is doable on Friday night after work.

Cycle touring..?
The outer isles are really quiet and the safest place to take kids on a road cycle tour as a result; I’ve seen one parent happily taking three kids out there.
Try boat from Oban to Castlebay on Barra; ride around the island, show the family the beach airport at the north end (café too), eat picnic lunch in the sand-dunes of Vatersay, where corncrakes sit in the grass and there’s a beach on both sides of a neck of land. Plus wreckage of a Catalina on the shoreline.
Take a boat to Eriskay (whisky galore stories) then head north into South Uist (folk museum), Benbecula, N Uist(wildlife) & eventually S Harris for beaches at Luskentyre. Ride back to Lochboisdale on S Uist and boat back to Oban. Find some trad music along the way; shouldn’t be difficult. Have a day off the bike and go whale or otter watching from one of several possible villages.
Calmac ferries are ridiculously cheap if you’re a foot passenger and they do combined route tickets that are even cheaper. No charge for bikes & their trailers.

I’d respectfully suggest that the step from Harris to Lewis/Stornoway is too much for youngsters, long sections on major roads that are a bit dull. The top half of Lewis is really dull too.
The full 7-8 day circuit around from Oban- Barra- Uists- Harris- Skye- Mallaig- Arisaig- Salen(Ardnamurchan)- Tobermory- Oban is probably too much for kids that age, you’d spend nearly all day on the bikes and it’s quite hilly. What I’ve suggested above is targeted to a ‘mixed’ audience.

Cheers of the advice, older one I think would cope but younger one I think would struggle, the top suggestion looks good, Just need to look up hostels etc for places to stay.

I assume we could fit in more of Harris if all was going well? western side looks good from what I’ve looked at

Sister has just moved to Harris (SE). The west side is probably the nicest. The schlep up to Lewis would be dull. I’ve a guidebook she gave me that you’re welcome to – Cycling in the Hebs or something.

Ullapool to Oban is one of my regular trips – lots of folk park at Oban and then need a lift back with their bikes.

I took a family of 4 from Ullapool to Edinburgh a few weeks ago. The youngest was about 10 though. They’d cycled through from Barra to the Butt and back to Stornoway over 9 days.

If you want to limit your cycling, I’d recommend the Uists. You could do a circular trip using the ferry from Mallaig to Lochboisdale, fit in a trip to Barra and then go north, returning via Lochmaddy. That would leave you a (hilly) trip through Skye to get back to Mallaig though.

There’s a great site at Balranald on North Uist with a beach beside it and it’s in the middle of a RSPB reserve. Anne does great cakes/scones/soup but the nearest shop is about 6 miles away so stock up en route. (I’m away up there on Sunday for a week 🙂 )

The Harris-Lewis trip can be really nice. Great views into Pairc and South Lochs, then over to the west side to see Callanish, Dun Carloway, Garenin etc. Return to Stornoway via the Pentland Road if you’re not going all the way to Ness.

Oh and book a meal at the Decca in Ness. Trust me. You’ll thank me later.

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/outer-hebrides-any-advice

Boxelder cheers, I’ll call in sometime when passing