Off for a family holiday in a few months. Any recommendations? Worth taking a bike?

Get off yer tweed?

West coast of Lewis is stunning if you are up that way.

Spend a night here if you want a wee adventure:

In good weather, Harris is a stunning place. Only ridden the road bike but I’d recommend Stornoway to Leverburgh on The Sabbath with a northerly tailwind… The circuit of south Harris is also good and the Rhenigidal circuit is recommended for MTB. There are few places to eat but I’d highly recommend the cafe by the pier in Leverburgh, Rodel Hotel and the Hotel Hebrides in Tarbert.

Beaches at Luskentyre and Huisinish are stunning and if you can make it out to St Kilda you’ll not regret it.

Some pics from this summer:

There’s not a lot of tourist attractions as such – Callanish is well worth a visit – but loads of wild land, beaches, lochs, mountains and wildlife. Second Stuartie_C’s recommendations for beaches.

Yes, good biking. A web search should find some MTB stuff. Just had a quick rummage and can’t find anything; MBR did a big feature with 3 routes in it c.2003 if you can find that you’ll be good.

Something else to note is that the Sabbath is a serious business on Lewis and Harris; assume absolutely nothing will be open and you’ll be about right.

Spin – Member

Spend a night here if you want a wee adventure:
Indeed, if you can find it.

A wee clue – it’s near Mangurstadh. 😉

http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/harris/stclements/index.html

Yup. The Hotel Hebrides is one honourable exception though!

Because the Sabbath is so strictly observed, it’s a great day for cycling because the roads are all but empty (apart from tourists of course!). You’ll see a few stony-faced old Wee Frees driving to church but there’s an even stricter sect who frown on even doing that (not sure if it’s the Big-Endians or the Little-Endians…). There’s also a ferry runs to North Uist on Sundays (it’s a largely Catholic community so not as po-faced).

Lots of nice hills too in the Clisham range.

There are a lot of worthwhile trails around Tarbet…can never remember if that is Lewis or Harris.

The west coast is quite stunning…………on a good day

Looks like you may need a boat too

Harris, amazing place, we had unbelieveable weather over the Royal Wedding weekend…

Pics:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/musselburghbikers/sets/72157626574703033/

Stunning place. We loved it…

Musselburgh boys have it right. The track from Ardvourlie to Voshmid and then to the main road is tremendous. Lots of ups and downs. The down bit to Voshmid is unrelenting though and a full suss makes all the difference. There are miles of tracks in North Harris, but you will struggle to find much else other than a wee bit down at Northton machair.
The other worthy note is and my Brother is right now bashing his 360 through the grounds of Lews castle college, building a bike track for the chap who designed Golspie, not much elevation in it, but my bruv says there is plenty “interesting” bits in it.Not sure when it is due for opening though, but will give updates as and when I hear more (or when the lads from Stornaway shout about it)

Lots of good stuff 🙂 many thanks.

cracking switchback cliff-side descent here – http://g.co/maps/5ha83

did a few nice wee rides

iDave, thats the one we are pushing up in our pictures. I wish I had ridden it back down again, it was only a 30 minute push……

Buy an OS map now and work out your routes.

Lots of the tracks can be soft because one thing you’re guaranteed in Harris is weather. 🙂

Of course, you don’t have to stick to tracks if you have the right bike and don’t mind a bit of a bikehike from time to time. (Everything is weather dependent though.)

And while the church going people may be very serious about their Sabbath, they’re some of the kindest and nicest people you’ll ever meet, so don’t be put off by any negative comments on that.

Probably the best sort of bike to take is a cx bike because if the tracks are too wet to ride, the road around Harris awesome.

Harris
2 routes

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/idld.srf?x=117818&y=900363&z=120&sv=117818,900363&st=4&ar=y&mapp=idld.srf&searchp=ids.srf&dn=764&ax=117818&ay=900363&lm=0

if that doesn’t work, Tarbert, E, N beside loch, yellow rd E then S, track W on coast – a true classic – called Rhenigidale loop

and start here
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/idld.srf?x=118733&y=911508&z=120&sv=118733,911508&st=4&ar=y&mapp=idld.srf&searchp=ids.srf&dn=764&ax=118733&ay=911508&lm=0

W, S on track, big house/castle at sea sold a cuppa when I was there I think

don’t hang your washing out on Sunday (*honest)

What lens did you use for that photo epicyclo? The effect of ridiculously large tyres is quite cool. 😛

surf? gets good up there!

And while the church going people may be very serious about their Sabbath, they’re some of the kindest and nicest people you’ll ever meet, so don’t be put off by any negative comments on that.

This is true – I was being unkind just because I don’t agree with their religious outlook. Apologies for the negativity. 😳

stuartie_c – Member
This is true – I was being unkind just because I don’t agree with their religious outlook. Apologies for the negativity.

Wasn’t having a go at you, just trying to present a bit of the other side, so no problem.