The Hebridean Way
Fàilte gu slighe Innse Gall
Welcome to the Outer Hebrides
Scattered off Scotland’s rugged west coast, the Outer Hebrides are a remote and windswept archipelago stretching from Barra in the south to Lewis in the north. The islands boast some of the most spectacular scenery in Scotland, and the closely intertwined Gaelic and Norse traditions are still strongly apparent.
The islands all have their own distinct character. There is perhaps no better way to experience each one’s unique culture and atmosphere than by travelling from one to the next as you cycle the Hebridean Way.
The Hebridean Way
The Skinny Tyres Hebridean Way fully supported cycling tour is more than just a route across the Outer Hebrides.
Scotland’s wild and timeless isles
Our Hebridean Way cycling holiday
Cycling the Hebridean Way in the Outer Hebrides is an exhilarating journey along dramatic coastlines and through landscapes shaped by Neolithic sites. The vibrant Gaelic culture and the deep sense of history carried in every beach, loch and rock add flavours to savour long after your holiday ends.
The official route runs north for 185 miles / 297 km across nine islands. Lewis and Harris form a single island, divided by mountains. Open roads with minimal traffic and a mix of gentle stretches and cheeky climbs create a rewarding adventure for cyclists of all abilities.
We’ve enhanced this itinerary by including Harris’s Golden Road, one of the most stunning routes in the UK. We also avoid some busier, less scenic roads in favour of quieter stretches with views to leave you speechless.
Our itinerary is flexible and we offer options to lengthen or shorten the amount of time you spend on the saddle each day.
Prices include
Logistics
Pre-trip logistics and planning. Every detail of your trip taken care of for you.
Accommodation
All accommodation for the duration of the holiday.
Food
Half-board including breakfast, snacks and three-course evening meals.
Support
Expert guided support from our local guides and our unique customised vehicles.
Record
A dedicated trip experience app, packed with information, notes and detailed GPS files for each day of cycling.
Transport
Luggage transfers, ferry crossings,
end-of-trip transfers.
Reviews
What our guests say
Cycling the Hebridean Way: travel day
Day 1: Arrive in Oban
THE GATEWAY TO THE ISLES
Oban is known for its stunning waterfront, seafood restaurants and vibrant harbour. It’s the perfect place to begin your Hebridean Way vacation.
The start hotel is a five-minute walk from the railway station and has a long-term car park. Your guide will meet you at the Skinny Tyres van in the car park from 3 pm.
We highly recommend taking your bike out for a short spin to ensure that everything is in working order after travelling to Scotland. Routes around Oban will be included with your trip notes.
There is a welcome briefing for the whole group at 7 pm, then everyone dines together at 7.30 pm.
On the road to discovery:
Local points of interest include McCaig’s Tower and the 13th century Dunollie Castle.
The panoramic views of Oban from McCaig’s Tower are especially spectacular at sunset.
Founded in 1794, Oban Distillery is one of Scotland's oldest remaining distilleries. It is situated close to our hotel in the heart of town and runs daily tours.
Cycling the Hebridean Way: travel day
Day 2: Oban to Castlebay, Barra
THE ADVENTURE BEGINS
Your Hebridean Way cycling journey begins with a five-hour ferry passage to the island of Barra.
The ferry departs around midday so there is time in the morning to go for a leisurely coffee or even take the 10 am tour of the Oban Distillery, if you have pre-booked. Refreshments are available from the onboard café and bar.
Sailing towards the Sea of the Hebrides, the ferry traverses the Sound of Mull where the views are spectacular. On a clear day you can see Ben Nevis.
Tonight's hotel in Castlebay is right opposite the ferry terminal so when you arrive, there is time to cycle to the official start of the Hebridean Way at Traigh a Baith beach on the island of Vatersay. Make sure you take your swimsuit so you can have a dip in the crystal-clear water before heading back for dinner.
By cycling this short but scenic section of the route today, you save both time and miles tomorrow.
Terrain and challenges:
Single-track roads; a two-lane causeway with scenic coastal views; a couple of short steep climbs.
On the road to discovery:
From the ferry it is possible to spot sea eagles and golden eagles, minke, orca, and humpback whales. It is highly likely that you will see dolphins.
Cycling the Hebridean Way: riding day
Day 3: Barra to Lochmaddy, North Uist
SIX ISLANDS IN ONE DAY
Today you cycle directly to Ardmhòr to catch an early ferry to Eriskay. The route passes two legendary sites here: the bay where Bonnie Prince Charlie first landed in Scotland in 1745, and Rosinish Point, where the SS Politician ran aground in 1941.
A causeway leads you to South Uist, where you cycle the west coast over the machair. This Gaelic word means fertile, low-lying, grassy plain and refers to one of Europe’s rarest habitats found only on the western coasts of Scotland and Ireland. This stretch is one of the most scenic sections of the Hebridean Way cycling route.
The café in Kildonan marks another historic spot – the birthplace of the Jacobite heroine, Flora Macdonald. The well-known Skye Boat Song immortalises the story of how Flora helped Bonnie Prince Charlie escape after the Battle of Culloden in 1746.
More causeways take you to Benbecula, Grimsay and finally North Uist where you head to Clachan-a-Luib and on to your hotel in the pretty village of Lochmaddy.
Terrain and challenges:
Undulating coastal roads; flat stretches and gentle climbs; some narrow roads but generally light traffic. If there is wind, this is the main challenge.
On the road to discovery:
When SS Politician ran aground, unofficial salvage parties formed by the locals discovered 264,000 bottles of whisky in its hold.
The incident inspired Compton Mackenzie’s book Whisky Galore, which was made into an Ealing comedy film. Today, the Am Politician pub still has one of the original bottles of whisky that was brought ashore from the ill-fated ship.
Cycling the Hebridean Way: riding day
Day 4: North Uist Circular
A CIRCLE OF SEA, SAND AND SKY
As you stay two nights in Lochmaddy, today you can either have a rest day or you can cycle one of the Outer Hebrides’ most scenic loops: the North Uist Circular.
If you choose to get on your bike, your route heads clockwise from the hotel back to Clachan-a-Luib then passes through more machair as you skirt the western edge of the island. The beautiful beach at Hougharry is a great spot to cool your feet in the Atlantic Ocean and have a spot of lunch.
If you are keen to spend a little longer on the saddle, you can climb Committee Road, the highest road on the island. There’s also an option to pedal out to Loch Euphort where the end of the road offers breathtaking vistas of sea lochs and several of the island’s summits.
Another worthwhile detour takes you to the St Kilda viewing point. From here you can spy the Monach Islands and the remote St Kilda archipelago in the distance.
Terrain and challenges:
Predominantly flat with gentle undulations; plenty of scenic stops to enjoy the surroundings. Again, the main challenge can be the wind.
On the road to discovery:
Sanctuary, the sculpture by Roddy Mathieson at Loch Euphort, represents the flight of swans, which gather regularly on the surrounding lochs, and the shape of boat ribs.
Cycling the Hebridean Way: riding day
Day 5: Lochmaddy to Tarbert
A DIAMOND RIDE ON THE GOLDEN ROAD
Today’s stage of your Hebridean Way cycling adventure leads you along the northern edge of North Uist and over to the island of Berneray. From here another classic Scottish island hopping ferry ride takes you to the Isle of Harris.
Landing at Leverburgh, you climb to the south-eastern headland where you briefly leave the official Hebridean Way route to explore one of the true highlights of any Hebrides bike trip. We’ve added this detour so you can experience a spectacular section of single-track road that clings to the wild east coast: a thrilling, roller-coaster ride through rocky bays, sparkling inlets and sweeping views that showcase some of the best cycling in the UK.
Turning onto the famous Golden Road, you head north along the eastern coast and rejoin the main Hebridean Way cycling route at Tarbert, the picturesque capital village of the Isle of Harris and the location of tonight's hotel.
If you still have some miles left in your legs, you can spin across to the Isle of Scalpay to add another island to your Hebridean tally.
Terrain and challenges:
Undulating with some short, punchy climbs. The Golden Road is technical in places, but very little motorised traffic uses it. The wind oscillates between friend and foe.
On the road to discovery:
The inhabitants of remote communities in Harris used to travel between crofts by wading through rivers. This perilous activity resulted in many accidents. In the 1890s, the Golden Road was built so that people could access settlements more safely. It was first sealed just after WWII.
Cycling the Hebridean Way: riding day
Day 6: Tarbert to Stornoway
FROM SEA TO SUMMIT
Leaving Tarbert, you begin today heading into the mountains of Harris and over Clisham.
From sea level you scale the highest road on the Outer Hebridean archipelago then enjoy a thrilling descent as you speed back to sea level with views over the fjord-like Loch Seaforth.
Harris and Lewis, although referred to as islands, are part of the same landmass. As you leave the mountains behind, you roll north to Lewis where the landscape transitions to expansive moorlands dotted with lochs.
Approaching Stornoway, the largest town on the Outer Hebrides, you leave the Hebridean Way cycling trail and head to tonight’s hotel near the busy harbour.
Terrain and challenges:
Some short, steep climbs early in the day. Relatively quiet roads on Lewis. Undulating and exposed terrain. As usual, the greatest challenge is likely to be the wind.
On the road to discovery:
You might see seals in Loch Seaforth, a long sea loch which marks the border between Harris and Lewis and was once an important Viking route.
Cycling the Hebridean Way: riding day
Day 7: Stornoway to the Butt of Lewis
WHERE HISTORY MEETS THE HORIZON
Your Hebridean Way cycling adventure is almost over, but there are still unforgettable highlights to look forward to today.
Heading along the eastern side of Lewis, you veer off the main Hebridean Way cycling route, climbing high for sweeping views of the Harris mountains in the south. The road then drops past some powerful markers of island history: the ancient Callanish Stones, which predate Stonehenge, and an example of a fortified dwelling, or broch, only found in Scotland.
The last stretch of the main road takes you over Ness, impressive for the spartan beauty of its remote, flat landscapes. If there is a tailwind, you will love this section, if not … well, let’s just hope you have a tailwind!
At the Butt of Lewis you reach the end of the road for both the official trail and our Skinny Tyres Hebridean Way cycling route. Beyond the lighthouse lies nothing but ocean stretching all the way to the Arctic.
Terrain and challenges:
Undulating, exposed, well-surfaced roads with minimal traffic. Once again, it is the wind that can provide the greatest challenge.
On the road to discovery:
The Butt of Lewis is mentioned in the Guinness Book of Records as the windiest place in the UK. The lighthouse here was built between 1859-1862 by David and Thomas Stevenson. Thomas was the father of the author Robert Louis Stevenson.
Cycling the Hebridean Way: travel day
Day 8: Transfer from Stornoway
Your guide will accompany you on the early morning ferry to Ullapool and ensure that you are transferred safely to Oban where your Skinny Tyres road cycling holiday ends.
This four-hour road transfer takes you via Inverness, then down past Loch Ness and the foot of Ben Nevis. There is a scheduled half-hour comfort stop in Fort Augustus at the halfway point. You arrive in Oban at approximately 2.30-3 pm.
Ferry journey: approximately 2 hours 40 minutes.