Welcome to the Outer Hebrides
Fàilte gu slighe Innse Gall
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
Our Hebridean Way fully supported cycling tour is more than a route across the Outer Hebrides. It is a journey through mountains, Neolithic landscapes, and the fascinating history of these islands at the edge of the Atlantic.
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.
Testimonials
What our guests say about the Hebridean Way
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 Island Hopper 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
The ferry to Barra leaves at midday. After loading your luggage onto the van, you have time to go for a leisurely coffee, or even take the 10 am tour of the Oban Distillery, if you have pre-booked.
The Oban Seafood Hut, right next to the ferry terminal, serves grab-and-go seafood fresh off the boat, if you fancy an early lunch before check-in. Otherwise, there is an onboard café and bar offering snacks, hot drinks, and light meals on the ferry.
Your Skinny Tyres guide and support vehicle accompany you on the ferry. Sailing through the Sound of Mull is spectacular, and on a clear day, you can see Ben Nevis. The journey lasts approximately five hours.
The hotel is less than five-minute walk from the ferry terminal. Upon arrival, there is time to cycle to the official start of the Hebridean Way right next to Traigh a Baith beach on the island of Vatersay. Make sure you take your swimsuit for 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.
11 miles
(17 km)
709 ft
(216 m)
Tour
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 start the northward journey early. Heading directly to the ferry at Ardmhòr, you pass the first of many remote beaches with white sands and turquoise waters. If Ardmhòr Coffee at the terminal is open, it's well worth sampling their home baking whilst waiting to depart.
A short ride across Eriskay takes you past two legendary sites: the bay where Bonnie Prince Charlie first landed in Scotland in 1745, and Rosins Point, where the SS Politician ran aground in 1941.
The ride over Eriskay Causeway is a picturesque and truly scenic experience. Cycling along the west coast of South Uist you cross the machair. This is a Gaelic word meaning fertile, low-lying, grassy plain. These habitats are one of the rarest in Europe and are only found on the western coasts of Scotland and Ireland.
Whilst on South Uist you may choose to stop at the museum and café in Kildonan, the birthplace of Flora Macdonald. This Jacobite heroine, born in 1722, helped Bonnie Prince Charlie escape from the Hanoverian Army after the Battle of Culloden in 1746. The story is immortalised in the The Skye Boat Song.
Another short causeway takes you to Benbecula, the mountain of the ford, where there is one solitary hill. Benbecula is the connecting point between South and North Uist.
You arrive on North Uist via a series of causeways and head to Lochmaddy via Clachan-a-Luib.
68 miles
(109 km)
2186 ft
(666 m)
Tour
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 & SKY
As you stay two nights in Lochmaddy, there is the option of taking a rest day today. However, today is not to be missed with some of the most stunning beaches in Europe to be explored.
Today you do a clockwise circuit of the island on the North Uist Circular. As you cycle through the rugged terrain, you have plenty of opportunities to spot wildlife, including sea birds and red deer.
From the hotel you head back down to Clachan-a-Luib then skirt the western edge of the island passing through more machair. If you fancy taking off your cycling shoes and cooling your feet in the Atlantic Ocean, it's possible to take a short detour from the main road to Hougharry and its beautiful beach. The campsite café here is a great spot for lunch.
If you are keen to spend a little longer on the saddle, you can cycle up and over the Committee Road. This is the highest road on the island at a dizzying 190 ft / 58 metres.
Alternatively, or additionally, if you want to say you have ridden on all the roads on North Uist, you can head out to Loch Euphort and back. From the end of the road, beside the sculpture there are breathtaking views of Loch Euphort and Loch Obasaraigh and the four summits of Eabhal, Burabhal, Lì a Deas and Lì a Tuath.
It is also possible to detour to the St Kilda viewing point. From here you can see the Monach Islands and the St Kilda archipelago, approximately 44 miles / 71 km away.
35 miles
(56 km)
1163 ft
(355 m)
Tour
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:
The sculpture Sanctuary 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 you cycle from Lochmaddy to Otternish on the northern edge of North Uist where a short causeway takes you to the island of Berneray. Those arriving early may want to explore Berneray, cycling past the ferry port, and up to Borve, or the white sand beach at Rushgarr. Or you might stop at the Berneray Shop and Bistro for a coffee. The ferry journey from Berneray to Leverburgh on Harris lasts an hour.
At Leverburgh, you climb to the south-eastern headland at Rodel where you leave the Hebridean Way for a while to join what we consider to be some of the best cycling to be had anywhere in the UK. This section of single-track, road cycling heaven hugs the eastern coast of Harris. The surrounding landscape is exceptional: in some places it is raw with exposed gneiss, in others it is coloured with strips of minerals. As you drop to small sandy bays, you may spot seals basking on the rocks. The route is a wild roller-coaster to cycle and is a highlight of the trip.
At Ardvey, you join the Golden Road to continue along the east coast, then you head north to Tarbert, the main port and capital village of the Isle of Harris nestled between North and South Harris.
Our accommodation is located in this picturesque harbour town where there is plenty to do, including visiting the Harris Distillery. For those with some miles left in their legs, there is an option to make an out and back ride to the Isle of Scalpay to add another island to your Hebridean tally.
37 miles
(60 km)
2377 ft
(725 m)
Tour
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
Heading north from Tarbert, you begin the ascent into the mountains of Harris and over Clisham.
The road from Tarbert leads to Loch Bun Abhainn Eadarra, where you climb from sea level to the highest road on the Outer Hebridean archipelago. The descent from the top is thrilling as you speed back down 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 continue north to Lewis where the landscape transitions to expansive moorlands dotted with numerous lochs and small mountain lakes known as tarns.
As you approach Stornoway, the route becomes more populated, with views of the town's busy harbour and surrounding coastlines.
Stornoway is the largest town on the Outer Hebrides with a population of almost 7,000. The town's name comes from the Old Norse word Stjórnavágr, meaning steering bay.
35 miles
(56 km)
2635 ft
(803 m)
Tour
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
Today is the final leg of your cycling tour. The road takes you to the northernmost point of this chain of islands, via sweeping moorlands and dramatic cliffs, with the coastline unfolding in front of you.
From Stornoway, you take the road around the eastern side of Lewis. Once again, you veer off the main Hebridean Way to climb high for fabulous views of the mountains of Harris to the south. Dropping down, you pass the Callanish Stones, which were erected 5,000 years ago and thus predate Stonehenge. We recommend stopping at the standing stones and possibly having a second breakfast in the visitor centre café.
You also pass an example of a fortified dwelling only found in Scotland: Dun Carloway Broch. This broch dates back to 200 BCE and still stands almost at its full height of 30 ft / 9 m.
The last section of the main road takes you over Ness, which is impressive for its barren beauty and flatness. If there is a tailwind, you will love this section, if not … well, let’s just hope you have a tailwind!
The Butt of Lewis is the end of both the Skinny Tyres route and the classic Outer Hebridean traverse from Vatersay to Lewis. Beyond here there is nothing but ocean all the way to the Arctic. The finishing point is marked by a red brick lighthouse.
You may choose to end your journey here, enjoying panoramic views with a celebratory glass of fizz, or you may want to ride back to Stornoway to complete a circular route of Lewis.
52 miles
(84 km)
2424 ft
(739 m)
Tour
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: approx. 2 hours 40 minutes