#HebrideanWay with the Three Tenners

We are not long back from cycling (actually a few weeks have expired now!) the Hebridean Way. What is the "Hebridean Way"? The marketing blurb. 

The spectacular islands of the Outer Hebrides have always been a magnet for cyclists seeking quiet roads and a different pace of life.  As you wind your way past stunning white shell beaches, constantly stopping to visit a historical site or watch eagles soar overhead, you will lose all track of time.

Using 2 ferries and 6 causeways to hop between islands, this popular on-road route begins on the Island of Vatersay at the southern tip of the archipelago and ends 185 miles (297km) later at the Butt of Lewis lighthouse in the far north. 

You will get lungs full of fresh air and the scenery that subtly changes along the way is awe-inspiring.  In the morning you can be riding beside turquoise seas and passing flower-strewn machair, before heading inland through rugged hills made from Lewisian gneiss which is some of the oldest rocks in the world.  But there is absolutely no hurry. This is a journey to savour so slow down to Hebridean time and take it steady.

Where are the Outer Hebrides? They are often referred to as the Western Isles. They are off the West Coast of Northern Scotland. The Inner Hebrides is closer to the mainland - islands like Skye, Mull and Isla. (35 inhabited 44 uninhabited).The Outer Hebrides by definition is further away. (made up of 15 inhabited and 50 uninhabited islands) The ferry from Oban on the mainland took 5 1/2 hours to get the our starting island - Barra - a distance of 93 miles.

Why did we choose to ride the Hebridean Way ? The Three Tenners like to take on a realistic challenge. We like being out in the open air and away from commercialism if we can. One of Mike's daughters is an Outdoor Activities Leader in Scotland and she put us onto it. We jumped at it once the seed was sown because it was a new area to us and like everyone else we have found the Covid lockdown frustrating at times. The Outer Hebrides was open for business so we got it sorted within a few weeks.

The logistical challenge took a bit of time to solve given we live at the other end of the country. In the end the solution was Mike drove his van with me as passenger (not enough seats for Rob) to Oban. We carried the three bikes and gear. Rob flew to Glasgow from Bristol - quick and cheap and took the three hour train to Oban. Our drive took about 10 hours with breaks. We met for an overnight stay at Oban YHA.

The other major consideration was how to get back given we were going to cycle about 200 miles north on the Islands. It seemed to us the only practical solution was to use the Stornoway ferry to Ullapool on the Scottish mainland and then get back down from Ullapool to Oban to collect the van. That is about a 5 hour drive because there is no direct route given the terrain. In the end we used a firm called Ticket to Ride - based in Inverness to shuttle us and our gear. They were super efficient but it was our biggest expense of the trip.

A quick comment on the Caledonian MacBrayne (Cal Mac) ferries that serve the islands. They are not that frequent but they are comfortable and cheap because they are apparently heavily subsidised. The Oban crossing - 5 1/2 hours cost £15 each for instance. Covid has had a big impact because total passenger numbers are reduced for safety reasons. Consequently ferries are often shown as fully booked and they operate a standby system. Best to book for sure.

Now a bit about the trip itself :

The Hebridean Way is a designated signposted route and it is on good surfaces. It could be done on a road bike and there is no chance of getting lost. The distance is 185 miles (+30 if you chose to cycle to Stornoway from the finish at the Butt) - much of it is on the flat - and while there are some tough hills on Harris particularly - it is not a hard ride in that respect.

What however makes it a challenge is the weather - or particularly the prospect of atrocious weather. The islands are low and exposed and strong winds are common place. The finish point at the Butt of Lewis has apparently been recorded as the windiest place in the UK. We were camping and on bikes so we were obviously exposed to the elements. The other factor is the Outer Hebridean islands are sparsely populated - with few shops - and Sunday (and many on Monday too) they all close for religious reasons. There are also few pubs. In the whole week of cycling we only used one bar apart from while waiting for the ferry at Stornoway.

Our route :

We crossed from Oban to Barra,

The next morning we cycled down to the beautiful little island of Vatersay for the start of the Hebridean Way. (the 10 islands are mainly connected by causeways but 2 ferry crossings are necessary to traverse the chain)

Vatersay

Barra

ferry across the Sound of Barra to Eriskay

South Uist

Benbecula

Grimsay

North Uist

Berneray

ferry across the Sound of Harris to Harris

Lewis

the return ferry was from Stornoway (the principal town) to Ullapool on the mainland. 

Here are a few random thoughts

• The islands of the Outer Hebrides are undoubtedly beautiful and wild. The coastal scenery is often white beaches and turquoise sea - almost always deserted.
• There can be a real feeling of isolation and silence is easy to find.
• Maps show place names but they very often amount to little more than a one or two little cottages.
• Each Island has its characteristics. Harris was the most hilly. Lewis the main island perhaps the flattest in an open moor sense.
• We expected the route to be busier with other cyclists - but we hardly saw anyone. Almost always we were on our own.
• Not every part of the ride was beautiful but within no time it was again. This is the great thing about cycling. 
• The ferry crossings can be lovely. Get outside - find the lee - and watch the sea birds and seals and maybe a whale.
• The majority of the properties dotted all over the islands are not what you would call quaint or picturesque - but are low slung and basic cubes. Often there is farm related scrap in evidence. These places are places of work and survival and not much more in many instances it seems.
• Evidently by the number of churches and chapels we passed religion plays a big part in Islanders life. Retaining Sunday's as a day of rest is fiercely upheld apparently.
• The Outer Hebrides is an ornithologists dream (including the Golden Eagle). Skylarks and Oystercatchers are everywhere. We loved watching the birds when we could and I strongly advise taking binoculars which we did.
• Most roads are single track with passing places. Islanders were considerate and friendly towards us cyclists.
• Wild camping is allowed but authorities asked visitors to stay on designated sites where possible for covid reasons while we were there. 
• Stornoway was a disappointment. Of the Outer Hebrides total population of around 26,000 Stornoway's (plus close by villages) population accounts for 10000. It is the only proper town - but even in summer (admittedly raining) it was not at all inspiring.
• We speculated about living in the Outer Hebrides. 100% back to nature with a simple (and no doubt harsh) and isolated lifestyle would be the offer. I am sure it is a hard place to make a living. I have read the overall population has stabilised following progressive reductions. It seems Island life relies heavily on government subsidy (ie ferries).
• Oban was nice but bigger. Ullapool was a thriving little town in a spectacular setting.

 A summary :

The Hebridean Way was a brilliant thing for the Three Tenners to do. It was a wonderful week + and one we each took a lot from. We would recommend it without reservation (but do your planning). You really feel you are somewhere unique and special and the Outer Hebrides has a real ring to it.

We loved the cycling - we loved the camping and we enjoyed the islands very much. It was such a contrast with mainland living.

We were lucky with the weather I guess as we did not experience a really big blow. If we had it would not be hard to imagine the Hebridean Way being a brutal challenge - so do not underestimate if you take it on.

Here are a few photos from my mob camera - but as ever it is hard to capture the real magnificence of the land/seascapes.

Last night Ullapool

Oban

Approaching Barra

camping at its best

Nr the start at Vatersay

Mike

Taransay of Castaway fame on the left

Rob fishing

Rob chaotic

Mike minimalist

Wild camping. It was still light at 10pm. We were miles from anywhere here but had a good signal. We were able to tune in to the Football Final on mob phones!

Mike's mob picture of a Stone Chat

The finish at Butt of Lewis

Magnificent bird watching at this stunning spot. Watched a Minke whale surfacing on and off for over an hour

Lighthouse Butt of Lewis

Contrasting pictures of Rob and Mike. one likes the camera 😂 

Mike in the distance

Ullapool - a sheltered harbour

We had a real laugh with this young group from Perth. St Johnstone

 fans! 

And these lads - builders from Middlesborough let me join them (covid bubble) to watch the England Denmark semi. They were so funny but not very diplomatic given we were in a Scottish bar (Oban) !