ISLAND CYCLE HOPPING STARTING AT OBAN OR ULLAPOOL, INCLUDING HIRE OF BIKE, HELMET AND PANNIERS.

8 NIGHTS FROM ONLY £499 pp B&B.

As the above 'Freedom of the Isles', but with your own bike/s.

Travel by car or train to Oban, then take your cycle, to Barra or South Uist by Caledonian MacBrayne, on one of their most scenic routes.  For your return trip, you can travel by ferry to Ullapool, then make your way back by public transport to collect your car - or travel to Inverness for a rail/coach connection.

The prices shown here cover your accommodation and ferries .

Alternatively, fly back to Glasgow or Edinburgh with your bikes - Loganair (Flybe) will carry them for just £10 each, in your own cycle bags but you must book early and reserve ahead for the bike space on the aircraft.  It's not possible to fly with bikes between Barra and Glasgow, other than some very compact folders, such as small Bike Friday models.  Costs for this are not included in the prices shown here

OTHER ROUTES (Costs not included in price panel)

If you have a car to collect at the end of your holiday, it's possible to return to your start point by taking public transport back through the islands, perhaps sending your bicyle by local carrier, which is fairly convenient. Our advisors can give you more information and a downloadable fact sheet is in preparation.

Another route between Lewis/Harris and Oban can include the Isle of Skye, a steam train journey on the Mallaig-Fort William line and a further rail link between Fort William and Oban. 

OUR HIRE BIKES.

After a great deal of research and experience of cycling the route between Barra and Lewis, we selected the Revolution Pathfinder exclusive to Edinburgh Bicycle Co-operative.  The Nexus and Derailleur gear models offer several advantages for people of average ability whose aim is to make a leisurely journey through the Western Isles, rather than pedalling furiously to cover the entire journey in two days.

When you book our hire bike itinerary for two people, we'll ask you about rider sizes - we can fit guests from around 5'3" to 6'4", using a mix of frame sizes from 18" / 20" / 22".

If you have a preference between Nexus or Derailleur gear on an 18" frame, please ask and we will try to accommodate your choice - but cannot guarantee it.   Other sizes are currently all Nexus geared.

Revolution Pathfinder main features:

• Aluminium frame and adjustable suspension fork and suspension seat post, for lightweight and comfortable ride.

• Compact 'unisex' frame size with low cross bar allows 'step through' for comfortable mount/dismount.

• Shimano Nexus hub gears - like the old Sturmey Archer but with 8 gears, equivalent to a wide range derailleur, so you enjoy a cleaner ride and are less likely to shed the chain or knock the shifter out of alignment.  Chainguard and mudguards also fitted.

• Derailleur gear versions have a greater number of gears (21) and are about half a kilo lighter (currently only available in 18" size). Click shift levers on the handlebars.

• Only 15.8kg total weght so practical to pedal uphill..

• The handlebars are higher than a mountain bike yet closer-reach, thus enabling a more upright riding position and therefore less strain on the back; less crick in the neck; less pressure from the nose of the saddle and less weight on the hands and wrists.

• Edinburgh Bicycles call it their 'sit up and smile bike'.
  

This link opens Edinburgh Bicycles web page describing their current Pathfinder bikes into a new window.  If you have any doubt in relation to the 'fit' of these bicycles, we suggest you visit an EBC store and try the size.

LUGGAGE AND HELMETS

We provide 2 panniers per bike, plus a helmet - if for some reason you don't want to use them, the guests at the other end will, so they do have to go with the bikes.  We provide some antiseptic wipes to clean the helmet straps at each turn round.

The bikes are scheduled to be ridden by one party of guests in a southerly direction, the next party of guests in a northerly direction and so on.  This minimises the number of times we have to have bikes transported from one end to the other (this is a 'green' holiday, after all).

As far as travel from your home to the islands is concerned, we suggest you pack your lugage into a frameless soft bag or rucksack, which can be emried into the panniers on arrival.  The empty bag may then be folded or rolled up and fixed to the bike carrier using a bungee strap.  The pannier set will take a total of 40 litres - bear in mind you'll need to keep some room for food/drinks, etc.

Lightweight, quick drying clothes are recommended for cycle holidays - so you can be prepared to layer up if necessary.  You don't need lots of 'going out' clothing for evenings - casual is the order of the day.

LUGGAGE TRANSPORT

In an ideal world, we would have a little van running back and forth between all the accommodation properties every day, to move cyclists luggage.  As that's impossible, the best suggestion we can make, if you really don't want to put your luggage on the bike, is to have it moved by local taxi each day.  As the distances are short, a number of our  guests have considered the cost affordable, especially for groups of four riders. We can provide a list of taxi phone numbers, so you can call when you're ready to have luggage moved.

BIKES ON BUSES

The size of buses currently in use throughout the islands makes it difficult to guarantee space for bikes on any particular bus at any specific time.  If you decide you want to skip a section of the journey by using the bus, speak to the driver and he/she will always try to help if possible, but please understand that carrying bikes is subject to space available.

Between Stornoway and Tarbert, a full size bus runs at the busiest times - you can check these by calling Hebridean Transport on 01851 705050. Other operators' numbers are listed on the local council website (follow this link)

ROUTE PLANNING

Depending on your level of fitness, you may find our suggested 8 day itinerary too easy or perhaps you don't have the time to spare - we're happy for you to adjust the route and choose your own holiday period, with the proviso that our own cycle hire may only start or finish in Stornoway (Lewis) or the Isle of Barra.

If there are points along the way where you wish to stop off, to stay with friends or family,for example, it's no problem for us to fit additional days into the cycling holiday itinerary,without accommodation.

Most books/guides etc suggest that a direction of travel, from south to north, takes advantage of prevailing winds - but our own practical experience shows there is no guarantee of their compliance to the rules. The wind is so variable that you may as well take pot luck.  If you don't happen to pick the driest week of the year, there’s usually plenty of ‘frequent’ nice weather in between the fairly ‘frequent’ showers that sometimes prevail. Long periods of continual rain are not often a major problem during summer bike holidays in the Western Isles. 

The best known cycling route through the islands is from Barra to Lewis (also known as Butt to Barra for those tackling it the hard way and doing the complete end-to-end).  Distance is around 140 miles, depending on the exact route chosen and the only really serious hill to be conquered is the mountain pass between Harris and Lewis, with a climb of around 200 metres. It's worth it for the freewheel on the other side.   

If you have rented our bikes, it's easy to return by ferry and public transport, or by air, from your finish point to your start point. Consider travelling up and back by air, leaving your car at Glasgow airport.

For a return journey to your original departure port with your own bikes, you may choose to use public transport some of the way, where carriage of bicycles is available for some of the route.  

Call and ask one of our advisors about cycling packages and a price quotation.

SECURE PARKING AT OBAN

Hazelbank Garage provides ample parking for guests of the Hebridean Princess cruise line and has confirmed to us that they will also assist our cycling holiday visitors with their secure facility, prior to boarding the Calmac ferries.  

To book, contact them direct on 01631 566476

Price £7 per night, or £35 per week.

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

Cycle shops offering repairs:

Rothan Cycles, 9 Howmore, Isle Of South Uist
01870 620283
www.rothan.com

Alex Dan Cycle Centre,
67 Kenneth Street, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis     
01851 704025

www.hebrideancycles.co.uk

CARRIER TRANSPORT

You'll see from the notes below that availability of public transport for bikes is becoming somewhat disjointed.  An alternative means of having your bike moved, while you travel by bus, is to use a carrier such as Hebrides Haulage (01851 703255).  In this way it's possible to get your bike/s from Stornoway (or further south) to  a ferry port such as Lochboisdale with no effort and at reasonable cost.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

IMPORTANT - PLEASE NOTE THESE CHANGES ON STORNOWAY TO LEVERBURGH ROUTE:

The Hebridean Transport bus between Stornoway and Leverburgh used to be a 53 seater at all times with plenty of boot space for bikes.  from April 2009, without prior notice, it has been necessary for HT to reduce the number of trips using the 53 seater and while they will try to accommodate cyclists' needs with the smaller buses, capacity is not guaranteed at any specific time - it's up to the driver to decide.

The 8.25 am service from Tarbert (possibly Leverburgh) to Stornoway and the 12.35 pm service from Stornoway to Tarbert (possibly Leverburgh) will normally be 52 seaters, but please do not take this as meaning 'always'  - you should build some flexibility into your schedule.

Cyclist visitors often ride the islands in one direction, then use buses to return to their start point. You can take cycles on a number of buses, for nearly the entire length of the islands.  However, in some areas buses do not have space for bikes, so you will occasionally have to get back on your bike and ride it some of the way.

Depending on your schedule, it's possible to travel part of the way by ferry between Lochmaddy (North Uist) and Tarbert (Harris) - this should only be done in one direction as the road journey for this stretch is one of the most spectacular days of the entire route, as you explore Berneray and south-west Harris.

It can be an attractive proposition, when crossing the Clisham range, between Lewis and Harris, to pop your bikes in the boot of the Hebridean Transport bus, then get off on top of the mountain pass and freewheel down. A thoroughly exhilarating experience, which makes the entire holiday all the more worthwhile, especially travelling on the smooth, sweeping tarmac south towards Tarbert.  Check your brakes first!

You'll find bus routes, timetables and operators' phone numbers at the website of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar by following this link.

Bus operators in the Hebrides are a friendly group of people and will do their utmost to help you.  A phone call to the one that operates the sector you're interested in will provide any information you need.

Travelling from Butt of Lewis to Barra (north to south), the following services are used:

W1: Port of Ness - Stornoway
Operated by Galson Motors (GM) 01851 840269

W10: Stornoway to Leverburgh
Operated by Hebridean Transport 01851 705050

FERRY

W19: Berneray to Lochmaddy
Various operators and it's most likely you will ride this section, as the vehicles are generally too small for bikes.  Grenitote will put a bike rack on the bus if you arrange with them a few days beforehand.

W17: Lochmaddy to Eriskay
Operated by:
Hebridean Coaches(HE) 01870 620345
W Macvicar(WM) 01870 603197

FERRY

Barra: It's most likely you will ride this short section.

Most bus operators will carry unaccompanied luggage, normally charging an adult fare per case or rucksack. If you place your luggage on a bus, you must meet it at the ferry terminal, otherwise the driver will probably just leave it in the waiting room. Probably perfectly safe, but entirely at your risk.

Buses do not cross on the ferries, so you must accompany any luggage on board.