The Hebridean Way Cycling feedback, what we loved and what we learnt about cycling the Hebridean Way
Sights, See and Do on the Hebridean Way Cycling Review
Castle
In the middle of castle bay Kisimul Castle in Barra makes for an amazing focus for photos when you arrive by ferry on Barra.
Standing Stones
Calanais Standing Stones – Finally we visited these amazing Standing Stones on the longest day. Mid Summers Day!And we loved it!
People are at Calanais Stone Circles since before sunrise to dance and celebrate the summer solstice. There is also a lovely visitor centre and as a bonus Calanais Stone Circles are FREE to visit and are open all year round.
Obviously Cory had a Close Encounters of the Third Kindtype experience at Calanais Stones. We stopped to have lunch at the picnic benches at the Visitor Centre. We started to build our sandwiches with bread, humous and cheese. Cory, instead, began to construct his own Cheese and Houmous Stone Circle Sandwich .
What we learnt? If you want the chance of being filmed or interviewed by the BBC, visit Calanais stone on Midsummers day!
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Beaches
Beaches– Undeniably the beaches on the Hebrides are stunning. Think soft white sands, turquoiseseas and nobody else around to disturb the tranquility. Have picnics on the beaches you cycle past. Cory dipped his toes in some of waters after a satisfying lunch. I won’t list all the amazing beaches on the Hebridean Way Cycling Review. If you are cycling past the beach and have time to stop, strip off your shoes and walk bare foot, then do! In our view you won’t regret it.
Vatersay Bay is a gorgeous sandy beach where we encounter ruminating cows chilling on the beach and this beach gives you an idea of all the other amazing beaches you will be tempted by as you cycle north
Barra Airport Beach – also known as Traigh Mhor Beach. We cycled to the airport beach on the day we arrived in Barra. It isn’t every day you get the chance to visit the worlds only scheduled plane landing that lands on a beach!
Coilleag a’Phrionnsa – Eriskay this sandy beach had a real life Whisky Galore incident which was the inspiration for the famous 1949 movie of a ship wrecked whisky carrying ship and its effect on the islanders
What we loved? The beaches are empty! The beaches have miles of soft sand! The beaches go on for miles!
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RSPB Balranald (Corncrake reserve)
We came from the West Coast of Scotland, the crofting country of Wester Ross where the Corncrake was once prolific. Sadly this is no longer the case. We specifically wanted to try and hear the now rare Corncrake and there is no better place to try than the RSPB reserve Balranald. We arrived at our B&B early evening and asked our host about the reserve which was right next door. She said that we had arrived at the perfect time to hear the elusive croak of the Corncrake.
We enter through the gates of Balranald reserve, with ears avidly listening and hyper alert. Within a few seconds we are lucky enough to hear the Crex Crex of the Corncrake!
What we loved? The corncrakes performed within seconds of us entering this quiet and remote RSPB reserve
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Machair (unique beach meadow)
Machair is another reason to cycle the Hebridean Way in early summer is because the Machair will be in bloom. Machair is a unique beach meadow found in the North West of Scotland and Ireland and found nowhere else in the world. We cycled past miles and miles of beach meadows. The sun was setting over the most spectacular white sandy beaches and a million wild flowers, no taller than your hand, painting a thousand shades of yellow, white and pink.
What we loved? You will find this wild flower spectacular nowhere else in the world!
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Ferry Travel Hebridean Way Cycling Review
Ferry travel is another fun aspect of travelling and cycling the Hebridean Way. When you travel essentially as a foot passenger onto the ferries of the Hebrides it is a super cheap and fun way to travel. Also when you travel on the ferry, your bike is transported for free. We were also often given priority to get off the ferry before the engine powered vehicles.
Keep your eyes peeled for dolphins, whales and seal as you travel on the ferries. These seas are rich with food for such creatures and the staff on the ferries are happy to point out cetaceans that they see on the journey.
What we loved? Bikes travel for free! Passenger travel is super cheap!
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Accommodation – Hebridean Way Cycling Review
Accommodation for us included a glorified shed (aka pod) at the hostel in Barra. It was here that we accidentallyleftour Quiche and Cheese in the hostel fridge which we didn’t realise until we got off the next ferry and stopped for lunch. Oops!
What we learnt? Always check the fridge before you leave your hostel, room, digs! Don’t assume the other person remembered the loot!
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A thatched cottage bunk bed hostel, Berneray Hostel. At Berneray Hostel, Cory asked the host where we might forage for muscles. The host said that he hadn’t foraged for muscles for years but he explained where his mother used to forage for muscles. We set off and managed to have an amazing supper of freshly cooked Hebridean Muscles fresh from the sea.
What we learnt? Amazing sea food can be foraged if you know where to look!
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Weather – Hebridean Way Cycling Review
Starting in Barra and travelling north is the way to travel during your Hebridean Way Cycling Holiday. We started with beautiful blue skies and sunshine on Barra and slight breeze pushing us along.
The weather, as we travelled north got progressively worse.
The wind changed directions too! No longer coming from the south but coming from the North!
Until, on arrival in Harris and the daunting task of cycling the Harris Hills, with the wind in our faces, we had a hard slog trying to get to the top of the Hebridean Hills. After reaching the summit of the Harris Hills we were dismayed to realise that the wind was so strong that we couldn’t freewheel down the Harris Hills but we had to pedal hard, into the wind to stop from getting blown back up the Harris Hills.
Did I mention that it also started to rain?
What we learnt? Even if you travel south to north there is no guarantee the wind will ‘always’ be at your back!
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Bus Shelters
Trees on the Hebrides are rare! If it is windy and or rainy you will need shelter. There are not a lot of buses on the Hebrides. Thankfully there are bus shelters on the Hebrides which are perfectfor lunch and tea breaks.
Chase the sheep from the bus shelter aka sheep shelter
Get out your jet boil or stove
Make a cup of tea and enjoy!
How civilised!
What we loved and learnt? Bus shelters are plentiful as long as you can evict the sheep!
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Roads and Passing Places
Roads on the Hebridean Way are predominantly single track. The roads on the Hebridean Way are blissfully quiet and apart from the Harris Hills the route is not too undulating (flatish).
What we loved and learnt about the Hebridean Way
Overall this quiet and safelong distance cycle route is a delight. In the foreground a wildflower meadow with grazing sheep, crystal clear blue waters and sandy beaches. Around the next corner a causeway, otters frolicking on the shore or herd highland cattle crossing to richer pastures at low tide. Thatched croft cottages and peat cuts, cycling the Hebrides is a step back in time to a quieter, slower and enchanting way to travel and experience the Scottish Hebridean Isles.
