James Houston
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Cycling the Outer Hebrides

At the start of May I cycled up the Outer Hebrides on the Brompton with friends from the London Clarion: four days and about 400 km (250 miles) from Vatersay in the south to the Butt of Lewis and Stornoway in the north. Then the ferry to Ullapool, and a last day’s ride across to Inverness.

Day 1Day 2Day 3Day 4Ullapool to Inverness20 miles
The Outer Hebrides311 miles (500 km). The filled circle is the start. Download the GPX

Getting there, 1 and 2 May

The train to Glasgow, and an afternoon looking round the cathedral, the Necropolis and the murals. The next day, on to Oban for the ferry to Barra, and the first night’s camping.

The Brompton, bags on, in the trainThe departures board for Glasgow CentralGlasgow Cathedral, looking up into the naveA stone tomb under a stained glass windowStained glass in Glasgow CathedralA rider climbing the path to the NecropolisGlasgow Cathedral from the NecropolisA stone pillar in the NecropolisA blue police box on the pavementA huge mural of a bearded man on the end of a tenementA mural of a woman with foxgloves on the end of a buildingA black and white mural on an office blockA mural of a satellite and a telescope on an office blockA busy Glasgow shopping streetLoading the bikes outside a stone houseClarion riders gathering with their bikesTents on the grass by the shoreThe campsite below the hillsThe campsite by the bayA sleeping bag in the tentA camping stove on the grassCooking dinner on a camping stoveMaking dinner by the tentsA bowl of pasta at the campsiteA bike against the shining sea
The morning of 2 May, before setting off.

Day 1: Vatersay to Benbecula, 3 May

105 km (65 miles), 746 m of climbing, 7.8 hours on the move.

Past the wreck of the Catalina on Vatersay and the airport on the beach at Barra, the ferry to Eriskay, then up South Uist and over the causeways to Benbecula.

A hand-painted Vatersay signThe Brompton by the start of the Hebridean WayPieces of the Catalina wreck by the shorePrimrosesThe control tower at Barra airportThe beach at Barra airportWheeling the bikes onto the ferryA bay with a white beachThe ferry pier below the beachA ruined castle across the grassA single-track road through the moorSwans on a winding lochA long road towards the hillsA causeway towards white houses on a hillA causeway between two lochsAn otter crossing sign by the causeway
The plane coming in to land on the beach at Barra.

Day 2: Benbecula to Borve, 4 May

111 km (69 miles), 708 m of climbing, 8 hours on the move.

Across North Uist to the ferry from Berneray to Leverburgh, and on to Borve on Harris. A dram at the end of the day.

Waves on the shore, small boats out in the bayThe road over the causeway, riders aheadRiders strung out along the causewayThe glass-topped stone building, side onA sea loch at low tide below a mountainClarion riders pausing by a road signHighland cattle on the skylineA loch with a little island fortA long straight road to the hillsThe moor road under big cloudsThatched cottages above the shoreLochans across the moorA rocky loch below the hillsGreen fields under a blue skyA dram on the barA hill in the evening light

Day 3: Borve to Shawbost, 5 May

103 km (64 miles), 1,255 m of climbing, 8 hours on the move.

The hilliest day: over Harris, past the distillery at Tarbert, and into Lewis, with an honesty box on the way and the standing stones at Callanish.

Sunrise from the tent doorThe day’s weather forecast, with the routeSheep by the road below the hillsA blue loch among the rocky hills of HarrisRocky hills and lochansDark hills above a sea lochThe bare rock of HarrisThe road winding over the hillsRock and heather to the horizonThe Isle of Harris DistilleryA rider below the mountains in a villageMountains above the harbourThe sign welcoming us to the Isle of LewisA road through the hillsAn old stone bridge over a burnAn honesty box of snacks and drinksA rider on the road below a big hillRiders on the road past a lochA round stone tower on a knollA white cottage with a red roofA crafts shop full of wool and toysA roadside shop with painted sheepThe painted sheep outside the shopTweed jackets and hats in a shopThe road snaking away over the moorStanding stones on the skyline near CallanishStanding stones beyond a croftThe Callanish stones on the horizonThe Callanish stones against the skyThe stones in the low sunTall standing stones at CallanishA rainbow over the road
Dawn from inside the tent.

Day 4: Shawbost to Stornoway, 6 May

89 km (55 miles), 938 m of climbing, 5.9 hours on the move.

Up to the lighthouse at the Butt of Lewis and the harbour at Port of Ness, then down to Stornoway.

A stone shieling hut by the roadInside a stone hut, a bed and a tableA rider on the roadA car and a sheep on the roadA rider and a sheep on the roadThe Butt of Lewis lighthouseThe Butt of Lewis lighthouseBikes leaning at the foot of the lighthouseThe little harbour at Port of Ness

Ullapool to Inverness, 7 to 9 May

The ferry from Stornoway to Ullapool and a night there, then 95 km (59 miles) and 797 m of climbing across to Inverness, and the train home through Aviemore.

A small plane coming in over the beachLoch Broom at UllapoolA road beside a lochA burn in a rocky gorgeBlue plaques on a wallA whisky decanter in a display caseA cat curled up on the sofaSnow on the mountains from the trainThe sign at Aviemore station

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