Bikepacking
Outer Hebrides
Scotland 2024
Riders: Paul Hunt, Maciej Malyszka
Bike: Mason Bokeh 3
My last bikepacking trip in Scotland for some time. After the NC500 and the Badger Divide, the Outer Hebrides were next on the list.
Monday
We started in Oban, catching the ferry to Castlebay on Barra Island. We arrived in the late afternoon and rode just over 20 miles to find a good spot for our first camp. It wasn’t easy to find a remote spot for wild camping, as all flat spaces are fenced and full of sheep, and the land is very uneven and rocky. We soon discovered this was going to be a challenge every night.
Tuesday
We had an early morning start with porridge for breakfast, coffee, and fast packing to catch our second ferry from Ardmhor to the small island of Eriskay. After our arrival, we rode a few kilometers and reached the first causeway connecting Eriskay with South Uist. The weather was beautiful and sunny, with no wind and plenty of time to cross another three islands: Benbecula, North Uist, and Berneray. All of them are connected by scenic causeways. We rode for six hours, traversed four islands, and encountered only three very small local supermarkets and zero pubs, but plenty of churches and religious shrines.
We made another crossing before nightfall from Berneray to Leverburgh on Harris Island. Right off the ferry, we found a local brewery and stayed there quite a while, making sure we were fully hydrated for the next day. Paul found a possible camping area close to the town beach, and what a beach it was! A breathtaking place that looked more like some spot in the Pacific than the UK. A quick dip in the turquoise water quickly dashed the Pacific dream, as the water temperature was more British than Australian.
Wednesday
We had an easy morning. We changed our plan and decided to do a loop to visit Tarbert to buy the famous Harris Tweed, arriving back in Leverburgh the same day instead of camping on Harris. I think it was Paul’s idea as he felt happier being a short distance from the only pub we found on all the islands. We would not have been happy exploring the Outer Hebrides in short-sleeved weather only, so Mother Nature dropped a heavy rain and strong southerly headwind on us. We rode for two hours soaking wet to recharge at the brewery again. Later that evening, we took another ferry back to Berneray and rode for more than an hour looking for a decent place to camp. Pitching the tents in the rain and cooking dinner in the rain, with the temperature around 12°C. We had to secure the tents extra well as the wind was very strong.
Thursday
We woke up at 6 AM, and the weather was the same as it had been the previous night. We couldn’t wait long, as we had a ferry to catch later that day from Eriskay to Barra. The next five hours involved tough riding, with rain and headwinds all the way to Eriskay. We stopped a few times using bus stop shelters to rest and drain our wet socks and shoes.
We arrived in time to discover that all the ferries had been canceled and that the next one was in two days. Many cars and campers were waiting or driving back to find a place to park or a bed to sleep in. We waited a bit, and some locals told us to wait for small motorboats that were only taking foot passengers. A small boat arrived, and the big, very bossy captain went ashore, started pointing at people, counting, and shouting, “Only 12.” He took our bikes on the back of the boat, used a rope to secure them, and we were lucky enough to cross the sea to Barra. What a journey it was! I could not imagine a better adventure to add on. I can plan everything, but the best things are unplanned; those things turn a trip into an adventure.
We landed on Barra and decided to ride toward the beach behind the airfield, but after riding and walking for an hour, we could not find a single flat spot to pitch our tents. We went back to the place from our first day for the last camp. Paul’s gas stove stopped working, and I didn’t have enough fuel to fully cook a meal, so we ate cold Wayfarer meals.
Friday
We woke up at 4:30 AM. We decided not to wear the wet bib shorts and tops and rode in casual but dry clothes. There was no breakfast and no gas to make coffee, and we faced a 120-meter climb right from the camp. Ten miles to Castlebay, and we finished the trip by crossing back to Oban.