Outer Hebrides, S. Uist, Eriskay, Barra

[gloomyandy]

I'm starting to think about this year's visit to the Hebrides. In recent years I've spent a fair bit of time on Lewis/Harris/N. Uist, so I'd like to spend some time exploring the southern part of the chain. I've ridden the main road north from Barra as part of what is now the Hebridean way. But this time I'm inclined to take my time and explore things. I'm probably going to make what is my favourite hostel at Howmore my base for a week or so. But I'll have my camping gear so will probably camp along the way. So any recommendations for good places to camp and side roads to explore, beaches to sit on?

I've not decided on a route to get there yet. I may leave the car at Oban and go via Barra, or I may go up to Uig and leave the car there and enjoy a ride down through Harris and N. Uist. May leave things and just see which way the wind is blowing! I'm rather looking forward to a tour that does not have a start and finish as such, but is more of a meander!

[largeallan]

+1 for meandering.....its the new rock n roll

[hamster]

If you are going to get off your bike and walk too, go to the MBA bothy behind Hecla / Ben Corrodale. It has a beautiful little cove. I lived on Benbecula of a couple of years as a child and I would recommend Culla bay on Benbecula - beautiful perfect horseshoe and the trip down to Peter Port for a really remote place.

[Norman H]

I've camped at Croft 183 on Barra. It's reasonably close to the Castlebay ferry and a better alternative, in my view, to the hostel at Castlebay. The owner is very helpful and there's a self catering kitchen and dining area. Being on the east of Barra it offers some shelter from the west and if the wind gets too much there is also very good hostel style accommodation. It would make a good base from which to explore Barra and Vatersay. There's another site at Borve on the west coast but it's very exposed. And you can also camp close to the public toilets on Vatersay.

If you're travelling to or from from Tarbert or Lochmaddy, I can also recommend the site at Balranald on North Uist but be sure to pack a a pair of light weight binoculars if you're in to birds. Like most places in the Hebrides it can get breezy. Finally, Nunton House hostel on Benbecula for its excellent facilities.

[matt2matt2002]

May I ask when you plan to go. And for how long?

I have 3 weeks off work in April and going to flip a coin for the Hebredian Way or Morocco.

April too early for the West Coast?

[gloomyandy]

I'm probably going to go around the end of May. For a long time I used to go up the first week of May. But had several years of horrible weather one after another. Luckily I'm now retired and so can simply go when the weather is looking more settled! So I'll be keeping an eye on things and then just pack and go! But who knows you might get lucky in April! I'm sure we have all been somewhere in horrible weather to be told by the locals "If only you had been here last week/month, the weather was perfect then", well I know I have!

I'm seriously thinking of having a trip up there in February, because I've always fancied seeing what it is like on the islands during the winter. But I'll be leaving the tent at home and taking a few good books!

Thanks for the recommendations so far. I'll certainly be putting a few of those on the list.

[hoppy58]

We wild camped on Eriskay, just south of the main village, for a few days..it was lovely....fantastic beaches and coastline.. There are loos/showers at the Calmac Barra ferry terminal and the village hall doubles up as a shop/cafe; and then there's the SS Politician pub..

[robing]

I'm probably going to go around the end of May. For a long time I used to go up the first week of May. But had several years of horrible weather one after another. Luckily I'm now retired and so can simply go when the weather is looking more settled! So I'll be keeping an eye on things and then just pack and go! But who knows you might get lucky in April! I'm sure we have all been somewhere in horrible weather to be told by the locals "If only you had been here last week/month, the weather was perfect then", well I know I have!

I'm seriously thinking of having a trip up there in February, because I've always fancied seeing what it is like on the islands during the winter. But I'll be leaving the tent at home and taking a few good books!

Thanks for the recommendations so far. I'll certainly be putting a few of those on the list.

I may see you up there as I'm also planning a trip around this time. Let me know when you go! I'm semi-retired so can also be flexible and wait for the best weather. The last few years I've gone to Spain in May/June but this is often the best time to visit the Hebrides. I've been going to the Inner Hebrides especially Mull since I was 12, but only went to the Outer Hebrides for the first time 2 years ago - had a great week there in Sept 2015 and went again last year in June, weather not so great.
I too like the Howmore hostel but haven't camped at it so far as always been quite windy. A good site on Barra is the Scurrival campsite at Eoligarry, just north of the Airport. There is a little cottage where there is kitchen and good showers. You can hear the strange call of the corncrakes which sound like electricity. I did try wild camping on Vatersay but it wasn't great as you can't camp near the community centre as all stony, and outside this there are cattle wandering everywhere which only leaves you with the beach. Idyllic spot but hard to pitch a tent.
I also want to go back to Mull, will probably take the car across as quite cheap now with the new RET fares. Will probably leave the car at Oban to get the ferry to Barra.

[gloomyandy]

I may see you up there, thanks for the tips about Barra and Vatersay. I've been thinking of camping on both and always fancied Vatersay beach! Last time I camped on Barra I pitched my tent in very, very strong winds down by the little pier at Eoligarry, got up in the middle of the night to pack as I was half expecting the poles in my (then) brand new tent to fail! Luckily they didn't, but I still didn't get much sleep!

I'm off to Mull for a week at the start of July (in a cottage this time), another of my favourite islands. I noticed how much the cost of taking a car has dropped. I've even been considering taking my car over there when I go to the Hebrides and leaving it there rather than in Oban. I've left my car a few times on the seafront in Oban, but I figure that Mull is likely to be a safer place to leave the car for an extended time. Any thoughts?

[rualexander]

Leave your cars in Oban, the rise in traffic in the islands is bad enough since the introduction of the Road Equivalent Tarrif.

[robing]

For the last two trips to the Outer Hebrides, the very kind lady at the BnB in Oban has let me leave my car there! There are a couple of free long stay car parks and I believe you can park on the coast road south of the ferry terminal. I do think Mull has become much busier lately. The school holidays in Scotland start a lot earlier than England. Whereabouts are you staying on Mull>

[gloomyandy]

I have a cottage booked over on the NW coast not far from Ulva.

[ambodach]

Where are the free long term car parks in Oban? There are a couple of free car parks but not long term unless you want to be antisocial and use Aldi which can get totally full sometimes. Taking a car to Mull for parking could be a problem. The main car park at Craignure is getting pretty packed and some who work on the island from Oban have problems sometimes parking in the afternoon on the way home. One nurse I know had to take her health board car up to the hospital about a mile away to park it at about 1430 on a Monday.
I camped a couple of times a few miles up the road ( beyond the Vatersay turn) on Barra near a beach where there was a water tap but nothing else. Not been there for about 3 years tho' so may have changed given the influx of motorhomes.

[robing]

I have a cottage booked over on the NW coast not far from Ulva.

Good spot. Are you doing this in the same trip as Outer Hebrides? Despite many trips to Mull over the years, there are several places there I still haven't seen: Carsaig Arches, Burgh Fossil Tree (which is quite a trek I believe). I also haven't managed to walk the whole of Ulva yet or made it to Gometra.

[robing]

Where are the free long term car parks in Oban? There are a couple of free car parks but not long term unless you want to be antisocial and use Aldi which can get totally full sometimes. Taking a car to Mull for parking could be a problem. The main car park at Craignure is getting pretty packed and some who work on the island from Oban have problems sometimes parking in the afternoon on the way home. One nurse I know had to take her health board car up to the hospital about a mile away to park it at about 1430 on a Monday.
I camped a couple of times a few miles up the road ( beyond the Vatersay turn) on Barra near a beach where there was a water tap but nothing else. Not been there for about 3 years tho' so may have changed given the influx of motorhomes.

From a previous thread:
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=76350&hilit=oban+parking
There's one near the leisure centre. Also, you can park in the road near the Seaview Temple apparently. There are also some good secure paid for parking options.