How to get from Ullapool

[mattsccm]

Planning a trip to the Outer Hebrides. Same as everyone else. Oban and a ferry then north up the islands and back to Ullapool. Anyone tried this with bikes with minimal mainland riding. The obvious idea is to leave a car at Oban and then somehow use public transport back but trains are either non existant or extremely tortuous. Buses? Doubt it. What did anyone do, who has done this trip?

[Tail End Charlie]

I took the train to Glasgow and cycled with an overnight stop to Oban. From Ullapool I cycled to Inverness and got the train back from there. No car involved.

[irc]

I think the only easy way to do it is public transport all the way. Train to Oban then take another day and ride to Garve or Inverness for the train home. Or get the bus to Inverness (April - Sept).

http://www.timdearmancoaches.co.uk/durness.htm

Starting from a car at Oban the alt would be to get a ferry from North Uist or Harris to Uig on Skye. Then go down through Skye, ferry to Mallaig, down towards Ardnamurchan, ferry to Mull, ferry to Oban. This depends on time available of course.

We did the public transport option last year. Glasgow - Inv rail tickets can be had for £10 in advance. Oban Glasgow tickets are something like £25.

The Garve - Ullapool road had suprisingly little traffic in early Sept. Mrs Irc on her first tour had no problems with it. The worst part of the tour, traffic wise, was the first hour going south from Stornaway in the rush hour. A narrow busy road with impatient drivers.

[lowrider]

Ive done it before public transport is the only option you could get back to Oban from Ullapool use the Tim Dearman bike bus then train from inverness via Glasgow to Oban it will take 2 days. You the ferry about lunch time from Stornoway I think the bus is in ullapool an hour or so later but check the time table. The bus might get you to Inverness in time to get the last train to Glasgow but arrives late after 11 too late to travel on.

Consdider

1. Cycling back to Oban via the great glen and Fort William.
2. Leaving the car in Glasgow and using the train to Oban and from Inverness.
3. Return cycling via Uig on Skye to Fort William or Mull Oban
4. Cycle back down to Barra or Lochboisdale and get the ferry back to Oban
5. Bike hire is available from at least 1 of the bike shops in the western Isles. They are delivered to one end of the islands and returned at the other I think you can hire panniers as well. just drive to Oban do the ride get buses and ferries back to the start but I think that will take 2 days as well.

I think option 2 is the best long term parking is available at the airport at a cost. Drive up the day before you start park get accommodation in Glasgow and get the morning train to Oban it connects with the ferry tthe station is close to the ferry terminal. You could get the train from Garve but its only worth it if you are going to cycle there and getting a reservation for the bike will be difficult the Dearman bus will probably be closer to your requirements

You need to book your bike on both rail routes the Oban train is easier but the Inverness train gets busy with people doing Lejog book that early. Get an early train from Inverness that gets you in to Glasgow at a reasonable time to get back to the car or allows you to travel onto Oban.

[PW]

I cycled down the west coast in 2009. Along the way I spotted a bike bus, small single decker, it passed me once in each direction most days, I used to get a wave from the driver. It *MAY* have been one of the Stagecoach group but I won't swear to it and I'm not sure how far south it went, certainly at least to Gairloch and possibly beyond. Maybe Google is in order.

[bogmyrtle]

I drove to Oban, stayed the night in the youth hostel. The next day, I left the bike in the hostel bikeshed (the warden said it was ok) and drove up to Ullapool and stayed overnight in the hostel. Left the car in the car park by the supermarket and got busses back to Oban (Ullapool to Inverness, Inverness to Fort William, Fort William to Oban). Fortunately the timings all worked out but there was a near disaster when I got back to Oban and couldn't find the hostel warden to get the bikeshed key. Had to use initiative to get my hands on the key but I made it to the ferry terminal in time for the afternoon ferry to Barra.

[andrew_s]

I rode back to Tarbert, took the Skye ferry, and rode back to Oban via Mallaig, Ardnamurchan & Mull

[PH]

On many if not all of the island buses you can take a bike, so you can probably get back to Oban without going to Ullapool.

[PH]

Oban Glasgow tickets are something like £25.

Advance tickets are just £8.90

[The Mechanic]

There is a bike bus that goes from Ullapool to Inverness. You can then get the train home from Inverness. Not sure which bus company it is but I am sure Mr Google will know.

This is it http://www.timdearmancoaches.co.uk/durness.htm

[RaasayWarden]

This webpage lists all the possibilites: http://www.travelinescotland.com/cms/en ... bike.xhtml

[Richard Barrett]

Another idea for riding the Outer Hebrides is to leave your vehicle at Uig on Syke where there is lots of parking space, take the ferry over to Lochmaddy and then bung your bikes on a southboard bus. They all take bikes (at the driver's disgression) but are generally very helpful and last time I did this the bus had bikes in the boot and all across the back seat.

Couple of years ago, we could only got down to Dalabrog in South Uist on the bus, stayed at a B&B there and then took a day ride on a Sunday around Barra and back without the panniers which was a joy. When we got to the Butt of Lewis two days later, again we threw the bikes on a bus and went back via a change at Stornoway to Tarbert in Harris to get the ferry back to Uig. This is certainly the easiest way to ride the 'Barra to Butt' if that is your only goal and can easily be made into a longer tour by riding all the dead ends along the way (it's where the really awesome bits are) or leaving the car on the mainland and riding across Skye.

There seems to be an increasing number of cyclists riding in the Western Isles and Barra to the Butt is becoming something of an iconic routes - met a lovely crowd from Japan on Harris last year who had bought over their own very beautiful bikes and dressed up in tweeds for the ocassion. But if everyone starts using the buses the Western Isles Council are going have to start putting racks on them, which to my mind is not a bad thing.

Finally I've just had a paeon on biking in the Hebs published in the new edition of The Ride Journal, but you can read it gratis here https://acrosstheminch.wordpress.com/2010/09/27/cycling-in-the-hebrides/ I love the place so damn much, I'm in the process of moving there.

[bogmyrtle]

Although there is now a sunday ferry from Stornoway to Ullapool, I don't think there are any busses leaving Ullapool on a Sunday.

[The Mechanic]

The Tim Dearman bike bus operates on Sundays in July and August.

[petteri]

We are also planning summer 2011 outer Hebrides trip and we have been thinking Ullapool-Inverness route.

It seems Tim Dearman coaches option wont be available for 2011. I emailed him about the 2011 service because the website states only 2010. He replied that he is retiring and wont be operating the Durness service this year.