Inner Hebrides tour

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
martin113
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Joined: 19 May 2011, 5:35pm

Inner Hebrides tour

Post by martin113 »

Can anyone tell me, if I plan to do a tour of the south Inner Hebrides,such as Arran, Islay, up to Mull, starting round about 20th October, am I likely to find the campsites closed or will they be open for the half term school holidays?
largeallan
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Location: Isle of Arran

Re: Inner Hebrides tour

Post by largeallan »

At that time of year mate, I'd say camp sites being open is the least of your worries!!
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Les Reay
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Re: Inner Hebrides tour

Post by Les Reay »

The beauty of Scotland is that you can wild camp in a lot of places, including many areas on the Inner Hebrides. Apart from that, here are some suggestions:

On Arran, there is a fairly basic site near Brodick, just off the road over to the west coast, and this is likely to be open. Also, the camp site at Lochranza is a good place to stop but you could look it up online and check opening times.

There are camp sites on Islay but I recently chose to stay on Jura, which is a short ferry ride from Port Askaig. The Jura Hotel is 8 miles from the ferry slipway and they allow you to camp on the grass in front, by the beach. Payment is by voluntary donation, facilities are behind the hotel.

On Mull, there is a basic camp site about 3 miles west of Salen, near the beach, but further up the coast, next to the beach at Calgary, there is an official 'wild camping area' with toilets- I would also expect the camp site at Craignure to be open but again, check it online.
bogmyrtle
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Re: Inner Hebrides tour

Post by bogmyrtle »

A bike does more miles to the banana than a Porsche.
martin113
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Re: Inner Hebrides tour

Post by martin113 »

Largeallen, I'd like to hear what you think will be the rest of my worries if I take this on at that time of the year. Thanks.
Richard Barrett
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Re: Inner Hebrides tour

Post by Richard Barrett »

While you wont have any problems finding somewhere to camp, it starts to get very wet and windy up here at that time of year and at the very least you need to plan your route so when you are on exposed coasts you're going with the prevailing wind which is from the south west. Personally I would tend to head for the hostels.

Calmac change their timetables in October and depending on when you go, you may find some of the ferries such as Lochranza - Claonaig missing.
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stephenjubb
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Re: Inner Hebrides tour

Post by stephenjubb »

Richard Barrett wrote:While you wont have any problems finding somewhere to camp, it starts to get very wet and windy up here at that time of year and at the very least you need to plan your route so when you are on exposed coasts you're going with the prevailing wind which is from the south west. Personally I would tend to head for the hostels.

Calmac change their timetables in October and depending on when you go, you may find some of the ferries such as Lochranza - Claonaig missing.


It's already getting windy!

I've been stuck in durness for 6 days, now scourie because it is too windy too cycle!

tommorrow if I cycled would be 30mph head wind!

i did 25 miles in 6 hours sunday from durness to scourie!


I'm waiting the weather out!!!
pau1ine
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Re: Inner Hebrides tour

Post by pau1ine »

Lochranza ferry is rerouted in the winter timetable to run to Tarbert instead which is a longer route . This is because the slipway at Claonaig is considered to be too exposed for winter weather.

We this route on a B&B /hostel tour last March, when because it was a calm day, all the cars were dropped off at Claonaig and we were the sole occupants for the rest of the trip to Tarbert.
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Mick F
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Re: Inner Hebrides tour

Post by Mick F »

largeallan wrote:At that time of year mate, I'd say camp sites being open is the least of your worries!!
Although it's been a few years since we lived in W Scotland, I would suggest that mid Sept is the latest for thinking about camping.

We lived down in Plymouth when the girls were little, then moved to W Scotland in late August. They were in summer dresses and sandals as we left, and within a week, we had to buy coats, jumpers and wellies.

Springs are late, summers short, and autumns early.
Mick F. Cornwall
phil parker
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Re: Inner Hebrides tour

Post by phil parker »

I'm currently in South Uist, heading north tomorrow, it might be a bit early in the season, but it is quite precarious cycling today because of the high winds. Last night the wind put my Hilleberg Soulo to the test, it was like being on a 6000 m mountain.

I'm still enjoying it though! :D
largeallan
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Location: Isle of Arran

Re: Inner Hebrides tour

Post by largeallan »

Hi Martin, I think the others have pretty much summed it up for me....a camping tour in the west of Scotland at that time of year has the potential to open up a whole new world of misery for you.I'd put your tour on hold and do it at a time of year when there is at least the possibility of nice weather....its a beautiful area on the bike, come up and see it when its at its best.
Fasgadh
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Re: Inner Hebrides tour

Post by Fasgadh »

largeallan wrote:At that time of year mate, I'd say camp sites being open is the least of your worries!!

Actually it is a rather good time to tour in Scotland - lovely colours, no midges, not usually too cold yet and reduced traffic.
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Tigger
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Re: Inner Hebrides tour

Post by Tigger »

phil parker wrote:I'm currently in South Uist, heading north tomorrow, it might be a bit early in the season, but it is quite precarious cycling today because of the high winds. Last night the wind put my Hilleberg Soulo to the test, it was like being on a 6000 m mountain.

I'm still enjoying it though! :D

Been thinking about you Phil (I've been watching the Met Office forecast for Barra compared with Colchester! Yesterday, heavy rain and Southerlies of 30mph gusting to 54mph :shock: Today, ferries disrupted due to high winds :shock: ) especially since you said this in another thread;
phil parker wrote:I am often a jinx to bad weather or perhaps it's just so difficult in this country to get 2 weeks of consistent dry weather between March and October? I'm taking my heavy duty Thorn Exp bike and my heavy duty Hilleberg Soulo as well, so I should be prepared for all but extreme weather.

Phil Parker, you weren't kidding about being a jinx to bad weather - glad to hear you are ok!!!!!

On the plus side, errrm, well it is a tailwind!
phil parker
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Re: Inner Hebrides tour

Post by phil parker »

It's not a tail wind, despite what the forecast says, the wind has been NW. Yesterday we got hit by a storm in the late evening and I was patiently waiting for it to abate, but no such luck. I had to remain put and now I'm a day behind. I'm just about to set off an d see if I can gain some ground, the wind has died down - and the midges have just come back!
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Tigger
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Re: Inner Hebrides tour

Post by Tigger »

phil parker wrote:It's not a tail wind, despite what the forecast says, the wind has been NW. Yesterday we got hit by a storm in the late evening and I was patiently waiting for it to abate, but no such luck. I had to remain put and now I'm a day behind. I'm just about to set off an d see if I can gain some ground, the wind has died down - and the midges have just come back!

Bet you never thought you would welcome the midges (= no storm force winds!) Best of luck catching up with your schedule!
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