Outer Hebrides/Orkeys/Shetland tour.

[jpcycle]

Hi all!

Iv managed to blag a month off work between April 27th and May 23rd so am packing my panniers, grabbing my trusty steed and going up north to visit all the great sights i can pack in!

My plan is to ferry from Oban to Barra-cycle up over 5/6 days, mostly along to west coast (with a mountain day on Clisham squished in), bumble round Lewis, then over to Ullapool. From there head up the west and north coast over a couple of days to Thurso to catch the ferry to Orkney islands for 3/4 days and then ferry over for a couple of days in the Shetlands (dictated by the ferry times on and off the islands).
Once back at JOG cycle to wick, catch the train to Inverness (cheating i know) and cycle the Loch Ness/Fort William route back to my car at Oban!!
ill be carrying a tent so will camp/wild camp and hostel all the way round dependent on here i am etc. Then the day or so iv figured i may have left, either hit the mountains or head to Mull.

Iv previously done end2end and was hitting avg. 90mile days with fully loaded bike so am used to long distances when i need to, but found that to be more of a race and regret just whizzing past everything So I'm planning mainly 50mile days which gives me plenty of time to visit places and see things.....(including distilleries! )

Now iv read countless posts on here and books and sites etc and was wondering with all your vast collective knowledge, had anyone any ideas? detours? better routes (easier/prettier)? things to see that aren't in guides? etc....basically any "2 cents" is appreciated.

Also if anyone wants to join me for any parts, feel free to let me know

cheers
Jason

[jamesgilbert]

Sounds like a good plan, I'll just recommend (as I did on the other recent thread) that you use the excellent Gatliff Trust hostels on the Outer Hebrides.

Unfortunately it's not the best route for distilleries: http://www.dcs.ed.ac.uk/home/jhb/whisky/scotland.html

[gloomyandy]

If you have time I would strongly recommend getting out to some of the smaller islands in Orkney, Hoy, Westray, and Pappa Westray are all very different and worth a visit. The hostel on Pappa Westray looked particularly nice when we visited. On Shetland you have the Bods (sort of small hostels) and make sure you walk out to view Muckle Flugga. Actually I'd also add a visit to Cape Wrath as well, but then I like lighthouses! See the Outer Hebrides thread for my thoughts on that part of the world.

I hope to be going a similar route (but not out to Orkney/Shetland) around about the same time. Mine is Glasgow, Arran, Islay, Oban, Coll, Barra, Uists, Harris, Skye, Raasay, Applecross, Ullapool, Stoer, Cape Wrath, Ullapool, Lewis, Skye (again), Mull, Oban, home!

Might bump into you on the road!

[Norman H]

Sounds like a great trip. You could certainly do it all in a month but I would be inclined to cover less ground but in more detail. You could easily spend two weeks in the Hebrides with lots of excursions off the “main road” to explore. The road out to Husinis is fantastic as also is the south west of Lewis around Glen Valtos and out to Mealasta. Orkney too has a lot to see with some of the finest neolithic sites anywhere. There is also a military cemetery at Lyness which I found a particularly moving place to visit with many graves from the dead of HMS Royal Oak. It's always a hard decision to make. Sassenachs don’t get to Scotland very often so when we do we like to see as much as possible.

We faced a similar dilemma last year. We planned to take the ferry from Oban to Barra and cycle up to Butt of Lewis then Stornaway to Ullapool and a circular route up to Cape Wrath via Lochinver and the west coast and back down to Ullapool via the Crask Inn. Finally returning to Oban via Gairloch, Torridon, Skye, Ardnamurchan and Mull. In the event,with a similar daily mileage to yourself, we could not fit it all in and aborted the Cape Wrath loop from Ullapool.

There is a daily coach service between Inverness and Durness via Ullapool. It connects pretty well with the ferry and they will hitch on a bike trailer if you give them 24hrs notice. Unfortunately it's a summer only service and we were in Ullapool before the start date which is late May if I recall.

By the way I don’t know your route from Ullapool to Thurso but the Crask Inn is an experience not to be missed if you go that way.

Have a great trip. I'm hoping to get to Cape Wrath this year. Who knows we may meet up at the “Crask.”

[DaleFTW]

If you have time I would strongly recommend getting out to some of the smaller islands in Orkney, Hoy, Westray, and Pappa Westray are all very different and worth a visit. The hostel on Pappa Westray looked particularly nice when we visited. On Shetland you have the Bods (sort of small hostels) and make sure you walk out to view Muckle Flugga. Actually I'd also add a visit to Cape Wrath as well, but then I like lighthouses! See the Outer Hebrides thread for my thoughts on that part of the world.

Yep. I loved how the islands all had there own character. Hoy was doable in a day - ferry from Houton to Lyness, ride up to Rackwick, walk to see the Old Man, back over to Moaness then the the ferry to Stromness.

I loved Westray. There's puffins, whale skeletons, a castle, decent beer in the Pierowall hotel. What more do you want... From Westray, I had intended to head over to Papa Westray, mooch about, see the Knap of Howar and that, then get the flight back over; but the weather was a bit iffy so gave it a miss as I had a ferry to catch.

Shetland - my whole reasoning for going was to see (and camp in view of) Muckle Flugga but got thwarted by the fog.

[Jughead]

Actually, that route seems to be ignoring the distilleries. There is one in Oban (worth a visit). Abhainn Dearg in Lewis. Skye has Tallisker. Orkney has Highland Park (make sure you book) and Scapa (no visiting). Orkney is a delight to cycle expecially if you like Archaeology. Not been to Shetland although if you are a Birder it's hard to beat seemingly.

The biggest problem is the wind in the Outer Hebrides. You are cycling in the right direction though so should be favourable.

If you get to Mallaig the Small Isles are are a must. Rum. Eigg. Muck and Canna. Rum is a decent cycle as is Eigg but you need mountain or CX bikes. Seriously good.

[gloomyandy]

Our visit to Papa Westray included the worlds shortest commercial flight which was fun. We also managed to get a local to take use over to the small island Holm of Papay, which has a pretty impressive chambered cairn. A whole island (well a small one) to ourselves for an hour or two, what can be better than that! We walked down to the ferry and got that back to Westray. All in all a grand day out.

[stephenjubb]

Our visit to Papa Westray included the worlds shortest commercial flight which was fun. We also managed to get a local to take use over to the small island Holm of Papay, which has a pretty impressive chambered cairn. A whole island (well a small one) to ourselves for an hour or two, what can be better than that! We walked down to the ferry and got that back to Westray. All in all a grand day out.

Have you ever been to those before?

If no then may I say "welcome to heaven".

I've done most and all are excellent.

On Sheltand you could try unst, it is 50 miles from Lerwick, you can camp at the hostel (and cook in their kitchen).

From the hostel it is a few miles to the far north of the island, and here apart from a rock you cannot get to, you are at the most northerly place in the UK that is easily accessible, it is like Cape Wrath, spectacular. I wish I had wild camped there (at both!!!)

Unst is remote, but has 3 shops, a sports centre, great people, the famous bus shelter (forgot it's name).

One final point, where you go on any of them, Scotland will get into your soul and you will want to go back

[DaleFTW]

On Sheltand you could try unst, it is 50 miles from Lerwick, you can camp at the hostel (and cook in their kitchen).

From the hostel it is a few miles to the far north of the island, and here apart from a rock you cannot get to, you are at the most northerly place in the UK that is easily accessible, it is like Cape Wrath, spectacular. I wish I had wild camped there (at both!!!)

Unst is remote, but has 3 shops, a sports centre, great people, the famous bus shelter (forgot it's name).

One final point, where you go on any of them, Scotland will get into your soul and you will want to go back

I camped at the hostel after my ditched wild camp attempt. Very nice. And very hot showers.

Also has the UKs most Northerly Post Office which is good for sending postcards to the girlfriend who was completely unbothered by it.

[toekneep]

Wow this thread is wetting my appetite. My wife and I are cycling around Great Britain starting in April and I have been pondering whether we should include the Orkneys/Shetlands or not. It is now decided! I'm not sure if our paths will cross, I suspect we will be some way behind you. We did Arran, Islay, Barra, The Uists and Skye last summer on a round trip from Glasgow. It was magic stuff and I can't wait so see more of these places. Have a great tour.

[DaleFTW]

BTW.

Westray = Puffingeddon



http://daleftw.tumblr.com/post/56409114 ... on-westray

[jpcycle]

Wow soo much info! Thanks!

The lack of distilleries is a shame... BUT there's plenty of breweries to make up for it

After reading all your posts i think a longer visit to the Orkneys is a must! I had planned to just stick to the mainland and hop to Hoy to see the old man, but now defiantly think a visit to the northern islands is needed! just need to narrow down which :/
Also a trip to Unst is also a must i think, the lighthouse (i'm an engineering geek), remoteness and the "furthest point" kudos sell it! How long do you think it would take to cycle from Lerwick up to Unst? i see on Google its a do'able 60mile...but with wind? terrain? iv set aside 4 days for the islands...
(i also just received to free Shetland guide book which fired up further interest in seeing more of the islands).

The Crask inn is a little further in land than i was planning to go im afriad, looks like a great place to visit/stay aswell! im sticking to the west coast road (A894/A838).

I sat down last night and took a stab at nailing down a rough plan and figured ill have possibly (hopefully) 3 days left before i have to start driving back to Cambridge on the 23rd. So i could either spend longer in areas or bounce over to Mull once once I'm back in Oban. I would have loved to have maybe spent even more time in the Orkneys but the ferries, to and from the Shetlands, kind of dictates the length of stay....

Oh and if you see a blue Ridgeback with bright white ORTLIEB panniers, THATS ME!!

[jpcycle]

....just figured i could head to Shetland islands first and do Orkneys on the return. Id Hopefully get to Scrabster on a Tuesday which means i could get the ferry to Shetland that night and stay until the following monday, then spend longer in the orkneys...extra day On the Sheltands and extra day or two on the Orkenys... everyones a winner!! (until it goes wrong)

[DaleFTW]

Lerwick to Muckle Flugga is certainly doable in a day, that's what I did.

[jpcycle]

Great photos and site btw DaleFTW and was that the cockerels pint you stole? hence the angry look? haha