2025
Carloway Broch - Insel von Lewis

Cycle tour on the Outer Hebrides

Island hopping on Scotland's northwest coast

Oban – Grimsay – Tarbert – Stornoway

  • Stone circles of Callanish, Blackhouses in Carloway, Wheelhouses on Grimsay, Prince's Beach
  • Daily routes ●●●●○, altitude profile ●●○○○

Days
8

Ø km per day
50

Countless lochs, white sandy beaches, moors, rugged coastlines and craggy mountains – welcome to our cycle tour on the Outer Hebrides! The island chain off the northwest coast of Scotland consists of more than 100 islands, which impress with their barren and wild scenic beauty. You start in Oban, a harbor town in the west of Scotland. You reach the island of Barra by ferry with Castlebay. Mostly accompanied by a tailwind from a south-westerly direction, you cycle to the Uist Islands and Lewis and Harris, the largest island in Scotland. Prehistoric buildings such as the Wheelhouse on the island of Grimsay and the mystical stone circles of Callanish tell of the millennia-old settlement of the islands. Get to know the Gaelic culture on our cycle tour on the Outer Hebrides, Gaelic-language road signs are not uncommon.

If you like it idyllic, quiet and sometimes lonely, our cycle tour on the Outer Hebrides is just the thing for you. The sparsely populated islands offer you a cycling experience full of contrasts and impressions that make our cycle tour on the Outer Hebrides an unforgettable cycling experience. Please note that the weather on the Outer Hebrides can change quickly. We recommend taking windproof rainwear with you.

Itinerary

  • Booking code
    EN-GBOS7
  • Accommodation level
    national 2* / 3* level
  • Duration
    8 days / 7 nights
  • Arrival days
    daily
  • Minimum number of participants
    2 persons
  • Travel documents Languages
    German, English
  • Print version PDF
    incl. hotel examples
  • Note
    Please provide your mobile phone number when booking, as this is required by our local partner to carry out the tour on site.
  • Travel to Oban
    You can take the train from Glasgow Airport to Oban. However, the ferry will not arrive on time if the plane lands a little later in Glasgow. In this case, we recommend an overnight stay in Glasgow.
  • Return journey
    There are flights from Stornoway via Edinburgh or Glasgow.

Day 1: Individual arrival to Oban + ferry ride to Castlebay

You start your cycle tour on the Outer Hebrides in the former fishing village of Oban. We recommend arriving in Oban the day before so that you can catch the ferry (included) to the island of Barra by 12:30 p.m. Alternatively, you can stay overnight in Glasgow beforehand and travel to Oban by train. Go for a walk in Oban. The McCaig's Tower is located above the town. The unfinished replica of the Colosseum in Rome now serves as a park. Visit the Oban Distillery, which has been producing whisky since 1794. When you catch sight of Kisimul Castle off the island of Barra, you have almost reached your first overnight destination, Castleway.

 

View of Oban

View of Oban

Day 2: Castlebay – Lochboisdale, approx. 30 km + ferry ride

On the first stage of your cycle tour on the Outer Hebrides, you will cycle around a large part of the island of Barra. You first cross over to the island of Eriskay by ferry. Before you cycle over the Eriskay Causeway to the island of South Uist, make a stopover at Prince's Beach. Relax on the fine sandy beach and enjoy the view of the azure blue sea. Numerous prehistoric monuments await you on the island of South Uist. You will spend the night in Lochboisdale.

View of Kisimul Castle in Castlebay

View of Kisimul Castle in Castlebay

Day 3: Lochboisdale – Grimsay, approx. 55 km

From Lochboisdale you cycle through the island of South Uist to the north. You reach the island of Benbecula via a causeway. The west of Benbecula is agricultural, with moors and lochs to the east. Another causeway takes you to the island of Grimsay. Visit the lively port of Kallin. Sample freshly caught or smoked fish and lobster on the spot. The wheelhouse Bagh nam Feadag from the Iron Age in the north of the island is inconspicuous but worth a visit.

 

Island of South Uist

Island of South Uist

Day 4: Grimsay – Lochmaddy, approx. 60 km

You leave the island of Grimsay via a causeway. The island of North Uist is today's destination on your cycle tour on the Outer Hebrides. Nature and beach lovers are in the right place here. Fine sandy beaches, peat bogs and lots of wildlife characterize the island. Prehistoric remains such as stone circles and burial sites bear witness to a settlement culture dating back thousands of years. The island is also known for its diverse birdlife. You will spend the night in the harbor town of Lochmaddy in the northeast of North Uist.

House by the river – North Uist Island

House by the river – North Uist Island

Day 5: Lochmaddy – Tarbert, approx. 50 km + ferry ride

Before you leave the island of North Uist via a causeway towards the island of Berneray, it is worth making a short stopover. Visit the remains of the Dun an Sticir, an Iron Age tower. Take the ferry from Berneray to Leverburgh. From Leverburgh you cycle via Luskentyre. On the west coast of the peninsula you will find some of the most beautiful beaches in Scotland. You reach the isthmus of Tarbert, which is only one kilometer wide in an east-west direction. In the port town of Tarbert, you are on the southern part of the island of Lewis and Harris. Visit the Isle of Harris Distillery. Located right by the sea, the whisky distillery invites you to take a tour.

 

Luskentyre Beach – Isle of Harris

Luskentyre Beach – Isle of Harris

Day 6: Tarbert – Callanish, approx. 40 km

The island of Lewis and Harris is the largest of the Scottish islands. The beautiful landscape is characterized by mountains, moors, rugged coastlines and white sandy beaches. From Tarbert, you cycle to the stone circles of Callanish on the sixth day of your cycle tour on the Outer Hebrides. The site is considered to be one of the largest Stone Age structures in the British Isles. The differently sized stones were carved unevenly several thousand years ago, giving them a special and mysterious character.

Cyclist – Harris Island

Cyclist – Harris Island

Day 7: Callanish – Stornoway, approx. 70 km

Leaving the rock formations of Callanish behind you, the route first takes you to Carloway. The Carloway Broch there is a circular tower from the Iron Age, which in all probability once served as a dwelling. It is considered to be one of the best preserved brochs in Scotland. The nearby Gearannan Blackhouse Village is also worth a stopover. The village is now an open-air museum and takes you back to the not always easy living conditions around the year 1900. At your destination Stornoway, you will find yourself in the largest town on the Outer Hebrides.

The Blackhouses of Gearrannan – Isle of Lewis

The Blackhouses of Gearrannan – Isle of Lewis

Day 8: Individual departure

After breakfast, your cycle tour on the Outer Hebrides ends. In Stornoway, you have the option of flying to Edinburgh or Glasgow or taking the ferry to Ullapool.

Farewell to the Outer Hebrides – North Uist Island landscape

Farewell to the Outer Hebrides – North Uist Island landscape

Dates / Prices / Services

Season times and prices 2025

Arrival daily from 01.05.2025 to 30.09.2025Early booking discount: -20 €

Bookable dates are shown in the booking form. The season is dictated by the arrival date.

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Season 1
01.05. - 30.09.

from1689 €

All prices per person in a double room

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Services

  • 7 nights with breakfast in selected bed & breakfast establishments, national 2* / 3* level
  • Luggage transport from hotel to hotel to Stornoway
  • Ferry ride Oban – Castlebay incl. bike
  • Ferry ride Barra – Eriksay incl. bike
  • Ferry ride Bernerey – Leverburgh incl. bike
  • Digital travel documents and route navigation via app
    – arrival information and hotel list only available in German –
  • Service-Hotline (7 days, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.)
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Not included is the city or visitor's tax (if payable).

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Children discounts

Due to the more demanding stages, we recommend this trip only for young people with good stamina.

No child discount is offered on this trip.

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Additional services

Additional bookable services

Additional fee single room

449 €

Additional fee single traveler

989 €

All prices are per person

Rental bikes

Rental Bikes

Rental Bike
Rental Bike
399 €
E-Bike
E-Bike
599 €

Types of rental bikes

  • 21-gear trekking bike
  • E-bike / pedelec
Fittings

Pannier

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Route profile

  • Start / Destination
    Oban / Stornoway
  • Length
    approx. 305 km
    Daily routes ●●●○○
    between 30 and 70 km, Ø 50 km
    Altitude profile ●●○○○
  • Trail conditions
    The cycle tour on the islands is relatively easy. Only Harris and, to a certain extent, Lewis have a stronger relief and are more challenging.
  • Tour operated by
    Local cooperation partner
  • Mobility note
    The trip is not suitable for people with limited mobility.
     

Days
8

Ø km per day
50