The Outer Hebrides

The wife and I are going to tour the Hebrides 23rd May for around 10 days,using the Hopscotch island hopper ticket,Starting at Oban,ferry to Barra,Eriskay South and North Uist,Harris and Lewis then over to Ullapool and head back down to Edinburgh area,'er indoor’s on V7 classic and me on the Breva 750…can’t wait :smiley:

A report if you could when you’re done please as thinking about something like that myself.
Enjoy.

http://www.spanglefish.com/MGCGBHighlandBranch/index.asp?pageid=509028

Last years Hebridean Overture pics to get you in the mood - hope you get better weather than we did.

Where are you staying on the Isle of Barra ? I have some friends who run a B+B just a few hundred yards from Castlebay ferry, both own bikes, one a BMW and one a Russian sidecar outfit.

We have no accomodation booked on any of the islands Northwest,it’s a case of camping unless it is pouring and b&b is the fall-back.Any b&b recommendations be gratefully recieved.Some good pics Gavin…we’d love to have the sun but being realistic if it rains it rains,it won’t spoil the run for us :smiley: Â

Good on ya.
 I can send the accommodation details we used if you want. All are Guzzi friendly. Especially Andrew on Berneray - Seal View B & B.

A good idea with the accommodation,would be a handy fall back,if you are at the Scottish rally I might get some idea’s from you on best routes!

I won’t be there due to work commitments however Russell Clink is yer man. If he is his usual taciturn self :unamused: , try Kevin Honey aka Gerbil.

cheers,will do…Â

]The Outer Hebrides May 2015 (67).JPG[/attachment] From Oban to Barra - Eriskay - the Uists - Harris/Lewis - Harris ( Tarbert ) - Skye - Raasay - Skye - Mallaig. A good ride through the islands although a bit rainy and blustery.Plenty rough camping and hostels,hospitality of islanders second to none.Roads in good nick most single track (with passing places). Beware the locals in cars here, as most fail to use the passing places when confronted with motor bikes. All in all, a good experience and holiday with photo calls and whisky galore.  After a six hour sailing and a night in the Dunard hostel, Castlebay (arrived 11pm), we took a run round lovely Barra before getting the Eriskay ferry.This took us to  Barra airport,a sandy runway providing the landing strip…a flight was due so we stuck around,having forty five minutes to spare to the ferry.A delayed flight and we had hot leg it over to the ferry,low and behold there goes the plane right over our heads while in the queue for boarding :unamused: On Eriskay we had a great ride towards the causeway that connects South Uist…very impressed! The raised road is minted new and lends it’s self to the scenic landscape.  South Uist/North Uist was a wet and windy experience with very open terrain, so we headed north directly for Berneray.   At Carinish North Uist we found nice wee campsite (campers/tents,bunkhouse) on Moorcroft farm.Elaine done some wild fowl photography,daylight stretching to 10.30/11.00pm.  Another spectacular causeway and across to Berneray and a ferry over to Leverburgh on Harris,The weather got worse and we couldn’t get into a hostel so rode over the golden road in hail and wind, no mean feat I assure you, to Tarbert. Finding the Back Packer’s Stop Hostel (A big yellow building),we settled down for a couple of days,dried out and planned the next leg of the trip. Making our way up to Callinish (The Standing Stones) Harris comes across as more sparse and open,than Lewis, but none the less charming.We found very dramatic cliffs and crevices cut and carved by the wild seas that pound them and, acrobatic sea birds in feeding frenzies or landing on their nesting spots.The Black House Village at Carloway is a must to visit and if your time schedule allows…stay over night,which we did, in the Hostels situated in the village (£15/night)…WoW!    Ness/The Butt of Lewis,next stop.Weather improving,seeing and feeling the sun lovely run up and more photo calls.Returning,and on to Stornoway…the metropolis of the Outer Hebrides, and a two day stay. Heb Hostel, on Kenneth St., proved a welcoming,comfortable and fun loving with an eclectic mix of residents and a very pregnant host with two weeks to birth and still trying to do all the chores required.Needless to say everybody got wired into the lassie’s routine and spared her feeling so trauchled  at the end of her day.  A wee run up the coast from Stornoway on the B895 to Tolastadh Ur and the bridge to nowhere, a short walk over a grassy field, you will be rewarded by way of a beautiful sandy beach with large rock stacks and cliffs,impressive enough when the tide is in…even better, when it is out…the bridge to nowhere is another story…   Weather is getting better and we are returning to Tarbert and ferrying over to Skye.On this ticket we kept open time-wise,to our disapointment the ferry was fully booked,so we had to book into the same hostel as coming up the Island…no hardship,just wasted a day (our fault).So, best booking times with your sailing, to guaranteeing a passage. Next day, over to Skye and heading for Sconser, for yet another ferry, over to Raasay for a night. Elaine’s son lives and works here as a joiner,so a visit was on the cards.A lovely Island with some interesting features and very hospitable  and lovely people.Last stop back on Skye is Armadale and another ferry over to Mallaig and home to Edinburgh area,via fort William and Glencoe.   Note: We sailed from Oban/Lochboisdale/Barra (six hours), when booking for the hopscotch ticket, we didn’t realise at the time that we could have had a shorter sailing Oban/Barra (four hours) on the day after! Â

Thanks for that, definitely on my to do list now.

JimÂ

Had a wonderful 2 weeks staying at Port Ness and surfing Eoropie 8 years ago and I’ll never stop wanting to go back. Locals were great, best white pudding I have ever tasted we got from Cross Stores, my daughter even picked up a few words of Gaelic playing with the local 2 year olds at the beach…

A great read…

Ditto great read.
Gambalunga?
All the best
Steve