Cycling Tour of the Hebrides

Cycling is an extremely popular sport and more and more people are discovering the pleasures of taking a cycling tour in preference to other types of vacation. Most choose to tour areas where the ground is rather flat and any hills are but gentle slopes while others prefer to visit areas which offer much more of a challenge. The Isle of Harris in the Western Isles (also known as the Outer Hebrides) of Scotland continues to increase in popularity for cycling tours and vacations and is well worth consideration if you are a competent and athletic cyclist.

The Outer Hebrides (or Western Isles) is a group of over two hundred islands found off the west coast of Scotland in the United Kingdom of Great Britain. The vast majority of islands are now uninhabited with only a handful remaining populated. There are two distinctive land masses with the Isle of Harris and Isle of Lewis part of one in the north and to the south the islands of North and South Uist with a number of other smaller islands dotted around. Happily these islands have excellent transport links and it is possible to tour from the very south up to the northern tip via a network of double and single track roads, bridges, causeways and ferries.

Many people choose to start their Hebridean tour in the Uists moving northwards until they reach the main town of Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis where they will catch a ferry back to the mainland. Approaching the islands from this direction introduces you to a gentle start along the flatter roads of South Uist before you reach the much hillier North Uist and then, crossing over by ferry, to the even hillier Isle of Harris. As you move towards North Harris you will notice the hills becoming steeper until you are faced by a steep climb into a small mountain range. Once atop it is rather flat until you descend and onto the Isle of Lewis which consists mainly of flat barren moorland. If you choose to go beyond Stornoway the scenery becomes more dramatic and, at times, something of a challenge but well worth the effort.

When cycling in the Outer Hebrides/Western Isles there are a number of very important things to keep in mind. Firstly please be very aware of how powerful the sun can be on the islands, it does not have to be extremely bright for the UV rays to penetrate and burn the skin. Equally important is to ensure that you do not allow yourself to become overwhelmed by the sights. All too often I see cyclists riding two abreast admiring the views oblivious to other traffic on the roads. It is far better to pull over to admire the view at your leisure.

You may not have experienced single track roads before so remember that you should always pay special attention to safety while using them. Do not ride alongside each other and keep an eye both forwards and backwards for any traffic. To allow traffic to pass simply use the next passing place, you should pull into those on your left but if it is on the right you must pull over to the left and the traffic will drive around. Even on double track great care should be taken as many locals (and some visitors) can drive at rather fast speeds and, with the roads being so full of bends, there can be danger if you are not diligent.

It is important that you understand that on the Isles of Harris and Lewis (and areas of North Uist) most places are closed on Sundays due to their strict observance of a Sunday Sabbath. It is therefore vitally important that you stock up on the Friday or Saturday so that you do not find yourself without the following day.

In more recent years it would appear that a few places in Stornoway choose to open on Sundays but you can not afford to rely on this. It is far better to be safe than sorry. Stornoway has most shops that you would expect to see in a modern town but importantly there is a small bike shop who do repairs and hire out bicycles. Crime is extremely low so you can safely leave your bike parked in the town center to explore the town by foot.

If you are unable to face the challenge of a full cycling tour of the Outer Hebrides you may find that staying on the Isle of Harris provides numerous opportunities to enjoy cycling at a more leisurely pace. Many cyclist choose to stay in hostels or camp but if you can afford it bed and breakfast in a guest house or hotel is greatly appreciated after a day's cycling and even self catering accommodation is far more inviting.

Article Source: http://www.health-fitness-for-all.com

If visiting the Isle of Harris check out our listings of Isle of Harris self catering accommodation and bed and breakfast on the Isle of Harris

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