Outer Hebrides

[didnothingfatal]

Anybody been to the outer Hebrides either hiking or biking, planning a trip trying to island hop and then linking in Skye, but there doesn't seem much written about the islands for biking, mention of singletrack, but no maps.

[Taylor]

Been to Skye and Harris for riding.
Didn't really see that much for Bikepacking, just lots of single track technical loops that would be bloody hard work on a loaded bike.

[didnothingfatal]

Yeah that seems to be all I can find, short of fat bike and riding the beaches and then island hopping.

I'm thinking Skye could yield a little.

[Bearbonesnorm]

Not published until June but maybe some help - http://www.cicerone.co.uk/product/detai ... e-hebrides

[Chew]

Think everyone is going to Scotland this summer :)

I've been trying to find offroad options in the outer hebrides, but there doesnt seem to be any, and most of the roads just go to nowhere, so just a bit of a road trip on that section.

There seems to be a few more options on Skye, but not much. I have a bit of a route planned from Uig, going northish to take in a bit of singletrack, then down to Portree, across to Drynoch, and up into the woods. Through Brittle forest and offroad to Sligachan, and then offroad south to the Bothy at Camasunary, then road over to Kyle.

Not sure how rideable it'll be, but thats half the fun.

[Taylor]

If your planning on riding to down Slighachan to Camasuary bothy it'll be a fair slog if your loaded too much.
Good ride, doable loaded, but it'll be a slog.

[Chew]

Yes, i know it'll be a bit of a slog, and it will be slow going, but i'm hoping that the views will keep me distracted whilst pushing

[Taylor]

Views are great, especially when you get to the sea at the end of the valley.
One of my favourite rides. Had lunch in the bothy whilst there about 3 years ago.

[restlessshawn]

There is the machair path up the west coast of South Uist, not sure what most of it is like as I just rode a small bit in the middle one afternoon. The rest of Uist just seems to be a bog as soon as you step off a road.

[didnothingfatal]

Well this seems confirm my suspicions, scratch that as a idea, so where else in Scotland is worth a look, Knoydart or Torridon?

[Chew]

Found this today

http://www.heritagepaths.co.uk/advanced ... 22&x=8&y=9

Shows the heritage paths throughout Scotland, including the Hebrides. Dont know how ridable they are, but hopefully a few ideas.

[didnothingfatal]

Given up on island hoping, Knoydart and a lot of pushing seems the more attractive option :? Anybody want to come early September?

[Pyro]

sub standard, wish I'd seen this earlier! I've been out to the Hebs a fair bit, used to go at least once a year for about 10 years for the Hebridean Challenge adventure race. Some excellent riding, some sloggy bits, and maybe more a road tour than exciting MTB destination, but there's some cracking sections along the way.

Best MTB fun sections are on Harris and Lewis, the trails from just north of Tarbert out to Rhenigidale and back are beautiful. There's some fantastic riding up the machair on the Uists (mainly South) and a fantastic inny-outy road lap round 'the Golden Road', up the east coast of Harris from Rodel to just South of Tarbert.

I can think of a few places that'd be fun to get to and bivvy, and that might be part of my planning for next year, if we get a summer...