Bikepacking in the Outer Hebrides - Barra and Vatersay
Wild camp view, Vatersay
Days: 1 - 2
Miles cycled: 5 miles
Total miles: 5 miles
It’s fair to say we didn’t do much preparation for before cycling on the Hebridean Way!
I spoke with a couple of female adventurers beforehand to get their recommendations on how to pack lightly, yet still feel clean. It was useful information so, to help you plan your own multi-day cycling adventures, I put together my own kit list along with links to their sites.
The other thing we did was borrow someone’s map of the Outer Hebrides, marked with campsites, shops, and post offices. We copied these onto our own map and added recommendations from someone else, giving us a rough idea of places to aim for.
Getting to the start of the Hebridean Way
We decided to begin cycling from the start of the Hebridean Way on Vatersay.
It meant a five hour ferry crossing from Oban on the mainland to the island of Barra, followed by a four-ish mile cycle to Vatersay. Because CalMac ferries carry bikes free of charge on all their ferries, we were classed as foot passengers, making the crossing significantly cheaper. Better still, as even our departure date was fluid, they assured us we could turn up without booking in advance.
We did look into how we could leave the van in Oban for a couple of weeks, but that was pretty much where our preparation ended!
We arrived in Oban the evening before our ferry crossing and looked for a campsite. We found a great one by the shore and just a short way from the town centre. As the sun went down, we sat on the beach enjoying a beer with our fellow campers.
Shoreside beers in Oban
Car park faffing
Any cyclist knows you can’t beat a good car park faff - and it’s fair to say there was some extended faffing going on the next morning. We’d found a car park in the town centre which allowed unlimited free parking (sadly not something you can do any more), then began loading up our kit.
Being new to multi-day cycle touring trips, we added items into our panniers. Then took others out to save weight. I can remember looking at the growing pile of things being left in the van, wondering whether I should be trying to squeeze more in.
Finally leaving the van felt a little scary. It was our place of safety and security, and we’d soon be on our own at least five hours away over water. Our bikes felt heavy and unbalanced. Should we have left this, or packed that?
We rolled downhill to the ferry terminal and bought our return tickets.
The adventure had begun!
Finding a bikepacking community
Sitting with our bikes in a shady spot away from the heat of the day, we relaxed over a late breakfast from a fabulous little cafe attached to the ferry terminal building. Before long, we found ourselves surrounded by other bikepackers waiting for the ferry to Barra.
We’d become part of a whole new community of people.
These like-minded adventurous souls gravitated towards each other. There were bike comparisons, tips on carrying kit, and talk about the different styles of travelling; fast and light, slow and steady, wild camping, posh hotels, you name it.
Best of all, we saw one family carrying a bottle of wine in their water bottle holder. Now that was ingenuity and experience coming together.
Surprisingly, we were also entrusted with keeping an eye on people’s fully-loaded bikes as they ventured off to find food.
Oban to Barra ferry crossing
The ferry crossing from Oban to Barra
Having never taken our bikes on a ferry before, everything was a new experience. We boarded before the cars, pushing our bikes onto the ferry and tying them to the hand rails for the crossing.
Then, we spent the next five hours on the deck in the sun. The crossing was surprisingly calm (apparently it’s not usually like that) and we looked out towards other Scottish islands, watching the dolphins play in the wake of the ferry.
One top tip (if you have space) is a pair of binoculars. It was a wildlife haven and would have been amazing to look out through the binoculars - the same once we arrived in the Outer Hebrides.
Arriving at Castlebay, Barra
Arriving in Barra
I was expecting strong winds and overcast skies for our arrival in Barra. But, bizarrely, the evening temperature was hot, still, and oppressive.
Feeling disorientated as the other cyclists rode off with purpose (probably having prepared much better), we dithered for a while. Having backpacked around the world and been on countless self-supported climbing trips abroad, I recognised it as mild culture shock. Sure, the Outer Hebrides is in the UK but we were without the van and doing something new in a different place, with no idea where we’d be sleeping in just a few hours time.
Castlebay, the ferry port, was much smaller than we imagined and all the accommodation looked to be fully booked.
Finding a wild camping spot on Vatersay
Wild camping on Vatersay
Still not used to the weight and balance of our bikes, we set off slowly towards Vatersay. Passing the local Co-op, we pulled in to add more weight to our bikes. To be fair, it was a good call as we soon realised there were no pubs, restaurants, or shops on the four-mile ride.
The road took us over a big hill, and our first causeway crossing passed by without note. I’d expected to be taking pictures of all the signs welcoming us to new islands. But, feeling travel weary, we continued on, marvelling at how remote everything felt.
Eventually, we rounded a corner to see a beautiful beach. Numerous motorhomes and tents were pitched for the night - it no longer felt quite so remote. Cycling to the end of the road, we looked for our own secluded wild camp and spied a path to a beach on the opposite side.
We pushed our bikes along the path until we were standing above a magnificent beach, with no other tents around. Checking the map, we realised this was the beach that had been described to us as “probably the best beach in the world”.
The best beach in the world?
“Probably the best beach in the world”
I spent the entire trip telling everyone we met that this particular beach had been rated so highly, and they should go visit. Embarrassingly, on my return, I found it wasn’t a personal recommendation (amazing as the beach is) but a reference to a Carlsberg advert filmed on the beach. I felt a little cheated 😂
Another crazy fact I heard about Vatersay is that apparently Queen Elizabeth II once played football on the beach.
The sea was much wilder on this side of the narrow strip of land. It was a more exposed beach, more dramatic, and we loved it! Watching the sun go down, it was still warm at 10pm. We slept with the tent door open, catching the beautiful sunrise in the early hours.
Staying longer on Vatersay
Our next morning was a lazy start. We’d woken to another warm, sunny day and felt reluctant to pack up and cycle north. The crazy pace of the weeks leading up to our trip had caught up and we both wanted to stop, rest for a while, and take in the beauty of our surroundings.
Then it registered…
Our plans were fluid. Our trip, our rules.
Travel for us has always been about the adventure and the experience along the way rather than the final destination. We'd purposely kept all the options open, so it was no problem to change our minds and stay another night.
We found a cafe down the road and ambled over there for lunch before exploring the island. Our walk took us around the headland discovering more beaches, all equally beautiful.
As the sun went down on another stunning day, we knew we’d be ready to move on the next morning and find our cycle touring legs.
Next in the series: Barra, Eriskay, and South Uist
Bikepacking the Hebridean Way: Posts in the series
1. Getting started
2. Barra and Vatersay
3. Barra, Eriskay and South Uist
4. North Uist and Berneray
5. North Uist, Benbecula and South Uist
6. South Uist, Eriskay and Barra
7. Bike packing kit list
Wild Camp - Vatersay
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