Logistical Question about Hebirdes

It sounds as if you may be attempting to plan this trip without a guidebook. That is not recommended. A guidebook will usually advise you as to ferry routes and key bus routes (when they are available), as well as a great many other issues. Rick's book are excellent on logistical details, but I don't remember whether he covers Barra, South Uist and North Uist.

I know there is some bus service on Skye and on Mull. The other islands I'm not sure about, but I believe Iona is tiny and extremely unlikely to have a public bus. Even on Skye and Mull you will be much more limited in what you can see and how quickly you can see it without a car.

The larger islands have taxis. How many, and how readily available, I do not know.

Calmac has all the info you need about island hopping. Look at their hopscotch tickets.

https://www.calmac.co.uk/island-hopping

Or you can buy individual tickets from island to island.

And https://www.visitouterhebrides.co.uk/visitor-info/travelling-around-the-outer-hebrides/buses has info on the buses. Good luck.

Remember to book accommodation before you go. Twice now we have had to cancel our trip to the islands because we had not booked accommodation before we left :-(

Hello rgonsalez

Your internet searches will probably run more smoothly if you get the spelling right. They are the Outer Hebrides.

Calmac is the ferry operator and you have the link to their website above. As far as I know the only direct ferry route to Barra are from Oban and Eriskay (part of the Outer Hebrides). So you would need to return to Oban from Mull before heading to Barra. You can then make your way up the Outer Hebrides chain to North Uist (or up to Lewis & Harris if you prefer) and you can then get the ferry from Lochmaddy on North Uist to Uig on Skye (or from Tarbert on Harris to Uig on Skye).

For buses on the Outer Hebrides, this website provided by the local authority (council) is your best starting point.

https://www.cne-siar.gov.uk/roads-travel-and-parking/public-transport/bus-services/bus-services-overview/

Buses on Skye are operated by Stagecoach (for local services) and Citylink (for the scheduled services to Glasgow and Inverness). The local buses are infrequent and largely based around school times. This means that it is extremely challenging to see much of Skye by bus.

I would strongly recommend renting a car (you can take cars on the ferries but need to book in advance on the longer routes - across to Barra from Oban and from North Uist or Harris to Skye). It would be impossible to find a rental company offering a one way rental from Oban to Skye as none of the major operators are on Skye. However, if you were planning to return to Oban or alternatively drop your car at an airport (Glasgow, Edinburgh, Inverness etc) having a car would enable you to get to the many wonderful and remote beaches and hiking spots on the Outer Hebrides and would open up Skye, which is pretty much impossible to explore by public transport.

You really do need to book accommodation well in advance as these are very popular destinations.

Best wishes
Jacqui (Skyegirl)

Regarding hitchhiking on Skye. I have seen a few people doing it, but personally I have not picked up hitch hikers and wouldn't due to safety concerns.

The Hebrides looked to me like a pretty bad place to hitchhike. Big, empty, lonely places (which get plenty of cold and rain) with very few cars on the roads.

If you try that, just be dressed appropriately so you are OK standing out in the cold driving rain for a long time (even in high summer).

I guess if you're travelling to Scotland you must be prepared for rain and wind anytime.

That's certainly true. But being "prepared" for a short dash from your hotel to your car is quite different from being appropriately prepared to stand out on a remote roadside, with no protection from the elements, for hours at a time in really awful weather.

When I was there in July, I had no trouble going about usual touristy things, even when it was raining, with just a little sensible clothing I had brought along (I live in Seattle, a city notorious for rain). But I vividly recall one day hunkering down in a warm, dry, cozy B&B with our host (who kept pouring me drams of 10 year old single malt) while a hard, hard driving rain kept beating horizontally against the windows for hours on end. I was really glad to be exactly where I was, and not outside, standing by the side of a road while one car drove by every 30 minutes. This was in mid-July.

My point being, if you do decide to go for it, do not underestimate what the weather might be and plan your preparations accordingly.

My sister and I went to Skye many years ago. We wanted to do a walk that would let us see Loch Coruisk. We were in Portree. It was a Sunday. I think there was one bus that got us to Sligachan where the walk began. We had a wonderful walk, but it started to rain on the way back and by the time we were at the road trying to get back to Portree. We were hitchhiking as we could not find the bus schedule. We made it. Somebody was kind, but I really would not recommend it. Many years later I was back on Skye and staying at the Picture House near Broadford. The young girl who was helping with meals cleaning etc. was hitchhiking to work every day. The only way it worked was that she was local. And she still did not always get to work on time. Unless you have lots of time I would not try hitchhiking.

It's not clear where you want to go in the Hebrides. Oban is a nice ferry port, but I remain baffled as to why Rick thinks it's the best base. I think it's much better to have a car and spend time on the different islands that make up the Hebrides. Consider staying on Mull. It's wonderful! You can take the ferry from Oban to Mull stay in Tobermory or elsewhere and explore the island for a few days. Then take the ferry from Tobermory to Kilchoan and explore Ardnamurchan before catching the ferry in Mallaig to Skye. Once on Skye you can get the ferry from Uig to Tarbert. From Tarbert you can explore the Outer Hebrides.

Exploring the Western Isles is a wonderful trip. It will be marvelous.

I am currently reading The Rough Guide to Highlands and Islands, which seems to have a lot more information on where you want to go than Rick’s book does (I have that one also). Public transportation is doable but not as frequent as other parts of Europe.

Hi, rgonzales,

Don't expect to find anything about the Outer Hebrides in the RS guide. Get yourself a copy of the 2018 Lonely Planet Guide to Scotland, or better yet, the brand new 2019 Lonely Planet Guide to the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. There is a lot of information about the Outer Hebrides in both.

If you really want to do it right, start in Ullapool, take the ferry to Stornoway on Lewis; make your way south to Leverburgh on Harris; take the ferry from Leverburgh to Berneray; make your way down through North Uist, Benbecula, South Uist, and Eriskay; Take the ferry to Barra; then take the ferry from Castlebay (Barra) to Oban. Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) operates all those ferries, and you can buy an Island Hopscotch ticket for that entire route which will save you a little bit of dosh.

There are hundreds of islands, large and small, in the Inner Hebrides. Some are accessible by ferry; others aren't. You need to take a good look at a large map of Scotland, and decide which you'd like to visit, given time and money constraints. But start out with the Lonely Planet guidebook(s).

Good luck!

Mike (Auchterless)

@scythian,

The trick to hitchhiking in the Highlands and Islands is not to carry one of those enormous backpacks. I've had to drive past a few that I would gladly have picked up, but they had huge packs that would never have fit in the back of the car. And there was no room in the boot, as all my luggage was in there. Having a sign giving your destination helps, too. The ones I've seen just have a piece of cardboard with the name of the town written on it. I'm waiting for some intrepid and imaginative hitchhiker to come up with a portable whiteboard on which they can change the place names as appropriate.

I've logged thousands of miles on my thumb over the years. I don't any more, now that I can afford to hire a car when I'm on holiday. And I'm a lot older now, as well. I still haven't lost that sense of adventure, though! :)

Happy hitching!

Mike (Auchterless)

@Pamela,

Did you get all the way down to the jetty at Loch Coruisk, or did you stop at the top of Druim Hain? That is quite a hike! I give you a lot of credit! My wife and I did that hike a few years ago, but only one way. We took the boat from Elgol to Loch Coruisk, hiked up Druim Hain, and followed the track along Glen Sligachan to the hotel. It took longer than we thought, so we missed the last bus from Sligachan to Broadford. We were going to hitch from Broadford to Elgol to pick up the car.

We had to take a taxi from Sligachan to Elgol. It cost 42 pounds plus tip! We were so knackered by the time that we got to Sligachan we could hardly walk! We had been swatting clegs almost the whole way along the glen. It was one of those bucket list things I'd always wanted to do. I didn't know that my wife knew all those words! And in so many variations.

Mike (Auchterless)

Hi again, rgonzales,

If you don't mind visiting Mull and Iona after Skye, you could try this route:

Oban-Castlebay (Barra)-Eriskay-SouthUist-Benbecula-North Uist-Lochmaddy (North Uist)-Uig (Skye)-Armadale (Skye)-Mallaig-Kilchoan-Tobermory (Mull)-Craignure (Mull)-Oban.

All of the ferries are operated by MacBraynes, so you should be able to get a Island Hopscotch ticket for that itinerary.

You should really consider renting a car. It's possible to do this route by ferry and thumb, but you may find yourselves doing a lot of walking!

Best wishes,

Mike (Auchterless)

Mike back when we did the hike we just went to where we could see the Loch. We did not go all the way down to it. Many years later I was back on Skye and I went to Elgol and took the boat over to see the Loch. A few years later after that, we went back and just enjoyed the view from Elgol. :)

Basically, it was a hike in and a hike back out. It was a great walk. The rain didn't start until we were a good way back down the hillside. I have actually been back again a few years ago where we just walked around Sligachan for a while and took some great pictures.

I guess I've been to Skye more often than I thought! On my very first trip to Scotland, we went to see family in Orkney. Beyond Edinburg, Stirling (we had heard stories of the castle) and Orkney we hadn't really made many plans for the trip. Our relatives insisted that we go to Skye. We stayed in a B&B in Portree. My sister always remembers all the pink in the room we had. I remember the walks, Dunvegan, and the great salmon that we had for dinner at the big hotel in Portree. This was long, long ago!

Pam