About
This section includes 4 islands - Vatersay, Barra, Eriskay and part of South Uist, 2 causeways and a ferry crossing.
VATERSAY AND BARRA
Vatersay and Barra have high hills, white sandy beaches, machair, deeply incut sea lochs and a castle – all neatly contained within 27 square miles. Kisimul Castle dates back to the 15th century and was once a stronghold of Clan MacNeil. A descendant rescued it from dereliction in the 1930’s and leased it to Historic Scotland for the annual rent of £1 and a bottle of whisky. You can visit it in the summer months.
Most likely you will spend your first night in Castlebay, so ride over the causeway to start the ride at the road end on Vatersay, before retracing your route to join the A888 along the west coast of Barra enjoying the views of the white sandy beaches and the wild Atlantic Ocean. There is some gentle climbing as the road turns inland, then follow the signs for the ferry terminal at Aird Mhòr where there are toilets and a shower. But before you do, make a short detour to Traìgh Mhòr - the only airport in the UK where planes land on the sand.
Immediately behind the airport building, which has toilets and a cafe, is the building that was the home of Compton MacKenzie, who found fame as the author of Whisky Galore—the book based on how the SS Politician foundered in the Sound of Barra, leaving a cargo of whisky as easy pickings for the locals. He is buried in the cemetery at Eoligarry.
ERISKAY TO DALIBURGH (South Uist)
Everyone enjoys ferry crossings especially when you get close-up views of seals, seabirds and occasionally porpoises and dolphins. None is better than the 40 minute ride across the Sound of Barra to the magical island of Eriskay, where there is a great community shop and the Am Politician, a pub named after the SS Politician which went aground offshore on 5 February 1941.
The road climbs above Coilleag a’ Phrionnsa, where Bonnie Prince Charlie landed on his way to his disastrous defeat at Culloden in the 1745 Rebellion, then passes through the main settlement of Am Baile and over the causeway that links Eriskay with South Uist. It’s a good place to look for otters particularly if you are passing during a rising tide at dawn or dusk when they are most likely to be seen.
Enjoy riding above the sandy shores between Ludag and Pollachar, which was once the old crossing point to Barra. Once you turn north, you enter a terrain of moorland and lochs with only the hills to the east to break the empty horizon. Then the route heads west through the villages of South Boisdale, North Boisdale and Kilpheder near the fertile machair of the Atlantic coast, with its swathes of wild flowers, white sandy beaches and fresh-water lochans, which are smothered with water lilies in mid-summer.
Map & Directions
- Starting point at the Hebridean Way Structure opposite Vatersay Hall Cafe Pit Stop. 13.6 miles to the ferry at Ardmhor and 36 miles to Daliburgh.
- Follow the road over the Vatersay causeway (this is the first causeway on the route) to Barra.
- You have just completed your first island...another 10 to go!
- Turn left to follow the route along the west coast. Turn right for Castlebay where there are a couple of Pit Stops - Buth Bharraigh and Cafe Kisimul, hotels, shops, cafes, tourist information and toilet facilities available.
- Turn left here for Ardmhor ferry terminal.
- Turn right here to Ardmhor ferry terminal. If you have time to spare, keep going straight on and follow the road for a mile or so and you will come to Barra airport where the plane lands on the beach and there is a cafe to enjoy a cuppa!
- Ardmhor ferry terminal. Toilet and Shower facilities and coffee stop. 40 minute ferry crossing to Eriskay. Look out for birds of prey, porpoises and dolphins. You have now completed 2 islands, 8 to go!
- The ferry terminal building has showers and toilets. Turn left here and follow the road.
- Eriskay community shop Pit Stop and post office to the left
- The route follows the road round the corner to the right. To the left down the hill is the Am Poilitican bar and restaurant.
- Turn left here to the causeway to South Uist.
- Eriskay causeway - great for spotting otters and birds of prey.
- You have just completed island 3, another 7 to go!
- Turn right here
- To the right is Kilbride Hostel, Campsite and Cafe Pit Stop
- Turn right to follow the route. Inn to the left
- Turn left into the village of South Boisdale
- Turn left to follow the route.
- Turn right to follow the route
- Turn left at the junction. The Borrodale Hotel Pit Stop is on the corner, and there is a post office and supermarket in Daliburgh.
- The end of this section. Turn right at the junction for the Lochboisdale Hotel Pit Stop which is less than 3 miles.
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Along This Route
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