Hi,

Planning a bikepacking trip doing the Hebridean Way at the start of April this year.

I’m after travel advice and/or gear advice that I might not have considered. Not done a trip this long before so any tips would be most useful.

Where to stop and camp, maybe good youth hostel type places/B&Bs. Food supply stops. How many days would be good to carry for food etc.etc….

I’m intending to travel up by train from either Wolverhampton or Stafford and I’m finding so far planning this seems to be the difficult part. The train then goes to Glasgow and then I understand I need to change to then use Scot rail to go to Oban to then catch the ferry.

Anything you want to offer me on advise would be most grateful

Thanks

Aye if you can get to Oban then you can get a boat to Castlebay on Barra and do the whole lot up to Stornoway, then get the boat across to Ullapool. Island hopper ferry ticket is cheap. 99% sure there is a bike bus from Ullapool back to Inverness. Or you can train it to Malaig from Glasgow, boat to Loch Boisdale and just do the Uists. Ship from Loch Maddy to Uig on Skye - pedal down to Armadale, boat back to Malaig, train back.

In terms of the route, it's all fairly straightforward and very nice if you get the weather. I've done it on a 40mm tyres, 29+ and a fatbike. Plenty of wild camping options along the coastline. Gatliff Trust hostels are a good option and they allow camping outside for a lesser fee. They are located at Howmore on South Uist, Berneray off the top of North Uist and Rhenigidale on Harris. Also other independent hostels - Loch Maddy and Cleit Feora just as you get onto North Uist. Cleit Feora is also an ace campsite. There are a few other campsites dotted around the islands too.

The train to Oban leaves from Glasgow Queen Street not Glasgow Central- they are about ten minutes walk apart through the city centre.

Get you and your bike booked onto the Oban train before you book your ticket to Glasgow as there’s only a few services each day and each train has limited bike space (but it’s meant to have improved)