TARBERT, OUTER HEBRIDES, SCOTLAND

DISTANCE 18.9KM (11.8 MILES), CLIMBING 790M (2,591FT) TIME 2HRS TO 3HRS

Route summary: This one isn’t long, but there’s plenty of climbing and some challenging switchbacks. Ride the route in a clockwise direction for longer, easier descents, or anticlockwise to make it more challenging. You could even do an out-and-back to Rhenigidale. The directions below are for doing the loop anticlockwise

Ride east from the car park and immediately join the 1

Postman’s Path, climbing on a rocky track. Keep left at the top to descend through the steep switchbacks, down to the beach.

Climb up the other side and continue until you reach

2

a road near Rhenigidale village. Turn left on this. Pass Loch Mor and continue down to Loch Maraig.

3

Cross the bridge and turn left at the junction. Climb, and when the road bears sharply right, go left on a path. Drop back down, cross a footbridge and keep ahead/ right at a fork.

Gradually climb and then descend to join beside

4

Lochannan Lacasdail. Keep right towards the end (a new path on the left goes to the car park, but is really stony and hard to ride). Climb to a passing place/ parking area and turn left, back down over the bridge to the car park.

NOTE: For a shorter, but more intense and challenging ride, try the out-and-back route along the Postman’s Path to Rhenigidale village.

LOCATION

The Outer Hebrides are remote and difficult to get to, but they reward you with some of the UK’s most beautiful and fun trails.

GETTING THERE

Tarbert is at the southern end of Lewis and Harris. You can get a ferry there from Uig on Skye, or catch the boat from Ullapool on the mainland to Stornoway and then drive for an hour (www.calmac.

co.uk). Take the road towards Scalpay for 3km. After the turning to Urgha, there’s parking this side of the loch and a small car park over the bridge.

USEFUL INFO

Ordnance Survey Landranger 14: Tarbert & Loch Seaforth, www.explore-harris.com, www.visitouterhebrides.co.uk.

FACILITIES

There’s nothing on the route, but a shop, tearoom and pubs in Tarbert. For accommodation, try the Isle of Harris Inn (01859 502566), Harris Hotel (01859 502154) or Hotel Hebrides (01859 502364). There are no bike shops.