Cycling the Isle of Skye
8 Days & 7 Nights 4.5 Read 10 reviews- Gain a new perspective on the iconic Isle of Skye from the saddle
- A heady combination of sea and mountain scenery around every corner
- By night enjoy well-earned dinners and sample the local ale
- Why not enjoy visits to Dunvegan Castle or Talisker Distillery?
- Stay in bike friendly, family-run Highland accommodations
What To Expect
Trip Style:
Self Guided | Go at your own pace on an independent holiday.
Activity:
Inn to Inn Cycling, E-Biking | A classic point to point cycling holiday, staying in a different location each night, E-Bikes with electronic motors to assist available to hire on this holiday (subject to availability), to make things easier
This trip is suitable for:
Solo Travellers
As a guide, we would suggest that the minimum age of traveller this holiday would be suitable for is: 15 Years
Ideal if you have an interest in:
- Wildlife
- Coastal & Island
Inspiration:
- Classic
Grade & Terrain
This cycling holiday is graded moderate to strenuous because a couple of the longer days involve plenty of climbing so the trip is slightly more demanding than the relatively modest distances might indicate. Most of the route is on fairly quiet roads, the exception being the section between Broadford and Portree which can be busy in the summer so you should be comfortable cycling on roads and we wouldn’t recommend this trip for families.
Navigation
This route is not waymarked but is easy to follow with access to route notes, detailed maps, and GPS tracks in the Macs Adventure smartphone navigation app. Simply mount your phone / chosen device to your handlebars and follow the tracks for hassle-free navigation. Check out our points of interest along the route and stop in at recommended cafes.
Accommodation Information
One of the highlights of this tour is the high standard of the accommodation. We specifically choose the hotels, inns, guesthouses and B&B’s to ensure that you enjoy every minute of your stay. All offer a warm welcome to cyclists, traditional hospitality and delicious local food. Bike storage is always available and many of our accommodation partners will go out of their way to help cyclists.
Solo Cyclists & Single Rooms
This independent cycling holiday is available to solo cyclists but there is a solo supplement payable to cover the additional baggage transfer and sole occupancy costs.
If you require single rooms in your party we will of course try to accommodate your request, subject to availability but it can be difficult to source over two single rooms in one B&B or guesthouse.
Accommodation Location
We always book accommodation within walking distance of local pubs, shops or restaurants or that offer evening meals. We will try and accommodate you at the locations detailed in the itinerary, but because of limited availability we may have to accommodate you at an alternative location.
Meals
A hearty breakfast is included each morning. Lunch and dinner are not included so you are free to choose from the available options. Most of your accommodations will more than happy to provide a packed lunch on request and this can be booked on arrival. Alternatively, your info pack includes details of local shops and convenient lunch stops on the way. Dinner is available either at your accommodation or nearby pubs and restaurants and your info pack will of course have details.
- 7 Nights in hand-picked 3*-4* star B&B’s, guesthouses or small hotels
- 7 Breakfasts
- Baggage transfers
- Information pack
- Access to route notes, detailed maps, and GPS tracks in the Macs Adventure smartphone navigation app
- 24/7 Emergency telephone support from our office
- Travel to / from Armadale
- Bike hire (standard hybrid)
- Upgrade to a road or e-bike
- Lunches, dinners, snacks & drinks
- Personal equipment
- Travel insurance (required)
- Additional nights along the route
- Bike hire (standard hybrid)
- Upgrade to a road or e-bike
When To Go
This holiday is available from April to October. Spring and autumn can be cold and the weather windy, but the roads are quiet. July and August tend to be the busiest months on the road (with campervans and road trippers) and generally April, May and September are the best weather months in terms of less rain and midges so you may find these are the best months for cycling on Skye.
Weather and Climate
The weather in Scotland is variable all year round, but generally speaking May and September are the driest months. In mid to late October the weather will begin to cool significantly, but with the appropriate clothing and warm gloves these make for pleasant pedalling temperatures. "Summer" temperatures on the island vary between around 10-22 degrees celcius, but even in the height of summer it's best to prepare for all seasons.
Getting to the Start
By Rail & Ferry: North of Fort William but well-connected Skye' easiest to reach from Glasgow if you're not a Scotland local. From Glasgow take the train (6 hours) to Mallaig via Fort William and then the ferry (1 hour) to Armadale. Remeber to pre-book your bike is bringing your own on the Scotrail train. For train and ferry times visit www.calmac.co.uk
By Road: The drive via Mallaig or the Skye bridge is 6 hours from Glasgow. Once you have arrived there's quiet on-street parking in Armadale/Ardvasar.
Baggage Transfer
Your bags will be transferred from your accommodation as per your itinerary and moved onto your next overnight accommodation. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 15 kg per person.
Equipment
Either a road bike, touring bike, or hybrid bike are recommended if you plan to bring your own bike. The entire route is on tarmac. You will need a helmet, cycling clothes, waterproofs and warm clothes as well as casual clothes for the evenings. Your info pack will have a detailed equipment list.
Bike Hire
We can arrange bike hire through our local bike hire partner on the Isle of Skye, who will provide a bike fitting on arrival and drop your bike(s) off at your first night's accommodation. For more detailed information on the high quality bikes our local partner can provide please contact us or let us know in your enquiry. All bikes are equipped with a rear pannier rack, repair kit, pump and lock, and you are welcome to bring your own pedals.
The standard hire bike is a comfortable hybrid, perfect for the terrain on Skye. However, if you are an experienced rider who prefers the riding posture of a road bike this can also be arranged. Alternatively, if you'd like some assistance on those hill climbs we recommend an e-bike. If you're interested in the possibility of hiring an e-bike please give plenty of notice as these are only available in very limited numbers on the island and can be booked up quickly, especially during the summer season.
Please provide us with your height or usual bike frame size and preferred type of bike at the time of booking to assist with speedy booking of your bike hire if required.
Travel Insurance
It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable travel insurance which covers you for the activity and emergency evacuation and hospital care.
Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive Armadale and overnight Day 2 Cycle from Armadale to Broadford 28 miles / 45 km Day 3 Cycle from Broadford to Dunvegan 40 miles / 64 km Day 4 Cycle from Dunvegan to Uig 27 miles / 43 km Day 5 Cycle from Uig to Portree 33 miles / 53 km Day 6 Cycle from Portree to Broadford 42 miles / 68 km Day 7 Cycle from Broadford to Armadale 28 miles / 45 km Day 8 Onward travelBlog Articles
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