Travelling around the islands
by car
The easiest way to
move around the island is by car. Traffic is generally very
light and moves freely. If you arrive by air and are not on a
Flydrive package, you can rent cars from several operators, with
collection at the airport, the ferrry port or delivered to your Cala
hotel.
Lewis
and Harris are, to all intents and purposes,
a single landmass. This landmass is the third largest of the British
Isles, covering an area which is around 80 miles north to south and
averages about 12 to 15 miles across, east to west. The
central areas
are mainly moorland and modestly proportioned mountains, with most
villages and visitor attractions around the coastline.
A
single main road, starting as the A857 and ending as the A859 runs the
entire length of the island, serving connecting roads to most areas.
This main road has recently been the subject of massive
improvement
and now is two lanes wide throughout its length, other than
for a few
miles on quiet stretches between Tarbert and Leverburgh.
Most main and
town roads on the island are two lanes wide, but side roads away from
Stornoway town are usually single lane, with passing places.
By bus
An excellent
network of bus routes, centered on Stornoway, serves just about every
area, with connections by ferry at Leverburgh to the southern islands.
Most buses are run directly by the local council, which
provides a timetable covering both its own routes and those served by
private operators.
By bike
The Isle of Lewis
is a popular destination for cyclists, who will find the generally
gentle gradients of the island to be easily coped with. While
there are no cycle lanes, traffic is light and visibility largely
unhindered by hedges and trees. Although much less prevalent
in summer months, headwinds can occasionally be an annoyance for
cyclists.
By taxi
Taxis and mini-bus
taxis are available for travel to all areas.
Inter island
Caledonian
MacBrayne car ferries serve the Isle of Skye from Tarbert and the
southern isles via Leverburgh. Further connections to the
mainland are available from ferry terminals on the Uists and Barra.
If you are planning a touring holiday with your own car (or
on foot, bus or bicyle), Hebridean Hopscotch offers you an individually
planned package, which includes your ferry and accommodation
arrangements for the complete holiday. Holidays by air, with or without
car hire included, are also available..
More information about inclusive
holidays >>>>
By air, direct
flights from Stornoway to Benbecula are operated by Highland
Airways and onward connections from Benbecula to Barra are
possible via British Airways, although timings
are currently not convenient for some travellers.
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