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Hi
I'm planning on cycling the Hebridean Way in June and wondered if anyone has taken their bike onto any of the ferries. I'm a bit paranoid about turning up for the ferry and not getting my bike on. Is there lots of room for bikes on them?
I've looked up Caledonian MacBrayne's website and they don't seem to have a bike booking option.
Thanks
You don't need to book. There will almost certainly be space for your bike.
Last year I went from Barra, through the Uists, then over to Harris and finally Stornoway to Ullapool. Quite a few bikes on the small island ferries (less on the main crossing), but the staff are friendly and helpful. You just tie the bikes up against a railing. There is rope attached in various places for this purpose.
It's an awesome place to cycle, you will love it!
My experience has been choosing the wrong day to attempt the Five Ferries route. We were just two, but were refused passage, offered the slim chance of getting the next ferry (too late for the full route, and CalMac didn't know if the next ferry even had bike spaces!) and the possibility of not getting the ferry back (sorry, we can't guarantee that you'll get a bike space off the island, no we don't know how many will be available, and no, they can't be booked).
If we'd just strapped the bikes to that well known bike accessory, we'd have been able to book space...
Given the lack of the ability to book bicycle spaces, my attempt at the Hebridean Way with the family included me booking a car, then cancelling the car (for free) when it became clear that all of the family could get their bikes on the ferry!
For a single traveller, able to take the next ferry with ease, it won't be an issue, but if you're travelling as a group, or have to make a particular ferry it's a nightmare...
One solution is to turn up very very early (first come, first served), but if you've reliant on public transport connections that may not be possible.
Another would be to sweet talk a driver to let you throw the bike in their vehicle and walk on as a foot passenger.
Robert
I've done quite a bit of ferry hopping and it never occurred to me that getting a cycle on a ferry would be any problem. Nor has it been, whether on the large or the small boats. Also one of the nicest cycling trips you can do - eg the Ardrossan-Lochranza-Islay-Jura hop.
Cycled the Hebridean Way with my son back in July 2017 and had no issues with ferries. Staff really helpful and we just turned up and there was always space for our bikes. We found this book on Amazon and it really useful.
Cycling the Hebridean Way – 13 Nov 2017
by The Offcomers (Author), Janet Moss (Contributor), Pete Martin (Contributor)
Its a brilliant place to cycle
We (me, mr fimm and friend of mr fimm) did the Five Ferries a few years ago. We didn't have any problems - even on the Ardrossan - Brodick ferry which was the first sailing on a Saturday and was full of cars and loads of bikes and all sorts. Once off that ferry we had no problems whatsoever on any of the others (apart from quite reasonably being asked to move them when we put them in front of an emergency exit!).
Never any problems with bikes on any calmac, even with 40+ bikes (one big group and assorted randoms) on the ferry to Tiree last year. More bikes than people -- due to a vehicle with a bike trailer -- on the Portvadie->Tarbert service a couple of years ago.
I guess Roibeard managed to anger the ferry gods. Pour a libation of weak instant coffee from a polystyrene cup to mollify them(*).
(*) The fact that Calmac now serves coffee that is actually nice does not negate this advice. The ferry gods are very traditional...
Arran is the one calmC crossing that can be full.
I know of a cycling club that ensured safe crossing by booking two car spaces for all their bikes
When we did the five ferries, there was a cycling event on in Arran and that had meant some congestion on the ferries the day before, but I don't think anyone's bike got left behind. Maybe worth checking what's on in the various islands before planning your trip, otherwise it should be fine. Certainly, compared with the high stakes nightmare that is getting your bike on a train, using the Calmac ferries felt like an absolute breeze
Thanks for the replies everyone I'm now thinking I'll be fine.
D-el - my wife bought me that book a few weeks back, it really is a good guide.
I was in the Hebrides last year and being there and watching the cycling Britain programme made my mind up for me.
wishicouldgof
Only thing I would add, from our experience, is that despite what the book says virtually everything is shut on a Sunday.
Speaking with Calmac at various meetings & conferences, they do note problems may occur on popular routes, & this might be exacerbated when the enhanced train capacity rolls up.(plus the fall-back of 976 Glasgow-Oban Citylink coach when the train is fully booked). I think Back on my bike has been discussing this with Calmac for CyclingUK Scotland.
The first ex-GWR Class 153 is now with Brodies in Kilmarnock & work is I believe started.
Further knock-on consequences here might be increased demand on the Kyle Line, and 915 (Uig-Glasgow) or 961 (Ullapool-Inverness) with a need to 'spread' demand over a few trains (& coaches) between Inverness & Central Scotland.
Fortunately I gather that Scottish Citylink are moving to improve their 'offer' in cycle carriage on some routes this summer*. Meanwhile at least one CCE forumite seems to be using the 900 Glasgow-Edinburgh express coach service with a non folding bike.
*I'm keen to get some dialogue between cycling holiday operators and the train, coach, & ferry operators, to make good use of the improved capacity on the train, and bigger coaches on Ullapool-Inverness, plus a return of a coach service crossing Crieff-Crianlarich replacing the old summer-only Stirling-Crianlarich route, after a long absence to connect to NCN7 at Glenogle/Lochearnhead.
Tulyar - I am going last week of June so don't think the new capacity trains will be in by then!
D-el - I know regarding Sundays, ironically I had originally planned my trip to start on a Sun and after booking all my accommodation discovered I couldn't make it due to train times between Edinburgh & Glasgow! To get round this I'm travelling on the Sat and will spend 2 nights in Barra. In Oct (in the car) we had to leave Barra early because of a storm coming in so now I can explore the bits we missed on the Sun. :)
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