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+44 (0)1506 635399 info@hookedoncycling.co.uk

Scottish Island Hopping by Bike

(9 Reviews)
Price
From£1,319
Price
From£1,319
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5368
  • Duration: 6 or 7 Nights
  • Difficulty: Level 2
  • Tour Type: Self Guided
  • Availability: Departure on a Saturday or Sunday (7 nights) or daily (6 nights Except Mondays) April – October
  • Location: Ardrossan then transfer by ferry to Arran

Scottish Island Hopping

Tour Details

Experience the Scottish Isles on our Scottish Island Hopping cycling holiday.  This self-guided biking vacation takes you by bike around the Isles of Arran, Jura, Islay and Colonsay (7-night trip only). Explore on this biking tour the whisky distilleries on Islay and the unique Island culture and hospitality which only the Islanders can provide. This Scottish  Island Hopping cycle tour is ideal for couples as well as a family holiday.

You will experience fabulous quiet country lanes, remote coastal scenes, fabulous long sandy beaches (on Islay), historic landmarks such as Brodick castle.  Many restaurants, particularly on Islay, will hunt the local produce, venison, pork, beef, lamb and fish are all in abundance. This is a self-guided cycling holiday in Scotland like no other. Visit the distilleries such as Ardbeg, Bowmore,  Bruichladdich, Laphroaig, Caolila to name but a few.

Starting Location

Ardrossan then transfer by ferry to Arran

Price Includes

  • 6 or 7 Nights Bed and Breakfast
  • 3/4 star Hotels or Guest Houses
  • Information Pack
  • Navigation by Smart Phone App.
  • Luggage Transfers (carry own luggage onto ferries)
  • GPS Files on request

Price Excludes

  • Transport before and after tour
  • Travel Insurance
  • Single Rooms
  • Flights
  • Ferry Fares
  • Hybrid Rental Bike
  • Road Bike Rental Bike
  • E-Bike Rental Bike
  • Extra Nights
  • Upgrade (7 nights – 3 nights 5 star, 6 nights 2 nights 5 star)
Trip Info

Bike Rental

We believe we have the best rental bikes available in this region. They are 24/27 speed Scott hybrids, Scott E-bikes, and Scott racing bikes.

Travel Insurance

It is a requirement of booking this tour with Hooked on Cycling that you have suitable travel insurance which covers you for the chosen activity and for emergency evacuation and hospital care.

Itinerary

Day 1Arrival on a Saturdays (7 nights) and daily (6 nights – not on Monday or Fridays)

Arrive in Ardrossan and pick up your rental bikes just before 5.30pm. Then take the 6 pm by ferry to the Isle of Arran. The ferry journey takes just under the hour. Your accommodation shall be a short walk from the harbour. Now you can start to enjoy Island life.

Day 2Brodick South Island Loop 34 miles (54 km)

The Isle of Arran has it all, mountains, coastal cliffs, rolling and flat roads, that’s why many people say that Arran is a Scotland in miniature. Before setting off on today’s cycle ride why not visit the 13th century Brodick Castle and gardens or the Arran brewery. Today you cycle around the southern half of the Island. The road south provides you with ever-changing views. Small villages intermix with spectacular coastal scenes.

Lamlash provides the link to Holy Isle, where a ferry can be caught to the monastery still occupied by Buddist monks. The Isle has had a spiritual heritage since the 6th century.  Return to Arran and continue your ride clockwise before you head back across the ‘String’ the link road across the centre of the island. This day is hillier than other days and does involve some short steep climbs.

Day 3Brodick – Lochranza – Cloanaig – Kennocraig -Isle of Islay 20-23 miles (32-37 km)

A day to cycle and relax on ferries. You cycle north, firstly on a flat section of five miles before climbing over to Lochranza. If you have time visit the ruined castle and then catch the ferry to Cloanaig (carry own luggage onto the ferry). Then it is back on your bike for the short ride across the Kintyre peninsula to catch your second ferry from Kennacraig to Port Askaig on Island of Islay (carry own luggage onto the ferry). This two-hour ferry crossing passing some stunning coastal scenes. The fast flowing  Sound of Islay, the waterway between Islay and Jura is a great habitat for whales and dolphins. Once on Islay we normally stay in Ballygrant a few miles inland.

Day 4Day trip to Isle of Jura various up to 50 miles (up to 80 km).

Today a short ferry crossing to the Island of Jura. On Jura navigation is easy, there is only 1 road. The Island of Jura is populated by some 5000 deer and 250 people. Jura House can be visited with some wonderful walled gardens and exotic plants. The road east gradually gets smaller and smaller until eventually turning into a footpath. Here you will feel you have reached nowhere and the solitude will be something you will remember forever.

You might start to hear the noise of the Corryvreckan whirlpool a very dangerous effect where three tidal waters meet and create a whirlpool. For a short additional trip visit Finlaggan near Ballygrant on your return to Islay, the home of the ancient seat of the Lord of the Isle’s, the rulers of the Western Isles once the Vikings had been removed.

Day 5Day trip to Isle of Colonsay 20 miles 32km (Wednesday’s – 7 night tour only)

Catch the ferry at Port Askaig to Colonsay in the morning. Colonsay being 10 miles long will allow you to explore most of the Island. Cycle to Ornasay across the tidal causeway to visit the ancient priory. The north section of Colonsay has some of the finest beaches in the Western Isles. Catch the evening ferry back to Islay.

Day 5/6 Port Askaig to Port Ellen / Bowmore surroundings 36-43 miles ( 57-68 km )

Today you will explore by bike the north-west of Islay, known as the Rinns of Islay before cycling to the south of the Island. Today you will pass the Bruichladdich distillery before arriving in Port Charlotte. Then to the north coast where you shall find Kilchoman distillery just before a wonderful sandy beach, ideal for a picnic, pass the wildlife centre, rural life museum or RSPB centre then cycle the quiet lanes south to either Port Ellen or Bowmore.

Day 6/7Isle of Islay south coast 22-34 miles (35-54km).

Today there are a few options, for whisky lovers, heaven has arrived in Laphroaig, Lagavulin and Ardbeg. If you are staying in Bowmore first you cycle to Port Ellen or you may decide to stay in Bowmore and visit the distillery which has been refining whisky for over 240 years. For those wanting to cycle further, the coastal road to Claggain Bay passing Kildalton cross is totally stunning or if you are into Golf then just outside Port Ellen is Islay’s only Golf course. The whisky tour in Ardbeg is extremely interesting, you shall not only find out about how whisky is made but also the fascinating history of whisky production on the Island.

Day 7/8Departure Bowmore / Port Ellen to Arran. 23-30 miles 37-49km

After breakfast, you will take the 9.45 am ferry (or 12:45 on Wednesdays, Fridays and Mondays) from Port Ellen to Kennacraig (carry your own luggage onto the ferry). If you stayed in Bowmore you shall first have the cycle ride to Port Ellen. Once in Kennacraig, it’s back on your bike to cycle across the Kintyre peninsula to Cloanaig. Then it is back on the ferry to the Island of Arran (carry your own luggage onto the ferry) and your last cycle ride to Brodick this time along the not yet explored north-west coastline, where you shall catch the ferry around 19:20 back to Ardrossan where you shall hand back you bikes just around 8.15 pm. From Ardrossan, there is a train service which leaves after each ferry arrival back to Glasgow

Map

How to get there

By air, train, bus to Glasgow or by air to Prestwick and then by train to Ardrossan. By car to Ardrossan where parking is available.

Book Now

2025 Prices – For a complete tour price breakdown please click the book now button and select your holiday tour date. Prices will then be listed.

 Tour Code Prices From (per person) Book Now
AR01-WI Independent
Standard (6 Nights)
 from £1319 Book Now
AR01-WI Independent
Standard (7 Nights)
 from £1399 Book Now
AR01-WI Independent
Upgrade (6 Nights)
from £1979 Book Now
AR01-WI Independent
Upgrade (7 Nights)
from £2099 Book Now

NOTE: Ferry plus bike fares will be approx £46 and £39 for the 6-night tour (2023 fares).

Tour Images
Beach on Islay
YouTube video
YouTube video
9 Reviews
Sort By:RatingDate

Charlotte Gierath, Switzerland

Couple Traveller

We loved the cycle tour and the weather was superb. The food at the Ballygrant Inn is excellent.  Hunters on Arran and Glenmachrie were exceptional. During our holiday there were some disruptions with the ferries (one ferry broke down, and change in ferry schedules).  The luggage transport worked out well.
For us the day trip on Islay is too long, so we spread it over 2 days after the ferry to Colonsay was completely cancelled at short notice.

October 2, 2022

Tamsyn Cowden, UK

Group Traveller

Very much appreciated having the bigger panniers so we didn’t have to use the luggage transfers. Would recommend this as an option to reduce carbon emissions for others as well. More emphasis on the electric bike battery info would have been useful, in particular the importance of the reset button.

Disappointed there was strict adherence to the cancellation procedure with no flexibility at all even though it was several weeks before our departure date when we had to cancel one of our group. Overall really loved the holiday! Thank you.

June 30, 2022

Shanna Donhauser, UK

Couple Traveller

Enjoyed the holiday. Glen Machrie had a wonderful breakfast. With COVID, I think it’s also helpful to remind people to book in advance the tastings and restaurants that they’d like to visit

July 16, 2021

Ann Walls, USA 

Couple Traveller

We had a fabulous cycling holiday and found most of the important factors to our liking as rated above.

September 2, 2019

Jan Willheim, Switzerland 

Family Traveller

Now we returned from our fantastic holidays of three weeks in your country Scotland. Unfortunately, we just could see us a very short time at the Ardrossan Harbour to take over and give back the e-bikes. To Jon’s information, we got the train to Glasgow in the last second after giving back the bikes. In the hurry, I forgot also to say that the announcement, that we would catch the 6 o’clock ferry was not true as it didn’t go due to another use of the respective ferry on another island (we would have been in time to catch the ferry). I hope we gave back all the objects regarding the bikes, anyway, we haven’t found anything in our luggage.

All of the organisation was perfect and we could enjoy our tour. We are really happy to have chosen an e-Bike tour as it was a complete new experience for our family and you get a complete new approach to the environment and people. You get easier in contact with the persons, you discuss about your great experience with your e-Bike and you get a much closer and intense touch with the environment: you can smell flowers, plants, rain, sea etc. All things which you normally not get when you are travelling with car. The e-Bike was also the right choose because with electrical support you can beat much better wind, rain and steep climbs, especially when you are not much trained, and the diversity fitness condition inside the family is so reduced. The e-Bikes were all in good condition, we never had a problem and the batteries were never down to “zero”, even at day 5 where we made about 44 miles, most of the time against rain and wind. The card material was also very good, so we never got lost.

So we are now proud to have made 200 miles in six days on the bike tour. In deviation to your tour proposal due to considerations from people and our own decisions we made a shorter tour on day 2 in the southern part of Arran and on day 5 we went from Bridgend to make the circle down at Portnahaven (where we saw for the first time some seals in Scotland) and left out the finns of Islay. The details of our tour you can find in the enclosure.

Another compliment regarding the choose of the night accommodations: Hunter Guesthouse, Stonefield B&B and Glenmachrie were all very nice and the landlords/landladies were all very helpful and cordial. We appreciated them a lot and we have to mention especially Rachel from Glenmachrie: We never ate so much at breakfast and learned to eat the porridge in the best way (with whisky obviously!).

Conclusion:
Thanks a lot to you and your team to have made possible an unforgettable holiday week to us.

July 21, 2019
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