Dates
We do offer private and bespoke group trips on all our treks and walking holidays. These can start on any date of your choosing, with a minimum of 4 people.
Please contact us with your preferred dates and accommodation, along with your group size.
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View Package PricesSaturday8 May 2027Sunday16 May 2027
Overview
The Outer Hebrides are a special part of the British Isles, encompassing 15 inhabited and over 50 uninhabited islands. Our Hebridean Way trek explores the wet, windswept and rocky landscape, fringed with long sandy beaches and precious machair. It is a place that holds a magic that can’t really be found elsewhere.
The Hebridean Way joins Vatersay in the South with Stornoway, on Lewis, in the North. We take a ‘highlights of’ approach to this trek, selecting the sections we think you will most enjoy. Underfoot can be very challenging with plenty of boggy rough ground to negotiate – this is most certainly a route where waterproof boots and gaiters come into there own. However, the effort to walk through this terrain is more than made up for by the incredible scenery.
The trek includes 7 walking days on the Hebridean Way covering just under 80 miles with a fantastic variety of hill, valley and coastal walking. We will walk along those long stretches of sandy beaches, pass historical sites and visit many of the small villages of the islands. Counter to convention we walk the route North to South, but as with all our treks we have vehicle support allowing us to make changes to our itinerary should the weather dictate.
Highlights of the Hebridean Way
- Visit the fascinating Callanais stones.
- Walk from Lewis to Vatersay through the island chain of the Western Isles.
- Unrivalled views of Luskentyre beach on Harris.
- Picturesque ferry journeys between the isles.
- Walking the sandy coastline of South Uist.
- Summitting Beinn Tangabhal on Barra.
- Wildlife and wildflowers of the machair.
Itinerary
Each day, you will be guided on the Hebridean Way by your qualified and friendly walking guide, and all the logistics of your trek will be managed by your trek manager, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable experience.
We will be with you from the moment you set off in the morning to the moment you arrive at your accommodation in the evening. You will only need to carry your day bag, with essentials to keep you warm, dry, fed, and hydrated for the day. Your main luggage will be transported to your next accommodation for you.
Everything will be taken care of so that you can just enjoy the walking!
Today is the day we will all make our way to the Western Isles to begin our Hebridean Way adventure. We will take the evening ferry from Ullapool to Stornoway. This will give you most of the day to get to Ullapool and meet your guides.
Our arrival in Stornoway will be quite late in the day, but our first day of walking is a short one. We will arrange a time for a group breakfast the following morning when your guides will brief you on the week ahead. (You are welcome to make your own way to Stornoway and meet us there if that works better for you.)
Accommodation in Stornoway
In the morning, we will leave Stornoway in the minibus and head for the Callanais Stones (though slightly off the main route, this is a must-see). We will then travel through Lewis to Scaladale on Harris.
Once on Harris, we will set out on foot through the hills. T. Initially the walking is on wet grassy track, before heading for a higher pass through to Gleann Lacasdall. The track improves as we walk alongside the loch – an excellent spot to listen for the drumming of snipe.
We will meet the van at the road for a quick transfer into Tarbert itself.
Distance: 6.5 miles (11km)
Total ascent: 250m
Time: 3-4 hrs
Accommodation in Tarbert
Beginning just south of Tarbert we will follow the coast on a combination of rough coastal trail, road, and made paths. We will walk the Golden Road to Greosabhaigh and then the coffin road up and over to Seilebost. Time allowing, we will pay a visit to the famous beach of Luskentyre. We will get fantastic views of this tomorrow, from the next section of the trail.
Distance: 13.5 miles/22km
Total ascent: 500m
Time: 6-7hrs
Accommodation in Tarbert
Today begins with some really tricky walking. We ascend a steep, boggy, and rocky slope, following the way markers as best we can to gain height. It will be slow going but once we reach our high point the views are nothing short of sensational. You will soon forget the curses you uttered on ascent!
From here, our route continues over rough and boggy terrain, some of the most demanding on the trek, but the views continue to make up for this. A raised bank somewhat aids in raising the path out of the wet as we approach Scarista. We will descend to the beach and conclude our day with a stroll along the white sands.
Distance: 7 miles (11 km)
Total ascent: 420m
Time: 5-6 hours
Accommodation in Leverburgh/Tarbert
Today we take the morning ferry across the Sound of Harris to Berneray, a crossing that takes one hour. We will break our walking into two sections.
Firstly, and although not on the official Hebridean Way, the chance to explore Berneray is not to be missed. We will walk almost all the way around the island, taking in its heights, beaches, and an interesting memorial. After a short transfer across the causeway to North Uist, we will re-join the Hebridean Way for a hike over Beinn Mhor. This hill, just under 200m in height, offers an excellent viewpoint.
We will descend to pick our way through the lochans, both freshwater and tidal, by the complex east coast of the island. Our walking will conclude where we meet the road before a transfer to your accommodation.
Distance: 8.5 miles (14 km)
Total ascent: 304m
Time: 4.5-5.5hrs
Accommodation on North Uist
Again, we will split this day into two. We will start at Langais woodland, which is full of local, ancient, and modern history. After taking it all in, we will arrive at a pottery.
From here we will be transferred to Benbecula via Grimsay and two causeways. We will begin walking again with an ascent of Ruabhal. Not exactly mighty at 124m, but it offers a wonderful viewpoint and a good place to spot soaring White Tailed Eagles. We will then descend and head for the west coast of the island. A combination of tracks, road, and beaches will take us to our finish in Liniclate.
Distance: 13.5 miles (21.5 km)
Total ascent: 250m
Time: 7.5-8.5hrs
Accommodation on South Uist
Today is the longest in terms of distance, but the going is generally good. Starting from the RSPB reserve at Loch Druidibeag, we will head for the coast in the shadow of the South Uist mountains.
We will then follow the sands south for 13 km before cutting inland at the fascinating Cladh Hallan, a Neolithic burial site. From here, it is a short walk into Daliburgh for a good rest.
Distance: 16.5 miles (27 km)
Total ascent: 115m
Time: 6-7hrs
Accommodation on North Uist
The further south we go the more broken the island chain becomes. After catching the morning ferry from Eriskay to Barra we will embark on our final leg of this trek.
Climbing away from Tràigh Mhòr, the famous Barra airport, we may be lucky enough to catch a view of a plane landing on the sands. The first of our three hill passes takes us past an impressive boulder overlooking Bagh a Tuath and then down to Loch an Duin on a boggy trail. We get a short respite from the wetness on a good track before heading for a bealach in the hills to the west.
Good track is regained on the far side as we walk through Borve to Tangasdale. We then ascend Beinn Tangabhal, where we will get a reminder that although our walk is almost over, the spectacular views aren’t finished yet! A steep descent to the road completes the difficulties. The remainder of the Hebridean Way is on road (around 6 km and optional) to finish on the beautiful beaches of Vatersay.
Distance: 13 miles (21.5 km)
Total ascent: 745m
Time: 7.5-8.5hrs
Accommodation in Castlebay
This is the end of our trek and a chance to say our farewells. For most, including our guides, this will mean an early morning ferry from Castlebay (Barra) to Oban (ticket included in your package).
However, you may wish to stay a bit longer on these islands, that have a reputation for stealing hearts…
What's Included?
The cost includes
- 8 nights accommodation (breakfast included)
- 7 days guided walking
- Qualified UK Mountain Leader as your guide
- All connecting ferry tickets from Ullapool through to Oban
- Luggage transfers
- Support vehicle
- Full Information Pack
- Training advice
- Maximum group size of 8
Not included in our packages
- Lunches, snacks and dinners
- Transport to Ullapool at the start of the trek
- Transport from Oban at the end of the trek
Accommodation Options
Hotels, B&B and Self-Catering
Due to the nature of the isles, the accommodation on this trek is varied. We will make use of small B&Bs, local hotels, and even some self-catering type accommodations. All are of a good standard and each will be different to the last.
Due to the limitations on accommodation availability, we can’t offer a single occupancy rooms on this trek. The likelihood is you will be sharing a twin room with another member of our group.
FAQs
General
This trek is graded 4/5 on our trekking scale.
A more challenging trek usually due to longer days, lots of hills and/or pathless sections over rough ground. Treks of this grade will include more remote days/stages.
Although the daily mileage is relatively low for a trek of this grade, it is the terrain which gives the Highlights of the Hebridean Way its grade. The route includes rough boggy pathless walking, sections of sandy and stony beaches, and there will be some challenging longer hillier days.
To help you decide if this trip is right for you, please also refer to the itinerary, which includes daily distances, ascent, and detailed descriptions of the terrain.
You can read more about our grading system in our Trip Difficulty Guide.
Please note: all long-distance walking is challenging, particularly if you are not used to walking/exercising on consecutive days. What makes a trek challenging is personal and depends on your fitness, strengths, and preferences.
Our highlights of the Hebridean Way mean you can expect to be walking through some wonderful landscapes. Underfoot is everything from pathless boggy terrain to road walking. We have taken out many miles of road walking as we know this isn’t always the most rewarding.
You can also expect to a trek that has a far away feel. With the ferry taking us from the mainland to the Western Isles it really does feel like an adventure.
You expect to find ancient history, the machair, long sandy beaches, and a walk trek is like no other.
This is the perfect trek for a determined walker looking for a away to explore the Outer Hebrides on foot. As we don't walk every mile of this route it isn't perhaps the choice of those who like to tick off or complete routes. This 'highlights of' approach is aimed at those who walk for enjoyment and enjoy the challenge that brings.
If you would like to have a chat about your suitability for this trek just give us a call!
We use accommodation in Stornoway, Tarbert, Lochmaddy, Daliburgh and Castlebay. We will need to drive to access the trail most days, and we will also catch ferries between some of the islands. This may mean an early start and a take-away breakfast.
Stornoway - This is the main town on Lewis. We will arrive late in the evening off the ferry from Ullapool and spend just one night here. As our first day will be a Sunday most shops will be shut. Our hotel will have packed lunch options for our first day.
Tarbert - The main village on Lewis will be our base for 3 nights. There are a couple of small shops and places to eat in the evenings.
Lochmaddy - A small village where we will make a one night stop. You will be able to eat at your accommodation.
Daliburgh - Another small village, this time on South Uist. It benefits from a small supermarket and you will have access to both self-catering facilities and the local pub for evening meals.
Castlebay - Our final stop is on Barra. We will have a celebration meal here, but will need to make an early morning departure on the ferry to Oban.
You will be provided with a full kit list, but as a guide you will need:
A small rucksack (around 25 litres), walking boots, waterproof trousers, waterproof jacket, hat, gloves, a spare fleece and walking trousers (not jeans or denim), a water bottle, a camera, sun cream, sun glasses and a sun hat.
With Thistle Trekking you get a personal service. We are happy to answer any questions and queries and help where we can with all aspects of your trip.
Your point of contact will be the same person from the first enquiry to the final communication before your Hebridean Way trek.
Our guides are all qualified, experienced, and fun companions on the trail.
Dates
We do offer private and bespoke group trips on all our treks and walking holidays. These can start on any date of your choosing, with a minimum of 4 people.
Please contact us with your preferred dates and accommodation, along with your group size.
-
View Package PricesSaturday8 May 2027Sunday16 May 2027
