Cycling the Hebridean Way island by island
Vatersay (Bhatarsaigh)
Our cycling holiday of the Hebridean Way begins on Vatersay, the southernmost inhabited island of the Outer Hebrides. The island is linked to Barra by a 150-metre causeway built in 1991. Cycling 5 miles from our accommodation in Castlebay on Barra to the beach at the start of the Hebridean Way. An isthmus links the northern and southern landmasses of Vatersay and provides a beautiful start to our Hebridean two-wheeled adventure. The beaches on either side of this narrow stretch of land are called Traigh a Bhaigh and Traigh Shiar, which translate to east and west beaches.
We recommend packing your swimming kit into your day bag and dropping it in our support van. The temptation to take a dip in the aquamarine-coloured waters at Traigh a Bhaigh may be too much to resist.
Cycling the Hebridean Way – the route
The Hebridean Way cycle route is marked by a distinctive marker post which stands on the machair and dunes, just opposite the Vatersay Hall café. This is a great spot to get a group photo before we begin our journey northwards. After 2.5 miles (4 km) of following the eastern coast of Vatersay, we cross the causeway onto Barra and start climbing up towards the Barra War Memorial. It may only be 500 metres in length, but it’s a steep start with the maximum gradient hitting 12%. From the summit, we roll back down to Castlebay.
Points of interest on Vatersay
Annie Jane Disaster
Overlooking Traigh Shiar, and visible from the Hebridean Way start point is a monument commemorating the tragedy of the sailing ship ‘Annie Jane’. This emigrant ship left Liverpool on the 9th of September 1853 on a voyage to Quebec with over 450 passengers from all over the British Isles and Ireland, as well as Switzerland, Holland, and North America. Three days into the journey the ship lost its mast in a storm but, against the wishes of the passengers, the crew attempted to carry on. Sailing onwards, the ship faced several more storms and was eventually wrecked off the coast of Vatersay. Over 350 people who lost their lives were interred in two mass graves somewhere in the dunes of the island. Sadly, the location of these graves is unknown and the monument is the only indication that the tragedy ever happened.
The Catalina flying boat
Half a mile from the Hebridean Way start point along the coastal edge of the island, you will notice a monument on your right-hand side. Beside this monument are remnants of a wing section and other wreckage of the Catalina JX273 flying boat.
The Catalina was a flying boat, out on a training exercise from Oban on the 12th of May 1944. The nine crew members found themselves off-course and, as they tried to get back on course and gain altitude, they crashed into the 172 m high slopes of Theiseabhal Beag on Vatersay.
Sadly three of the nine crew died in the crash.
The recovery team dragged part of the wreckage down to the memorial site.
Read more about Skinny Tyres at Visit Outer Hebrides