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Stage 2 of 5 · Hebridean Way← Stage 1Stage 3 →

Balallan to Strond

72 km road cycling route557 m climbing5 h 09 minGPX

Balallan, Western Isles, United Kingdom · Road

A rolling 72 km road cycling route from Balallan, Western Isles to Strond through Arivruach, Bowglass and Ardhasaig, with 557 m of climbing. Most of it (61.4 km) is on main roads without a cycle lane, 57.8 km where the limit is 80 km/h or more. The first 30 km has no café, shop or water.

Signed route The waymarked Hebridean Way (regional route HW), traced from OpenStreetMap and measured against the terrain model; no member has recorded it yet. Stage 2 of 5 of the Hebridean Way. Ridden it? Add your recording and photos.

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At a glance

Best for
Rolling day rides for confident riders at ease in traffic
Distance
72.1 km
Point to point
Elevation gain
557 m
8 m per km
Riding time
5 h 09 min
moving time, estimated
Difficulty
Moderate
Bike
Road bike
from the mapped surface
Surface
Paved
92% paved · 2% unpaved · 6% no data
Traffic
Mostly main roads
61.4 km on main roads without a cycle lane · 57.8 km where the limit is 80 km/h or more
Food & water
Longest gap 30 km
10 cafés and restaurants · 6 shops · 1 water point · 3 petrol stations · 3 public toilets · 1 bike shop
Navigation
GPX download
free, no sign-in
Start → finish
Balallan → Strond

Map and elevation profile

Small Lochs on Harris
Photo: Lobster1 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Elevation profile

Total ascent
557 m
Distance
72 km
050100150200250m0 km20406072 km194 m · highest, at 19.8 kmStartFinish

Route description

  1. Balallan
  2. Arivruachkm 6
  3. Bowglasskm 15
  4. Ardhasaigkm 30
  5. Taobh Siarkm 33
  6. Kendibigkm 36
  7. Horgabostkm 52
  8. Borvekm 55
  9. Northtonkm 62
  10. Strondkm 72

Starting in Balallan, the route heads north passing through Arivruach, Aline, Bowglass, and Ardvourlie before reaching Ardhasaig at 30 km. The ride follows mostly paved roads, with 86% on main roads including the A859 for 61 km. After Ardhasaig, the ride climbs 163 m over 2.8 km starting near 16.6 km. A bike rental is located around 16.4 km.

Continuing beyond Ardhasaig, the route passes places like Tarbert at 34.4 km and Seilebost at 49.6 km. Two more short climbs add 57 m and 50 m respectively after 36 km. There is a 30 km stretch without cafés, shops, or water in the first half, but amenities include shops and cafés near Tarbert and fuel stations at Ardhasaig and Leverburgh. The descent from 26.2 km over 3.3 km drops 155 m.

The final section leads through Scarista, Northton, and finishes at Leverburgh after 72 km. The surfaces are mostly paved, with 2% gravel and unmapped sections. Some stretches are on roads with 80 km/h speed limits and all main roads lack cycle lanes. Toilets are available at several points along the route.

Highlights

  • Climb of 163 m over 2.8 km from 16.6 km
  • Longest descent of 155 m over 3.3 km from 26.2 km
  • Riding on A859 for 61 km
  • Peaks near the route including Clett Ard at 328 m and Tarsaval at 376 m

Along the route

Measured from the route line, the Copernicus elevation model and OpenStreetMap.

Places passed

  1. Arivruach 5.8 km
  2. Aline 14 km
  3. Bowglass 15.3 km
  4. Ardvourlie 16 km
  5. Ardhasaig 30.2 km
  6. Leachkin 32 km
  7. Taobh Siar 33.1 km
  8. Tarbert 34.4 km
  9. Kendibig 36.3 km
  10. Seilebost 49.6 km
  11. Horgabost 51.8 km
  12. Pàirc Niseaboist 53 km
  13. Borve 55.2 km
  14. Scarista 58.3 km
  15. Northton 61.7 km
  16. Leverburgh 66 km

Climbs

Climbs in ride order: where each starts, what this ride climbs, and the full named ascent
ClimbStarts atOn this rideTop on this ride
Unnamed climb16.6 km2.8 km · 163 m · 5.8 % · max 7.6 %192 m
Unnamed climb36.2 km1.9 km · 57 m · 3 % · max 6.6 %81 m
Unnamed climb38.9 km2.1 km · 50 m · 2.4 % · max 3.7 %132 m

High point 194 m at 19.7 km; low point 0 m. Passes beneath Cleit nan Cnocan Fraoich, Griamacleit, Clett Ard.

Traffic, surface and gradient

Measured from OpenStreetMap along the track and the elevation profile.

This is not a cycle-track route: 85% is on main roads without a cycle lane, 57.8 km of it where the limit is 80 km/h or more. Riders should be comfortable sharing the road with faster traffic.

Roads
86% main road · 4% quiet street · 3% minor road · 1% track · 1% other roads and tracks · 5% unmapped
Main roads
61.4 km on main roads without a cycle lane — likely busier
Fast roads
57.8 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more
Main roads used
A859 (61 km)
Surface
Paved: 92% of the route is mapped as paved, 2% as unpaved and 6% has no surface data.
Gradient
16% climbing · 20% descending · 64% flat
Steep sections
2.7 km over 5% · steepest 500 m averages 7.3% at 18.7 km
Longest descent
3.3 km from 26.2 km, dropping 155 m

Food, water and services

Within a few hundred metres of the track, from OpenStreetMap. Opening hours change — treat this as where to look, not a promise.

The longest stretch without a café, shop or water is 30 km, from the start. Along the route: 10 cafés and restaurants, 6 shops, 1 water point, 3 petrol stations, 3 public toilets and 1 bike shop.

Food, water and shops in ride order

  1. 0 kmOld School Tearoom · café · 50 m off route
  2. 0 kmDrinking water · on the route
  3. 9.6 kmToilet · toilets · 80 m off route
  4. 16.4 kmBike rental · 70 m off route
  5. 30.2 kmArdhasaig Filling Station · petrol station · on the route
  6. 30.7 kmHebscape · café · 50 m off route
  7. 34.4 kmAkram General Store · convenience store · 190 m off route
  8. 52.1 kmToilets · 210 m off route
  9. 61.7 kmCroft 36 · fast food · 350 m off route
  10. 66.2 kmHarris Community Shop · supermarket · 50 m off route
  11. 66.2 kmAn Clachan Filling Station · petrol station · on the route
  12. 67.6 kmThe Butty Bus · café · on the route
  13. 67.7 kmToilets · on the route

Need to bail out?

  • 34.5 km — Tarbert Ferry Terminal (ferry), 210 m off route
  • 67.7 km — Leverburgh Ferry Terminal (ferry), on the route

Whether bikes are carried depends on the service — check before relying on it.

Worth a stop

  • 2.9 km — Pairc Deer Raid Monument (monument)
  • 56.5 km — Standing Stone (archaeological site)

Stay after this ride

  • Ben View Bed and Breakfast · guest house · 3.7 km from the finish
  • Lingay House · guest house · 3.8 km from the finish
  • Leverburgh Loft holiday rental · apartment · 3.9 km from the finish
  • Carminish Guest House · guest house · 2.8 km from the finish
  • Rodel Valley Log Cabins · apartment · 3.3 km from the finish

Start and access

Starts at Balallan. Mapped within a short walk of the start and finish, from OpenStreetMap.

At the start

Food and coffee
Old School Tearoom (50 m)

Know before you go

  • 30 km stretch with no café, shop, or water at start
  • 61 km on main roads without cycle lanes
  • 57.8 km on roads with 80 km/h+ speed limits
  • Gravel or unpaved sections for 2% of route

Routes are for inspiration. Roads, surfaces and conditions change — check locally and ride within your limits.

2 photographs from the road

Photo: Lobster1 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Photo: Ian S · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Stage of

About this route

Route line
Traced from the waymarked route’s relation in OpenStreetMap.
Elevation
Recalculated from the Copernicus GLO-90 terrain model every 50 m, not the device’s barometer.
Roads, surface, services
Measured along the line from OpenStreetMap extracts.
Best months
Ten years of ERA5 weather for Balallan (Open-Meteo).
GPX
Generated from the route line: track points only, no timestamps or personal data.
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Page last updated

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