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kerrera cycling routes

Whether hiring e-bikes on the island, or bringing your own trusty steed, here are our top 3 routes to explore the Island.

The northern loop

A quick hour (or less if your super speedy!). Leave Kerrera Marina through the south gate and follow the track through Ardentrive and continue along the new road down to the middle ferry.

Then follow the track up the hill past Balliemore farm shop (it’s bright blue so you can’t miss it and we sell the best ice cream ever – just saying!).

Keep on up the hill and then bear right and right again (don’t go down the very steep hill to the farm at the bottom, you will just have to come all the way back up the hill again!).

It gets a bit bumpy – ok very bumpy – now! Follow the track which will sometimes turn into 2 ruts in a grassy field but trust it and eventually you will end up on a very rocky track next to the sea. Follow it and it will lead you back to our posh new road and back to ardentrive farm and then the marina.

The Kerrera 8

A good few hours especially when you add in the essential ice cream and cake stops.

Speed demons could probably be done in a couple of hours. Leave Kerrera Marina through the south gate, follow the track to Ardentrive and then down to the middle ferry. Keep following the track up to Balliemore Farm (emergency ice cream time!), then carry on up the hill (hence the emergency).

Once up the hill, follow the track through the gate and follow it all the way to the southern tip of the Island. you will come to a wee white house at the bottom of a very steep hill. The track gets a bit vague and a bit muddy here but take the one that leads up past the back door and trust it. Depending on the recent weather, it will either be pedal-able or pushable.

There is one section to look out for, where the path goes down a steep hill over grown with gorse bushes. This can be pretty tricky so best to have a wee look before you launch yourself down it! Once down, carry on along the track to the tea garden – more emergency sustenance – before heading back to the middle ferry.

And then one last hill back up past Balliemore Farm shop (we absolutely will not judge you if you need a second ice cream!) before bearing right and then right again at the top of the hill. Do not go down the very steep hill down to the house, as your legs will not forgive you when you have to cycle all the way back up! Instead, follow the rough track down to Oiti Mhor bay and then keep following it along the west side and back to Kerrera Marina for a well earned beer!

The cake run

Could probably be done in an hour without the cake but what would be the point of that!

This is the most direct route to the castle and the tea garden. It can be lengthened by taking the West side track back, however be warned that means cycling up the barnabuck hill which in our minds is just crazy talk!

Leave Kerrera Marina via the south gate and follow the track through Ardentrive Farm and then continue along the posh new road to the middle ferry. Then take the low road and keep on it. It does involve a long hill once you’re past horseshoe bay but just grit your teeth and think of the cake. After cake, enjoy a wee walk to the castle. It’s definitely worth the 5 minute walk, so don’t be tempted to miss it out.

Leave the bike at the tea garden, (no-one will pinch it as it’s uphill to get away). Once you have drunk in all the views, make your way back at your leisure and if you manage to do a wee diversion at the middle ferry and visit our wee farm shop on your way back to Kerrera Marina we will love you forever!

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