Wild camping in the dunes above Tiree’s white-sand beaches (The Backpack Library, 2019)

White-sand surf spots, independent breweries and quiet roads make for the perfect compact adventure on the lesser-known Inner Hebridean Isle of Tiree.

The words ‘UK’ or ‘Scotland’ don’t exactly bring to mind year-round sunshine. Some south-coast holiday spots, maybe - Eastbourne, Falmouth, Bognor Regis - but certainly not Scotland. So, it surprised us when we found out that Tiree, a tiny island tucked away in the outer reaches of the Inner Hebrides, is often referred to as the ‘Hawaii of the North’. It’s one of the sunniest spots in the British isles, known for its mild climate, high winds and renowned surf.

We’d never even heard of Tiree before we entered the ‘Free Ferry Fortnight’ - an annual ferry ticket giveaway - with the vague notion that we’d like to explore Scotland. We didn’t get tickets for Lewis or Skye, so Tiree it was.

Exploring lesser-known destinations is often what excites us most about travel. But it can be hard to pass-up the top tourist spots to take a gamble on something different, telling ourselves, those destinations must be popular for a reason. As it turned out, by boarding the Oban-Tiree ferry with nothing but our bikes, camping gear and a spare set of clothes, we embarked, bleary-eyed, on one of the most memorable trips of our life.

Rocks and crags towered either side of the boat as the early-morning crossing took us through the Sound of Mull, before steering west past Coll and towards the ferry terminal at Tiree’s main village, Skirinish. Perked up by cheap coffee, we stood out on the deck and watched as the island came into view: a flat landscape of green fields and windy roads; some promising pockets of blue sky over empty, expansive beaches.

We stood with a few other bike-packers and looked on as the cars drove themselves off the ferry, waiting patiently for the skipper to unlock our bikes. And then the anticipation finally subsided: we were here and we had no plan other than to cycle. After filling up our water and buying some last-minute supplies from the island’s only shop, we clipped in and pedalled down the road, heading west in search of our own, secluded, pristine beach. It didn’t take too long to find...

Cycling on Tiree

Tiree is an accessible cycling destination for riders of all abilities, thanks to its generally flat terrain, quiet roads and patient locals. We’d done multi-day cycle tours before, but never with a full camping setup. As it turned out, a rack, pannier and small backpack each provided enough space for tent, stove, sleeping kit, food and clothes - all the essentials for a short camping trip.

While you could take your car or campervan over to the island and enjoy its wild beauty just as much, there is a distinct advantage offered to those with the curiosity to explore Tiree on foot or by bike: the ability to wild camp in the dunes overlooking the beaches. To protect wildlife and nature, those with vehicles are required to stay on the ‘croft campsites’ scattered about the island.

Of course, we took advantage of this cyclists’ perk throughout our visit, pitching up in a different spot each evening as we circumnavigated the island, and pinching ourselves every morning as we zipped open the tent and stared out at the vast Atlantic Ocean. Talk about a morning coffee with a view. Or a morning shower with a twist.

Surfing, hiking and kayaking

There’s more to do than just cycle. And the island isn’t called the ‘Hawaii of the North’ for nothing. Picking up swell from the North Atlantic, Tiree serves up powerful, rolling beach breaks for the intermediate and advanced surfer. If you’re beginners like us, you’ll find the slower ‘peeling’ waves ideal for learning on. We hired boards and wetsuits from Wild Diamond, who had a trailer parked on the road overlooking Balevullin, a pristine beach that seems to stretch on forever. A couple of hours in the water was enough for us, but, warmed by the Gulf stream, the sea was pleasant enough that you could easily stay in longer.

Kayaking, windsurfing, kitesurfing and SUPing are also options on Tiree, with Wild Diamond and Blackhouse Watersports both offering lessons and tours. We even managed a hike across the wet moorland up to Ben Hynish (141m), the island’s highest point, where you get a panoramic view of Tiree’s unique landscape. Kayaking the island’s perimeter would no doubt get you right up close to nature in a way that can’t be achieved on-shore. There’s loads to spot, from skylarks, guillemots and corncrakes to marine life including seals, porpoises, dolphins, minke whales and basking sharks.

Tiree’s white-sand beaches rank as some of most beautiful in the UK.

Food and drink on Tiree

You won’t exactly be spoiled for choice. Not because there isn’t great food and drink on Tiree, but because there are only a select few places to go. You’ve got a couple of cafes to choose from, like the Beachcomber Craft Cafe, which serves up home-made bread, cakes and pizza (but only in July and August), and the Yellow Hare, a coffee shop near the ferry station.

The only public restaurant open when we visited Tiree was in the west of the island. But what a fantastic find it turned out to be…

Ceabhar Restaurant and Microbrewery

The Ceabhar Resturant and Microbrewery is an unassuming, family-run place that prides itself on using local produce and brewing sustainable beers and ciders on-site.

Pre-booking was recommended and when we were welcomed to our table at 8pm, the restaurant’s 6 other tables were indeed full. The atmosphere hummed with the chatter of content customers, slightly tipsy on the owner’s micro-brewed ale.

“It was after 10pm and still light. Back at the beach, we ended a perfect evening with a skinny dip in the calm Atlantic.”

We soon joined them, sampling the beer and cider for ourselves, before tucking into delicious, locally sourced beef and lamb. After convincing us to stay for another pint or two, the owners were happy to fill up our water bottles before we started the giggly walk home to our tent beneath a clear sky - it was after 10pm and still light. Back at the beach, we ended a perfect evening with a skinny dip in the calm Atlantic.

Scarinish

Tiree’s main village is Scarinish, where the ferry dropped us with our bags and bikes! You’ll find a Co-Op store that’s substantial enough for any supplies you might need, at least in terms of food, drink, and essentials. But you may want to pick up any harder to get items - like gas for the stove, camping gear, bike spares, etc. - from Oban or another bigger town, before you take the ferry to Tiree. When we say Tiree is small, we really do mean it! That’s the beauty.

Useful websites

CalMac Ferries website - info on ferry travel in the Hebrides
Visit Tiree website - essential information about Tiree

Have you bikepacked Tiree? Maybe you’re hoping to in the future? Let us know in the comments. We’d love to hear from you :-)

Tiree by Bike: Exploring Scotland’s “Hawaii of the North”