UKC

A bike touring mate will be visiting soon and I have an idea to go the outer Hebrides for a week or so.  Preferably not carrying tent  and stove etc but not ruled out at this stage . Any and all advice please 

A friend recently did this via an organised bike tour company and thoroughly enjoyed it:

https://www.skinnytyres.com/outer-hebrides-cycle-tour-the-hebridean-way/

You may not want to do it commercially but it might give you some useful itinerary and accommodation suggestions.

The hebridian cycle way is a fantastic route.

I left my car in mallaig, ferry across to lochboisdale cycled the hebridian cycle way  then got the ferry Stornoway - ulapool then cycled ulapool - gairloch - torridon - Kyle of lochalsh - armadale - ferry to mallaig.

With good weather (and hopefully a sw tailwind on the outer Hebrides) this is a magnificent road ride. Plenty of opportunities to modify (shorten or extend) if required.

I camped, which made it very easy for me to pick a good weather window and do longer or shorter days depending on weather and how I was feeling. But it would be perfectly possible to stay in b & b / hotels / hostels. But would need advance booking and commitment to dates and distances.

I did the same as mountain.martin above but exactly in reverse a few years ago with a friend! Car at Mallaig, ferry to Armadale, back to mainland at kyle of lochalsh, up the west coast to Ullapool, ferry to Stornoway and back down to Lochboisdale!

Minimal planning went into it other than a cursory look at Google maps to check the distances were viable and it went very smoothly considering! Carried all our stuff which was a great experience and didn’t feel too much of a slog at all. Some absolutely stunning spots on both the West Coast and the Outer Hebs. 

One of the plus points I think for carrying your own stuff is you can decide how long you want each day to be (within reason) based on how you're feeling/weather/etc....I really enjoyed it so would just say don't rule it out! 

(and don't do what I did and fall in love with a couple beautiful big round stones on a beach and then carry them for the rest of the trip!)

Look up the Gatliff trust hostels, they are excellent and usefully placed. Also the hostel in Pairc (Kershader).

I did ferry from Oban, the whole thing south to north, back to Tarbert then cycled round Skye to Mallaig. I would strongly recommend avoiding cycling on Skye as much as possible, the main (and only!) Broadford to Portree road was grim in 2019 and will have only got worse since (dangerous motorhome and coach driving).

If a circular route feels easier for logistics (and given you also only have a week), I’d recommend Uig to Tarbert ferry and do some figure of eight loop based on the Uists, Harris (golden road is actually quite different feel to west coast) and a venture in to Pairc. There are a lot of side roads which the ‘main’ Hebridean way doesn’t visit and you can make some loops. I went back to Harris just for walking this summer and there is lots and lots to see off the ‘main’ route and the roads are blissfully quiet and well surfaced.

Planning to walk it for next year's holiday, the main Hebridean Way website if you haven't seen it already seems excellent for a vague idea of logistics etc. Obviously haven't tested the advice given yet!

https://www.visitouterhebrides.co.uk/hebrideanway 

So are we - at least, it is number one in our current list of alternatives.

Seconded. We camped outside the one in Berneray, which must rate as one of the most idyllic spots I've ever slept, and the one in South Uist, where we were kept awake by a corncrake. Magic.

Did the whole route earlier this year. We got the train to Oban then ferry to Barra. Therein south Uist, north Uist, Harris and Lewis. Ferry from Stornoway to Ullapool and bus to Inverness (Train back home).

Absolutely beautiful route, we gave ourselves plenty of time to do other ‘loops’ to various parts of the islands. Not a route to be rushed. At no point were there any difficult parts. Plenty of hostels, bunk houses and b&bs along the way. My only regret was not packing my binoculars. Look at ferry timings and tie into what your mileage is likely to be. Wildlife and beaches amazing.

good luck with it (you wont regret it)