Cycling on Colonsay is the best way to explore the island known as the jewel of the Hebrides. This island circular uses the main island lanes and tracks across more rugged ground and sands to access and explore the best beaches and scenery. There are a number of pitstops on the way including the Colonsay House Gardens Cafe, The Colonsay Hotel and the Colonsay Pantry.
The route starts at Scalasaig and climbs on the island lane to a highpoint before descending and taking the tracks through the grounds around Colonsay House. Heading north east off the B8086 towards Balnahard, a quick swim at Kiloran Bay, adding a stone to the whale sculpture, and climbing to the island’s highpoint of Carnan Eoin, all make easy diversions from the track. The track ends above the remote and beautiful sand beach of Traigh Ban (Balnahard Beach).
The route continues in an anti-clockwise direction on the B8086 to the airfield, where it then leaves the road to explore the dunes and beaches of the southwest coast and The Strand that leads to Oronsay before rejoin the island lanes to return to Scalasaig.
Full details of the route here.
More ideas on what to do on Colonsay
- Wild swim at Kiloran Bay and experience the “Colonsay washing machine”
- Attempt all 22 MacPhies – more here
- Help grow the whale sculpture by adding a stone – more here
- Climb to the island highpoint for great views – more here – more here
- Go the beach – find the best ones here
- Walk to the tidal island of Oronsay – more here
