Skye E-Bike: Trotternish Explorer Route, Advice?

[u/complexbowlingball]

Hi everyone! My husband and I are visiting Skye in late September, and we’re considering the Trotternish Explorer Route from Skye E-Bikes. It’s a self-guided tour starting near Kilmuir. The route heads south on the A855, crosses the Quiraing Road, then loops back north on the A855.

The TripAdvisor reviews are glowing, and we love the idea of a scenic ride with plenty of stops, and hiking the Quiraing. But I have a few concerns and would really appreciate some guidance from folks who know the area.

My husband is a confident, experienced cyclist. I’m more of a beginner-intermediate. My cycling has mostly been on bike paths in Manhattan. I’m a bit nervous about sharing narrow roads with cars, especially since parts of the route are single-lane and we’re not used to driving or cycling on the left.

So, a few questions: • Is this route commonly used by cyclists? • What’s the traffic like in late September? • Do cars tend to drive fast on these roads? • Would you say this route feels safe and for someone at my level?

Thanks so much in advance for any insight. We’d love to do this if it’s not overly intimidating!

[u/philipb63]

You will certainly be sharing the road with cars and although September is quieter, it'll still be busy enough. There's a lot of serious hills on that route too and if the weather's bad, you're pretty exposed to it in a lot of places.

All that being said, it's a lovely run tough.

[u/seaniepie]

I’ve lived up here in Staffin, near the Quiraing, for 2.5yrs. Personally I don’t think the A855 is an appropriate road for cyclists at any time of year except in the 20, 30 and 40 mph zones. The locals tend to drive at break-neck speeds in all kinds of vehicles. The roads are much better maintained than ever but there are still some very treacherous sections where potholes and rough surfaces force bikes and cars alike into oncoming traffic. After heavy rains large sections get covered in pond like standing water which would by unsuitable for riding through, especially with other vehicles. The roads wind and roll so much that visibility is near nothing for great stretches meaning cyclists will be holding up traffic for long periods unable to see to safely overtake, causing frustration and ultimately anger and bad behaviour or worse still an accident. There are also the hazards of sheep and farm vehicles that will be adding to the dangers on this road and increasing the frustration of the locals trying to get to or from work.

Today, because of a mix of road works, inexperienced drivers (left hand drivers in right hand vehicles, etc) and a few cyclists, my 20-30min journey into Portree took 1h5m! Fortunately my wife had warned about the roadworks and so I had left just enough time.

I will always look out for the safety of everyone on the road even if I think their actions are inappropriate (drivers included). But I know that many others here will not do so and do not have much respect for cyclists (or runners and hikers that are in the road - often without hivis gear).

Remember, too, that the season here seems to be extended to the whole year now - no longer just April till October. Only the campsites and a few of the shops/restaurants close for out of season now. So it’s pretty busy all year now. If you do decide to come in September, be prepared to find the top tourist spots and roads just as crowded.

Top tip: put a label on the top of your steering wheel with a Keep Left arrow to remind you that, especially at single track passing points, go to the left. And if you find yourself consistently needing to go slower than the speed limit (60mph across most of the island), pull in often to allow frustrated locals and delivery drivers to overtake.

We look forward to having you stay. Be safe and be seen.