How to island-hop the Outer Hebrides now Hopscotch tickets have gone

You now book an island-hopping trip as a set of individual crossings. CalMac no longer sells Hopscotch tickets, although plenty of older pages still mention them. Instead, its island-hopping page points you to a multiple-journey option that lets you book several routes, passengers and vehicles in one transaction, with an eTicket and QR code sent to your email.

The classic route runs up the chain from Barra to Lewis, or the same way in reverse. Between the islands, causeways and short ferries do most of the work, so a car or a bicycle can take you nearly the whole length of the Outer Hebrides. CalMac's own suggested plan for the islands is seven days, and that feels about right.

The route at a glance

Typical crossing times as listed by Visit Outer Hebrides. Check the CalMac timetable for your date, as the times can vary.

The land links are the part many people do not realise. From Eriskay, causeways carry the road across South Uist, Benbecula, North Uist and on to Berneray. Harris and Lewis are one landmass, so you drive straight from Leverburgh to Stornoway. On the classic route, that leaves four ferries: Oban to Barra, Barra to Eriskay, Berneray to Harris and Lewis to Ullapool.

Book in this order

1. Sketch your dates and pick a direction. South to north and north to south both work. Check for any sailing that does not run on your chosen day, including Sundays.
2. Hold your beds. Visit Outer Hebrides advises booking accommodation first, then the ferry, as both can sell out quickly. Choose rooms you can cancel if possible.
3. Book the crossings together. Use the multiple-journey option so that every leg is on one booking. Add bikes while you are at it. CalMac says they are free, but adding them secures a space.
4. Check your booking again a few days before. CalMac's service status page shows disruption, and changes can happen at short notice.

CalMac recommends booking in advance on Bookable routes, above all with a vehicle in peak periods. Visit Outer Hebrides is blunter: if you have a car, book. Foot passengers are also strongly advised to reserve, and for the Barra to Eriskay route CalMac says every passenger and vehicle needs a valid ticket before travelling.

Tickets and fares worth knowing about

The current ticket information page divides routes into two kinds. On Bookable routes, you pay for a specific sailing on a specific date. On Turn Up and Go routes, you buy a ticket for a departure date and it is valid for the timetable season, rather than a specific sailing. Both can go on the same multiple-journey booking.

• Children aged 5 to 15 pay half the adult fare. Under-5s travel free.
• A vehicle ticket does not include the driver, who needs a passenger ticket as well.
• Blue Badge holders travelling in the vehicle get 25% off the vehicle ticket.
• Pets have their own ticket types. Numbers in passenger lounges are capped, so add yours when you book.

We have deliberately left out prices. They change, and CalMac's booking system will give you the real figure for your dates.

Check-in deadlines vary by route. On the Barra to Eriskay crossing it is 20 minutes before departure for vehicles and foot passengers, and if you are late your space may go to someone else. Look at the time on your ticket for each leg, especially where a tight road transfer is involved.

Plan for a cancelled ferry

Sailings do get cancelled, usually because of the weather or a problem with a vessel. Timetables also change with the season. In 2026, for example, the Mallaig to Lochboisdale service was replaced for part of the spring by a combined Oban sailing, and the current winter timetable on the Barra to Eriskay route runs from 19 October 2026 to 25 March 2027. So plan a day of slack before anything you cannot miss, such as a flight or a train home.

Foot passengers need to think about connections too. Without a car, you will rely on island buses, which are thinner on the ground in the evenings and on Sundays. Visit Outer Hebrides also points out that you can hire a car on the islands, which is an alternative if the ferries have no space left for your own.

A note on Sundays

Sunday has traditionally been kept as a day of rest on Lewis and Harris, and while some ferries and shops now operate, you may still find many businesses closed. Have your food and fuel sorted on Saturday, and plan for a quiet day of walking.

What to do while you are there

This is excellent country for long beach walks, machair in flower and big skies. Those who want to camp should read our notes on wild camping, as the rules on fragile ground apply very clearly here. Wind helps with midges on the west side, but our guide to midges and ticks is still worth a read. If you are travelling between April and early August, you could also add a seabird trip, for which the Treshnish boats leave from Mull, a natural stop before or after your sailing from Oban.