PaulT (Gunther Tschuch) · CC BY-SA 4.0 · cropped
CalMac has published the next timetable for the disrupted Sound of Harris ferry link, moving the planned replacement vessel to the Berneray to Leverburgh route from September 28 through October 18. The September 7 notice gives travelers a dated schedule for MV Loch Bhrusda, but it does not give a return date for the regular vessel MV Loch Portain.
For travelers linking island destinations, the practical change is where the ferry journey begins and ends. MV Glen Sannox is covering Tarbert to Lochmaddy through September 27, then the published replacement plan shifts to Berneray and Leverburgh; check both the sailing date and the ports before arranging a drive, pickup or overnight stop.
- New notice: CalMac dated the Berneray to Leverburgh timetable September 7, 2026.
- Replacement vessel: MV Loch Bhrusda is scheduled on that route from September 28 to October 18.
- Earlier cover: MV Glen Sannox is scheduled between Tarbert and Lochmaddy through September 27.
- Regular vessel: CalMac identifies a technical issue with MV Loch Portain, without publishing a firm return date.
- Schedule pattern: Loch Bhrusda’s crossings vary by date, so the four published time columns must be read as route-specific departures and arrivals.
The September 7 Notice Changes the Vessel, Not the Route
CalMac’s Berneray to Leverburgh service-change page is dated September 7 and names MV Loch Bhrusda. It says the vessel will operate the listed timetable between September 28 and October 18 because of a technical issue with MV Loch Portain. The announcement is a service plan for those dates, rather than a statement that Loch Portain has been repaired or permanently removed from the route.
The route itself remains the Sound of Harris crossing between Berneray and Leverburgh. CalMac’s route information page is the operator’s reference point for the connection. The revised service-change page should be read alongside the route page because the timetable gives sailing times, while the route page supplies the normal route context.
An independent September 8 report by Hebrides News describes the timetable as the next stage of the disruption. It also says that Loch Portain is not expected back for the remainder of the summer timetable. That longer outlook is independently reported context. The CalMac page itself confirms the technical issue and the replacement dates, but does not publish a firm Loch Portain return date.
Berneray and Leverburgh Sailings Run From September 28 to October 18
The CalMac table separates Berneray departures and Leverburgh arrivals from the return sailings in the other direction. Some outward and return crossings are listed on separate rows, so match the day and port carefully rather than reading all the times as departures from the same place.
On Monday September 28, the first Berneray departure is 8:00, arriving at Leverburgh at 9:10. The return leaves at 9:25 and reaches Berneray at 10:35. A second outward sailing leaves at 10:50 and arrives at noon, followed by a 4:00 p.m. return arriving at 5:10 p.m. The first day therefore shows two return cycles.
The following days are not identical. Tuesday September 29 lists Berneray departures at 8:00, 10:50 and 4:15 p.m., with Leverburgh departures at 9:25, 12:15 and 5:35 p.m. Wednesday September 30 includes a 1:35 p.m. outward sailing and a 5:00 p.m. return. These examples show why one fixed daily frequency would be misleading.
The pattern continues to change through October, with several four-cycle weekdays, fewer crossings on some Sundays and later dates with morning and afternoon departures. Sunday October 18, the final date, lists Berneray departures at 8:30 and 1:30 p.m. The matching returns leave Leverburgh at 10:00 a.m. and 2:50 p.m., arriving back at 11:10 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
Those are published contingency times, not a promise that live conditions cannot change a sailing. When comparing a reservation with the table, match the date, port and direction first, then check CalMac’s current service information.
Glen Sannox Covers Tarbert and Lochmaddy Before the Handoff
CalMac’s separate MV Glen Sannox service-change page says the ship will operate between Tarbert and Lochmaddy until Sunday September 27 because of the Loch Portain technical issue. This is a separate contingency stage, not a Berneray to Leverburgh timetable.
The Glen Sannox page displays Uig departures and arrivals alongside Tarbert and Lochmaddy columns. The relevant facts here are the Tarbert to Lochmaddy route and its September 27 end date. The Uig columns belong to other legs and must not be mixed into the Sound of Harris account.
Hebrides News also reports a Tarbert gangway issue that required Glen Sannox passengers to use the car deck. That detail comes from the independent report, not the CalMac page, so the current boarding arrangement should be confirmed for the individual sailing.
Loch Portain’s Return Date Is Still Unresolved
Loch Portain is the regular vessel named in both CalMac service-change notices as the reason for the contingency arrangements. Neither official page gives a return date. The Berneray notice sets the Loch Bhrusda window through October 18, while the Glen Sannox notice ends on September 27.
Hebrides News adds that Loch Portain has experienced excess vibration after four replacement Volvo engines were fitted, and that CalMac is working through manufacturer recommendations. Those details are independent reporting, not a fresh CalMac engineering bulletin. The report also says winter plans were being prepared without Loch Portain, but provides no official winter timetable.
For travel beyond October 18, the evidence supports the two dated replacement stages and the technical issue, but not a firm claim that Loch Portain will return immediately, that Loch Bhrusda will continue unchanged or that the winter plan is settled.
Foot Passenger Options Are Separate From the Four-Column Table
The CalMac table is the main schedule for the replacement ferry. Hebrides News separately reports passenger charter launch MV Pabbay Lass, with two return sailings for foot passengers from Leverburgh Pontoons and Fisherman’s Pier in Berneray. It says the launch can carry up to 12 passengers, including up to five infants, while customers carry dogs and push bikes on the vessel steps.
The report says Pabbay Lass is not suitable for customers with limited mobility and requires advance booking by telephone or online. Tickets are not available at the ports. These details come from the independent September 8 account, not rows in CalMac’s September 7 timetable, and should be checked before treating the launch as an alternative.
For an affected booking, check the route, sailing date, named vessel and current alert. The timetable does not establish a transfer to another sailing or charter, and it does not say what replaces Loch Bhrusda after October 18.
| Booking or travel date | Relevant evidence to check |
|---|---|
| Through September 27 | Use the separate MV Glen Sannox notice for the Tarbert to Lochmaddy contingency route. |
| September 28 through October 18 | Use the MV Loch Bhrusda Berneray to Leverburgh timetable and the four route-specific time columns. |
| After October 18 | No firm replacement or Loch Portain return date is published in the reviewed CalMac pages. |
| Foot passenger alternative | Check the independently reported MV Pabbay Lass details separately from the CalMac ferry table. |
September 27: The current Glen Sannox contingency window ends on the Tarbert to Lochmaddy route.
September 28: The published Loch Bhrusda timetable begins between Berneray and Leverburgh.
October 18: The current Loch Bhrusda timetable ends, with no later official arrangement in the reviewed source.
Which route will MV Glen Sannox operate?
CalMac’s separate notice places MV Glen Sannox between Tarbert and Lochmaddy through September 27. That is not the Berneray to Leverburgh route, even though both arrangements are linked to the Loch Portain technical issue.
When does MV Loch Bhrusda start the Sound of Harris timetable?
The September 7 CalMac page schedules MV Loch Bhrusda between Berneray and Leverburgh from September 28 through October 18. The table varies by date and should be read using its four route-specific columns.
Is MV Loch Portain returning after October 18?
There is no firm return date in the reviewed CalMac pages. Hebrides News reports that the vessel is not expected back for the remainder of the summer timetable, but a later winter timetable has not been published in the official source set.
Is MV Pabbay Lass part of the CalMac timetable?
No. Hebrides News describes Pabbay Lass as a separate foot-passenger charter option with advance booking and a stated capacity. Its details are not rows in the four-column Loch Bhrusda schedule and should be verified separately.
