Tour of the Outer Hebrides

One thing of note, in the past on entering/leaving UK I remember having to empty my liquids bag of stuff into one of the provided ones for some odd reason. This did not happen on this trip in fact I did not even have to take it out of my carryon bag.

Thanks, carol! I look forward to reading the rest of it!

Just an FYI, Heathrow now has advanced CT scanners available so that you do not need to pull your liquids out, although you do still have to follow the size limits. It is nice not having to deal with the ziplock bag. :-)

So back to Inverness, after dropping off my bags I walked down into town. I visited the Old High Church which according to Rick Steves Scotland guidebook, "This church became a prison for Jacobites after the Battle of Culloden; many of the prisoners were executed in the churchyard." Now a peaceful setting on the River Ness. After I crossed the river via the "bouncy bridge" a pedestrian suspension bridge. Walked along both sides of the river. Made a couple purchases at a shop called Judith Glue. They had items from the Orkneys and seemed so different from the other shops which definitely had all the cliche tourist items. Next onward to early dinner at the Mustard Seed a restaurant on the river that I heard about on the forum. I had a great meal good service and a table with a view of the river. The weather this day was cool and windy with grey clouds. In the morning, cool and windy with some sprinkles, I revisited the church and river and ended up at lunch in a seemingly locals cafe. I had a homemade split pea soup with a cheese scone and tea. It was very good and warmed me up. I picked up my bags from the guesthouse and walked down to the train station the meeting spot for the Outer Hebrides Highlights tour.

Our group included 5 women and our guide, Emma who lives on the island of Lewis. 2 ladies from London (one originally from New Zealand) one from Australia and one from Michigan and then myself. We fit well in the van with 2 bench seats and then one person sat up from with Emma. Nice, roomy everyone had a window, and we rotated seating during the days on the road.
We took off for Ullapool to catch the ferry to Stornoway. Along the way we stopped for a hike along the Black Water River. Very picturesque with interesting rock formations. We had dinner on the ferry, and it was surprisingly good. Took in the views from the upper outdoor deck along the way. We didn't get in till 9:30 PM so long day. 2 of the group stayed in town at the Hebridean Guesthouse and 3 of us were just outside town at An Acail a nice self-catering house although for our tour someone came in and cooked us breakfast. We stayed here for 3 nights.

The next day Emma picked us up around 9 AM and we drove to an area called Hushinish, southwest Lewis, for our hike which Emma said would be the longest and most difficult. We started at the beach and climbed up and over a steep rocky hill and then descended to a beautiful white sandy beach, Traigh Mheilein, with clear turquoise water. We had a great view of Scarp Island which only has 3 permanent inhabitants. We walked the beach and then ate our picnic lunch on the beach. We then climbed up another steep rocky hill with a view of the sea, beaches, islands and mountains really spectacular. The machair (special grassy, wildflower carpet that grows near the ocean) was starting to bloom so saw numerous different wildflowers. We also saw many birds including 2 golden eagles, oyster catcher, lapwing, black headed seagull among others. Some red deer. What a fabulous day. We had wind and some rain, but it wasn't bad. We had dinner at a pub/restaurant in Stornoway, Blakes. This was my favorite dinner of all on the tour.

Regarding meals. All meals are included on the tour. Breakfast at guesthouse. Lunches were purchased at a co-op first thing in the morning. We made choices from premade sandwiches, a snack and a beverage from items that were marked as part of a special deal. Emma got fruit and sweets as well. All were purchased by Emma. Dinners were in restaurant. We were allowed to order a starter and a main or a main and a pudding, alcohol was not included which is totally understandable.
will continue

Actually, on the above post I said Hushinish was southwest Lewis but actually it's on Harris.
To continue, Day 2 we picked up our picnic supplies and then headed to Ness and the Butt of Lewis Lighthouse which are located at the northern most tip of the Hebrides. We walked on the beach and then the machair covered cliffs seemingly dodging the rain somehow. We ate lunch at the lighthouse. After since we were all interested in weaving and Harris tweed, Emma arranged for us to meet a friend who is a weaver. Margaret. She lives in Ness with her workshop looking out onto the machair covered cliffs over the ocean. She shared that her color and design choices are inspired from the view outside her window. She showed us her weaving equipment and demonstrated how it works. She shared her stock of yarn, sample swatches of materials she has woven and just about her life and how she ended up in Ness. And she actually spoiled us by sharing her products as when we visited a Harris store the next day, we all agreed her product was softer and the colors really reflect the area.
From here we went to the Gearrannan Blackhouse Village. Old, thatched stone houses first appeared in the Hebrides in 1263 and were inhabited up until the 1972. They were referred to as blackhouse related to peat fires in the fireplace without a chimney leading to blackened interior. Now you can actually rent one if so desired. From there we visited an ancient fort built of layered stone around 5000 BC, Dun Carloway. We were able to climb inside. From here we visited the Callanish Standing Stones which are said to be older than Stonehenge. You can actually walk up to them and around them unlike at Stonehenge. Really impressive. The sky was dark with clouds, and it was windy and rainy really made the visit dramatic. We drove back to Stornoway and had a buffet dinner at the Carvery.

Nice Job! Your narrative is easy to read and evokes your experiences vividly for the reader.

On above day posted, we visited Dun Eistean an old fort built on a sea stack. You can actually go out onto the sea stack by crossing by an interesting footbridge but unfortunately the bridge was closed. The rocks were covered with wildflowers and also birds which Emma said were from St. Kilda were nesting within the crevasses.

So continuing with day 3 which i realize is actually day 4. Today we will be leaving our Lewis accommodations for North Ulst, Berneray and our next accommodations in Benbecula. We picked up picnic supplies and then drove to Seilebost beach another beautiful white sand beach which looks over toward Luskentyre beach which is said to be one of the top beaches in the world. We also walked above on the cliffs covered with machair again saw many birds. Had our picnic lunch. We visited an ancient church; St Clements church located in a beautiful setting with an old harbor behind. We visited Harris Distillery and sampled the local gin, visited a Harris tweed store and a nice pottery shop as we waited for the ferry. The ferry is an hour long and passes through many small uninhabited islands and even smaller land bits.

On Berneray we walked another beautiful white sand beach which has cows roaming around, got a few sprinkles here. Berneray looks very different than Lewis/Harris as it has lots of grassy areas with watery inlets all around very unusual and quite beautiful. We had dinner in North Ulst another great seafood meal for me. We drove on to our B and B in Benbecula, the Borve Guest House. Mary the owner has any and all the amenities you might want and I'm sure if you asked for something she would get it or have it. Great host.

I told myself I was going to wait to comment until you are finished posting but I had to say...I love the Judith Glue shop in Kirkwall, Orkney. Lovely things!

And yea to the Mustard Seed! Had a RS tour dinner there long ago and far away, lol!

Carol, I loved Stornoway and Harris and Lewis; such a wonderful place and it sounds like you really did well by it! And I love Glasgow, too—it's one of my favorite cities.

Thanks for writing this trip report—it is excellent and I love all the descriptions.

To be continued, I had to stop and help with backyard renovation.
I appreciate the feedback

Your trip report is lovely, don't worry about the style at all. Can't wait for the rest!

I am loving this as I was on Lewis and Harris two years ago and went to all the same places. Wonderful memories! Luskentyre beach was magnificent, we had a sunny day and the colors were spectacular. Can’t wait to read more of your adventures.

Carol, thank you so much for sharing your trip report--so far I am loving it! I will wait to read more about your time on the islands.

Was your tour the Outer Hebrides Highlights? I see it is rated "easy/moderate." The Gentle Rambles tour that I took last year was rated "easy," and it was a good fit for me. So far it sounds like Emma led you on some steep walks, but it was manageable.

Hidden Hebrides continued
I'm glad to have brought back memories of Lewis and Harris for others. And yes NYC Librarian I ended up taking the Hidden Hebrides Highlights vs the Gentle Ramble. I think they are likely pretty much the same with a few more challenging hikes thrown in. I did ok on the steep hikes. I now see the value of hiking poles for a rocky, uneven path. I didn't bring any as I have never used them.

On our 5th day of hiking/walking we drove to the east coast of south Ulst to Arinaban Woodland. This is a croft that the owner planted with trees and plants over a ?14-acre area? and has opened to the public a 6 km path you can walk through. A very peaceful and beautiful walk filled with birdsong including a cuckoo, cuckooing. Afterwards we drove back up to Benbecula and climbed up Rueval described as a small hill (416 feet). Pretty much a gentle incline. The view from the top is amazing. You can see machair meadows in one direction, and in the other direction, "the vast watery landscape quite unlike anywhere else in Britain, where a tangled mosaic of freshwater and sea lochs is interspersed by pockets of dry land", the island of Skye was quite visible as well. This view was one of my favorites of the tour as so very different, other worldly. We ate our picnic lunch here. While windy it was a mostly sunny day.
After lunch we visited the Balranaid Nature Preserve on the northwest coast of North Ulst. We followed the 3-mile nature trail through the preserve. It winds around the headlands above sandy beaches, through machair, includes marshes and dunes and is host to many bird species. Nice day of hiking/walking. We had dinner at Langas Lodge, yep more good seafood.

For our last day in the Hebrides, we drove down South Ulst crossed over the causeway to Eriskay and on to the ferry to Barra. We drove through Castlebay a cute little town on Barra, over the causeway to Vatersay, the most southern inhabited island of the outer Hebrides, We had tea at a cafe on the beach and wandered through a grassy field with cows roaming down to the water. Yep another beautiful beach. We then drove back to Barra to the Eliogarry Peninsula on the north end of Barra. This is the location of the unique airport where the planes take off and land on the beach. Quite a sight. There are signs saying stay off the beach if the windsocks are up. After watching a take-off we walked over the machair and down to the beach to the west of the airport and had our lunch. After we walked back to the airport and were able to walk out and across the wide beach where the planes take off and land. The sand is mixed with shells and is very compacted. We drove back to Ulst for our last dinner. We ended our day of adventure at the Howmore estuary where we walked out to where the river meets the ocean to watch the sunset.

Last day: while the group were driving back to Inverness by way of ferry to Skye and then over the land bridge to Inverness, I was scheduled to fly from Benbecula to Glasgow and then back to Barra just so I could experience landing on the beach. Well, I awoke to an email saying my first flight was delayed and the delay was such that I would miss the 2nd flight. As I had reservations on Barra and then onward from there, I made the decision to take a bus and ferry vs just flying to Glasgow. Emma drove me to airport and helped me sort out the flight stuff. Loganair offered me either they could book me the bus and ferry to Barra (would cost them less than 20$) OR I could have a full refund which was 500$. You can imagine which I chose. I said goodbye to Emma and caught the bus to Eriskay and eventually the ferry to Barra and bus to Castlebay. From here on I was traveling on my own.

to be continued

Moran Taing - many thanks to Emma and Hidden Hebrides for a great tour. If you are looking for an active tour of the Outer Hebrides with a local company and guide which includes stunning and unique scenery, as well as interesting history and great food this is the one.

I made it to Castlebay in the afternoon. Checked into the Craiguard Hotel and then walked around town. My room was in the annex with a deck in front and great view of the harbor with Kisimul castle just offshore. I enjoyed a drink on the deck prior to dinner in the hotel restaurant. Once again, I had a great seafood meal. I wish I had planned more time on Barra as there are some hikes that I would have liked to take.

Up early for 7:50 AM ferry to Oban. The ferry dock is a short walk from the hotel. The weather was a little rainy, windy so did obstruct the view some. About halfway through we began passing islands. Can imagine pretty spectacular on a clear day. Upon reaching Oban I walked to the Oban Perle Hotel which is just across the way. Another nice room with a harbor view. I had a tour of the Oban distillery which was interesting. I'm not really a scotch/whisky drinker but I like to try what is local. We had 3 sample drams and at the end of the tour you are given a whisky glass with Oban 1794 etched on it. I walked through town a bit and then had dinner at Eeusk a seafood restaurant on the dock. You guessed it another great meal. I have actually been to Oban in the past and was familiar with this restaurant.

In the morning, I took the 9:55 ferry to Mull (about an hour) bussed across Mull (about an hour) to catch a ferry to Iona
(10 minutes). All very picturesque. I especially like the views at Fionnphort Ferry landing for the Mull to Iona crossing. I had visited Iona in the past on a day trip and was very drawn to the peaceful and spiritual feel. I had always wanted to return to stay a few nights. I stayed at the Argyll hotel right on the waterfront a short walk from the ferry landing. Really nice room with a window seat looking out at the water. I took a walk to the nunnery ruins which are said to be one of Britian's best preserved medieval nunneries. After some quiet contemplation I continued to the end of the road, over some pastures with sheep and cows to a pristine white sand beach, North Beach. I shared the beach with a few sheep. I returned to the hotel and had dinner. This meal was the best so far. Great, interesting flavors including vegetables and edible flowers from the hotel's organic garden. After dinner I walked a bit more.

Next day I woke to a beautiful sunrise and views of Mull over the water. Rain was predicted later. Had a nice breakfast and then out to see things. I revisited the nunnery and was there by myself. I walked on to the Iona Abbey which marks the site of Christianity's arrival in Scotland. There are ancient Celtic crosses, the original shrine of St. Columba and a big church with medieval carvings, a tranquil cloister and a museum. The Book of Kells is said to have been made here during the 8th century. St Oran's Chapel is located in the graveyard of the Abbey where warriors of the Highland clans and kings were brought to be buried. As the rain hadn't started yet I decided to climb the Dun I which is a mile down the road and through a pasture. A steep 333 feet, but short climb. The views from the top reach across the island and out over the ocean to Mull and other islands well worth the climb. On the walk back I stopped into some small shops. Eventually making it back to the Argyll where I had a cider and sat in front overlooking the water. It was pretty windy, stormy and cold so I warmed up inside by the fire. Had dinner at the hotel again with another great meal. Afterwards I walked back past the nunnery to the organic gardens as I was told there were some corncrakes in that area. And I finally got to hear the corncrake. This is an endangered bird so a big deal.

You must be a birder!! I would love to hear a corncrake!

BTW, the first time I heard a cuckoo I was walking on a beach at Honfleur France and my first thought was "What is someone doing out here with a cuckoo clock!"

There is a good movie on Netflix called The Outrun with Saoirse Ronan who plays a recovering alcoholic who returns home to Orkney and is hired to survey one of the islands for evidence of corncrakes.

Yes Pam I have become a birder over the last few years. The UK is a great place for birders. And that crazy cuckoo it’s certainly a funny sound to hear when walking.
I will look for the movie tonight thanks for the tip.

Wow, Carol, it sounds like you had a full and active vacation in Scotland. I did not know that travelers can stay on Iona. I visited there for just about an hour as part of the three island tour (Iona, Staffa, and Mull) out of Oban, and I liked its peacefulness and isolation. That was my second trip to Scotland. My third trip was the tour of the Outer Hebrides. I am impressed that you packed so much terrain and different experiences into one trip!

I loved the energy of Callanish. I consider myself a very skeptical, science oriented person but admit I get a little "woo woo" with places like Callanish or the pyramids in Giza--the ancient magic is still there. Also, I believe the inimitable Mary from Borve Guest House told us an amazing story about seeing a corncrake on her doorstep. Alas, our tour group neither saw nor heard one of these rare birds. I enjoyed myself regardless, and I am glad you did too.