HELP & ADVICE

AREAS - Outer Hebrides and St Kilda

Outer Hebrides - The Isle of Lewis

The Isle of Lewis is the largest of the Outer Hebrides. Most visitors arrive in the main town of Stornoway, having taken the ferry from Ullapool – a crossing of less than 3 hours. The sail provides an ideal opportunity to observe seabirds and whales. Lewis is the most populated of the Western Isles and Stornoway, the capital of the islands, is home to around 10,000 people.

The topography of Lewis is quite different to the neighbouring island of Harris - extensive peat deposits cover the ancient rock, Lewisian gneiss, and numerous lochans, the home to rare bird species such as divers, combine to give the vistas an arctic dimension.

Its west coast is more mountainous and there is good walking both inland and along the coastal beaches. Also on the west side, overlooking Loch Roag, are the atmospheric Standing Stones of Callanish, which are older than Stonehenge. Another ancient building is nearby - the massive Iron Age round house known as Dun Carloway. Our guides know some excellent hikes which combine coastal walks with visits to these incredible sites.

Outer Hebrides - The Isle of Harris

The Isle of Harris, located south of the Isle of Lewis, is actually linked to it by a narrow causeway. Harris is sparsely populated and for many people Gaelic is their first tongue. At its mountainous northern end, where it is joined to Lewis, there are several fine peaks, the highest of which is Clisham, 779m. The summits of its hills offer extensive views of the seaboard which, on a clear day, include the distant island group of St Kilda.

On the west coast there are wonderful beaches, the largest sand dunes in Europe and azure blue seas. The beaches are fringed by the machair, a flower meadow of many colours which is at its most vivid in early summer. Needless to say that the coastal walking is superb. There are also hauntingly beautiful glens with healthy populations of red deer and golden eagles and we rarely meet any other walkers while hiking in these areas.

The Outer Hebrides are one of Scotland’s best kept secrets for walking and hiking. There is probably no better place to experience a better combination of pristine scenery, intriguing culture and a way of life which doesn’t seem to have been caught up in the hustle and bustle of the 21st century. Many visitors start planning their return visit to these enchanting islands before they step off the ferry back onto the mainland!

Our holidays to the Outer Hebrides include:

The St Kilda Archipelago

Sailing to the World Heritage Site of St Kilda is an exceptional experience. It is a day’s journey to this volcanic archipelago from Harris in the Outer Hebrides, and one which can be taken on some of our combined Sailing and Walking trips, as well as our self-guided walking holidays to the Outer Hebrides. Despite the long journey, the constantly changing seas, skies and light, together with the anticipation of seeing wildlife close-up, combine to hold your attention. It is not unusual to have following dolphins and to encounter whales.

On the western horizon, from some distance away, you may spot puffs of cumulus cloud or the hint of a rocky outline, but it is the constant stream of seabirds which indicates landfall is near. Levenish, a rock protruding from the restless Atlantic swell, appears and is soon followed by the huge mass of the main island, Hirta. You sail past Connachair, the highest sea cliff in Britain at 1,400 feet, past the rounded dome of Oiseval and into the relatively sheltered waters of Village Bay.

Stepping ashore, you can see a line of abandoned houses, the Village Street, which has been deserted since 1930 – it’s a sad reminder of a way of life now gone. Within the village are stone enclosures and some substantial buildings such as the church and school. The National Trust for Scotland is undertaking a programme of restoration work. Beyond the settlement the grassy and heather clad hillside is dotted with cleits - small stone huts which were once used for the storage of birds. Today, Soay sheep, whose origins perhaps go back to Norse times, take advantage of their shelter, especially at lambing time.

Venturing beyond the village, there is some spectacular coastal walking with dramatic, heady seascapes and vertiginous rock, which were once scaled annually by the islanders for essential eggs and sea fowl. You can look across a short turbulent sea passage to the steep sides of the island of Soay.

Seals can be seen close by, and the boulder field of Carn Mor buzzes with countless puffins. At the” Gap” you can watch thousands of stiff-winged fulmars using the up draughts to glide round, seemingly oblivious to the crashing sea a thousand feet below. The cliff ledges are peppered with nesting birds. You can look across to Boreray, whose steep slopes are still grazed by the descendants of an abandoned flock of sheep, while its awesome stacks are home to the world’s largest gannetry (50,000 – 60,000 pairs). The isolation of St Kilda has even led to the evolution of its own unique animals such as the field mouse and wren.

It is certainly a challenge to reach St Kilda and it is a journey which you must accept will not always be easy. However, for the adventurously-minded traveler, the remoteness, extraordinary scenery, human and natural history all contribute to make a visit to these islands unquestionably an experience of a lifetime.

<< back