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Myself and girlfriend plus dog are heading to Barra in a weeks time then heading north before ferry back to Ullapool from Stornaway in the camper, we've no room for bikes so it's going to be walking, relaxing, sightseeing, drinking Tea & coffee eating cake type of break as both of us have been stacked out at work and not had chance to read up on what not to miss and times running out so what should we make sure we do? My only plan so far is the Pie shop in Lochinver when we get back onto the mainland.
thanks Rich
Uig Sands restaurant
Scandi Uist bakery
https://www.uistscandibakery.com/
Croft 36
https://croft36northton.wixsite.com/home
That's 3 places for great food to get you started
Postman’s path. Tarbert
There has been lots of threads on here with too many tips to list.
Difficult to list. Mainly, just don't rush through. Take your time and savour being there. This is a good starting point - shows most of the popular tourist sights...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Philips-Outer-Hebrides-Leisure-Tourist/dp/1849075743/
There are good camp sites at Kilbride in South Uist (just over the causeway from Eriskay) and Balranald in North Uist. The latter is in an RSPB reserve with fantastic beaches.
Walk up Eaval for a fantastic view of the watery North Uist landscape and then have a dip in Loch Obasaraigh on the way back.
There is a fantastic tidal pool near Balranald that I can give you directions to if you fancy a dip there too. Has to be at low tide though, so check your timings.
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West Beach on Berneray has to be one of the best - anywhere.
Food at the Berneray Bistro and shop. Highly favoured by the locals.
A walk up the Clisham in Harris, on a good day, will let you see most of Harris.
Many folk are underwhelmed by Lewis, after having been through the Uists and Harris. You need to consider it in its own right. Of course, you'll want to visit Callanish, DunCarloway, Arnol Blackhouse etc so take your time over these too.
Final fantastic beach is at Eoropie. With luck you'll get a couple of clear nights and a view of the Northern Lights. However, there are also lovely beaches over on the East Cost of Lewis at Tolsta and when it's a strong Westerly, these are more sheltered.
We did the same route last summer from Barra to Stornoway. A week was nowhere near enough!
Vatersay is worth a visit when you arrive on Barra and watching a plane land on the beach is a must really.
On Uist, Balranald is a great site to stay at and nearby pub was decent. Traigh Iar beach on North Uist was the best beach we visited across all of the islands and the best beach I’ve seen anywhere. Truly stunning. Better than Luskentyre on Harris IMO but that was also beautiful. Huisnis beach on Harris was great too but the drive is a bit sketchy!
On Lewis the beach at Uig was great. Callanish stones also great. The lighthouse at the butt of Lewis was good. Saw dolphins and a whale from there. Wobbly dog cafe there is great. Nice guy running it.
Probably loads more I’m not remembering but those are some of the highlights off the top of my head.
^ I second what scotroutes says about Harris and Lewis.
We really enjoyed the walk out to Scalpay Lighthouse - made even better with a pop up community cafe in there and a pod of Porpoise fishing in front of it.
We found that even little evening walks from our cottage took us to lovely bays with amazing views.
Hope the weather holds out for you - we’ve only really had any semblance of summer these past few weeks in the Western Isles, it’s mainly been a wash-out. I’ll give the Barra ferry a wave as you come up the Sound of Mull.
If planning to use cafes/eateries check to make sure they’re open as we’re reaching end of season and some places shut randomly / run irregular hours particularly weekends.
If you’ve never had fresh scallops and black pudding try it.
Take the detour along the Golden Road between Leverburgh to Tarbert on Harris for all it’s wiggly loveliness.
It would appear that the cafe at Port Nis has closed/changed hands - simply the worst place I’ve ever been
The Seafood Shack in Ullapool however is worth the wait
If planning to use cafes/eateries check to make sure they’re open as we’re reaching end of season and some places shut randomly / run irregular hours particularly weekends.
A very good point.
We were on Mull at Easter - and were really surprised how many places opened the week after the Easter holidays. One place, the only one at a beach, the owners were in and cleaning, with a display cabinet of snacks and ice-cream, and were turning a car park full of visitors away as they weren't opening for another week. While they sat in among the people on the picnic tables for a good hour or so...
Wobbly dog cafe there is great. Nice guy running it.
Apparently he's very helpful for any idiot tourists who got their car stuck in the sand. DAMHIKT.
+1 for Scalpay and take your time on Harris - it's stunning.
What not to miss? Probably best to not miss any of your ferries. The Scottish Government is incapable of running a functioning ferry service so you could get stuck.
No one’s mentioned the Kildonan Museum just up from Askernish. We found it very interesting plus there was a load of school kids in all rabbiting away in Gaelic with their teacher.
The other plus was that it was chucking it down outside.
Worth a look though.
The tiny chippy in a little hut next to the Burnside Petrol Station on south Uist is excellent - hurry with your fish supper down to the beaches at Kilbride and eat whilst watching the sun set.
One thing I really liked was finding archeological sites on the map then finding them on the ground. There is so much fantastic neolithic stuff just lying around unsigned.
We spent the solstice camped in a stone circle a few miles from Callanish totally on our own
This is a great resource for archeology. Its a bit clunky but there is a really good map in there
Skoon gallery at Geocrab , great cafe
Many places shut on a Sunday
This is a great resource for archeology. Its a bit clunky but there is a really good map in there
I've started adding photos taken with my drone. I reckon Geograph will get a few too.
Epic coffee and cakes at Ardmhor ferry termnal (Barra-Eriskay).
Well I wasn't expecting quite so many responses! Many thanks to all that responded, really looking forward to a nice long break up there.
Come on people, we need pictures!
You can't go the Outer Hebs and not see an eagle:
https://www.visitouterhebrides.co.uk/see-and-do/north-harris-eagle-observatory-p530121
Make sure that you are listending to Peat and Diesel while you drive round:
Mangersta beach, Gearrannan blackhouses (you can stay in them if you fancy paying and if they're available) Dalmoor beach.
staying outside, or at least near a window on the ferry rides. We saw a pod of 50- 100 dolphins jumping towards the boat on our way back to ullapool.
I asked this Q about 3yrs ago:
https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/tips-for-a-week-on-lewis-harris-trip-in-may/
If I ever meet scotroutes irl,I owe him more than a few drinks for his PSA on Logan Air flight deals to Barra.
Best plane trip evvaaa,and we got a week of sunshine to explore Barra and Vatersay. Going back on the bikes to do the rest of the islands next summer. 👍