[Closed] Tell me about Lewis and Harris.

Either Ullapool to Stornaway on biggish ferry - can be rough crossing - and then wend your way down, or UIg - Tarbert, much more coastline hugging.

Horgabost (where I recall I spent many a happy family holiday in the late 60s and 70s) has fabulous location, community run (I think) now, I think has decent facilities, not too lavish but good enough. Places to see are legion, out to the West, beaches by the bucket load, the two roads up Harris are chalk & cheese.

Would go back in an instant once children are away.

Harris YES

Lewis Meh

Bit harsh, tbf but not far off.

No, it's all horrible you couldn't possibly enjoy a moment of it. If by some chance you do, keep quiet about it, eh?

The Uig (Skye) to Tarbert crossing is far more pleasant, more sheltered, and somehow just a bit friendlier. The roads up to Uig make for a great drive too, if you are that way inclined.

Callanish and the Arnol blackhouse are worth a look, but otherwise what piemonster said.

Great biking on Harris, and seilebost beach is stunning. You'll love it.

We spent a week at www.eileanfraoich.co.uk a couple of years ago. Nice wee camp site on a croft with reasonable facilities (but the corncrake can be quite noisy at night). Beaches on Lewis and Harris are stunning. Biking on Harris was excellent.

All good. The Butt of Lewis (as far north as you can get) is like the edge of the world. I did stay at the Gatliff Trust hostel on Berneray (another ferry trip). There's a camp site and you can use the hostel for cooking/showering. Nothing else there, but a lovely, lovely place. Causeways link the islands from Berneray to South Uist. You can ferry back to Uig from Lochmaddy on North Uist
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EDIT [url= http://www.gatliff.org.uk/ ]Gatliff Trust[/url]

I learned the hard way that a big tent out there is vulnerable to the wind.
Oh and the weekend at stornoway camp site is lively.

Lewis always gets a bum rap but you'd definitely want to pay a visit.
Timsgarry/Uig and Valtos over in the west, take the roads out the south side of Loch Erisort to a prt no one ever visits, Lews Castle grounds for family bike rides and walks, Callanish (and the various other stone circles), the blackhouse at Arnol, Carloway Dun and up to the Butt, popping in to Eoropie on the way for a stunning beach and playpark. The beaches at Gress and Tolsta are good to know about when it's a westerly as they are very sheltered.

Harris - the ride out to Rhenigidale is a classic but isn't exactly for kids. Good beaches at Huisinish and, as mentioned, Luskentyre. also Scarista. If you can squeeze it in, the ferry across the Sound to Berneray/North Uist on a good day is stunning and you'll see seals on most of the little islands.

Neither "island" is well set up for camping, certainly no big sites other than the one outside Stornoway (which is rather poorly located). Self-catering might, therefore, be a better option (though it would be a shame not to use that rather lovely tent 🙂 )

There's not that much driving between the extremes of the two islands so somewhere central-ish would be fine. That probably means Tarbert.

Should I photobomb this thread?

If camping isn't an option what about cheap self catering? Also where's good to go and see, beaches etc?

For self catering you probably need to book a year or more in advance cos there's not that many. We went to South Uist last year (heard that Lewis was a bit 'odd') & really have the urge to go again. Beaches are fantastically empty & windswept with crystal blue water. You get a feeling of solitude & nothingness while being aware of the ancient history of the area, It's awesome.
*checks on Calmac for ferries to Lochboisdale & Lochmaddy*

[quote=esselgruntfuttock ]We went to South Uist last year (heard that Lewis was a bit 'odd') & really have the urge to go again. Beaches are fantastically empty & windswept with crystal blue water. You get a feeling of solitude & nothingness while being aware of the ancient history of the area, It's awesome.
*checks on Calmac for ferries to Lochboisdale & Lochmaddy*Uist is awesome. We were there last summer and I immediately wanted to go straight back.

Either way, get your ferry bookings in early. We had to chop and change dates (and direction of travel) as almost everything was fully booked. We camped at the Balranald RSPB reserve on N Uist and it was superb.

Colin, did I see you riding over Askernish golf course with you on a fatbike & I said, 'Fatbike!' In June?

Not guilty m'lud!

Well we just about survived Durness....

Not guilty m'lud!

It was an actual path! No need to be defensive! 😆

Just the one photo I think.

[url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3847/14703630318_5708382238_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3847/14703630318_5708382238_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/opiX2y ]Dawn. North Uist bivvy.[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/22384952@N02/ ]ScotRoutes[/url], on Flickr

It's OK.... 🙂

[img] [/img]

Banranald

[url= https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7500/16256206446_8e121e06f0.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7500/16256206446_8e121e06f0.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/qLviPu ]P1040395[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/7904024@N08/ ]jimmyg352[/url], on Flickr

*checks Calmac again*

Ooh - I've paddled there (in a kayak!!!)

[img] [/img]

Aw, cmon, they'll all want to go now you've made it look sunny!

Twicewithchips, this your plaice?

[url= https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8569/16256465556_88ccec8a7e.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8569/16256465556_88ccec8a7e.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/qLwCQU ]P1040479[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/7904024@N08/ ]jimmyg352[/url], on Flickr

Sole proprietor?

[IMG] [/IMG]

Harris YES

Lewis Meh

Bit harsh, tbf but not far off.

Yes I agree. Lewis is generally flat, featureless moorland with one or two good beaches (e.g. Eoropie and Valtos). If I was going again I'd stay in Harris- Luskentyre is a bit special.

esselgruntfuttock - Member

Colin, did I see you riding over Askernish golf course with you on a fatbike & I said, 'Fatbike!' In June?

That was me, Scud & Boltonjon off here 😀

I am heading up to the Hebrides for a 2 week tour this summer.
was thinking of going from Oban, to Barra then Uist, then Harris/Lewis up to Stornaway, then ferry back to Ullapool.

is this doable in a week?

then spend the second week riding back down to Oban.
and what would be a good route for that?

Beware The Querang.

Doable Tony though you'd not have much time for sight-seeing. Route is straightforward enough going North. On the way South you basically follow the coastline all the way to Kyle, then I'd pop over to Skye and ride down to Armadale, ferry to Mallaig and down to Lochaline. Ferry hop to Mull, and then another to Oban. Detours to Ardnamurchan and round Mull (even Iona) are all possible depending on how many miles you think you'll be covering each day.

If you are pressed for time, I might be tempted to skip Barra (just cos of ferry timings really) and start in the Uists. Route-wise you can't really go wrong, just head north!

I like scotroute's suggestion for the southbound leg. If you wanted more time for sightseeing, you could do something like Oban-Uist ferry, head north, then Tarbert-Uig ferry and back to Oban via Skye/Mull etc.

Oh, and you guys must be codding if you think mussel-ing in with that sort of carry on will work - you are skate-ing on thin ice I tell you.
(salt and vinegar? open or wrapped?)

We spent a week doing the full length of the Hebrides and every evening we searched for fresh seafood. One day we saw a bloke unloading some langoustines from his boat and packing them in polystyrene so we asked him where we needed to go to eat something like that. His reply? "You'll need to be in Madrid tomorrow lunch time!"

Later on we went to a pub and outside there was a blackboard with "Fish of the Day" chalked on it. At last! Waiting for my pint, I asked the barman what the fish of the day would be. His reply? "Oh, I don't know.... whatever we took out of the freezer this morning!"

scotroutes and twicewithchips....that looks ideal. thanks

Outer Hebrides: http://www.blog.scotroutes.com/p/barra-to-butt.html

My 3 1/2 day Kyle to Oban route here: http://www.blog.scotroutes.com/2012/07/coasting-around-west-day-1.html

[url= https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8165/7570001986_683543b0b1_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8165/7570001986_683543b0b1_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/cwWeRC ]West Coast Route[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/22384952@N02/ ]ScotRoutes[/url], on Flickr

And more photos here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/druidh2000/sets/72157630562948042/