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Outer HebridesUpdated 04.14.2006
Outer Hebrides, a wonderful archipelago about 40 miles off the north-west of Scotland. There are five main islands: Lewis-Harris, North Uist, Benbecula, South Uist, Barra plus and a lot of magnificent little islets. I was only in Lewis and Harris, but now I'm planning to come back as soon as I can. You can take the car-ferry (run by Caledonian Mac Brayne) from the harbour of Uig in the Island of Skye, that now has a bridge that connect with the mainland. You will arrive at Tarbert in Harris. I think that a car is quite necessary to really visit the island, that is the largest and most populous of Outer Hebrides. I have hired it tin the mainland, in fact is quite difficult to reach Skye from Edinburgh or Glasgow without a car. But you can also arrive at Lewis or at Barra with the plane. A very good address to stay in Skye is the Fiordhem, a small and isolated fisherman's cottage now run as bed and breakfast at Ord, phone 01471855776.
I strongly suggest you to take your time for your stay, in fact I had only a few days to spend here and I am really regretting for this. A good place to stay is Carminish at Leverbourgh in the south of Harris, phone 01859 520400, fax 01859 520307, or Allan Cottage guest house Tarbert, phone/fax 01859 502146 , instead you can choose the luxurious Scarista House at Scarista bay, not far from Leverbourgh, phone 01859 550238 fax 01859 550277. I suggest you to visit first Lewis with is rough north-west coast and the magnificent Callanish standing stones, a site of a stone circle erected 4000 years ago, almost equal for importance and beauty to Stonehenge. A very good place to have a meal is the little tea room Stovald, near the sea, at Shawbost. After that you can relax yourself in the magnificent west coast of Harris. There are no words to describe the lonely white shell sand beaches in the spring sunshine, backed by the machair in flower. I can only tell you that for a 15 miles drive from Tarbert to Leverbourgh trough the west coast I spent a whole day, is absolutely impossible, if you are not dull to the beauty, not to stop any half a mile and stay in contemplation of these breathtaking views. Incredible place also for bird-watching, you can see a lot of sea birds and also the sea eagle. Particularly wonderful is the Scarista beach with its golf course backing the sea, and the little islot of Taransay a mile offshore, once inhabited, the last family left in 1942. Here you can breath the true spirit of these islands and maybe begin to dream a future visit at Hirta, in the St Kilda archipelago 41 miles west of North Uist, the isle at the edge of the world, which legend I think has a great place in the heart of every islands lover. Of course I suggest you to visit the crafts of Harris Tweed' weavers and to buy this magnificent tweed. Some good address: Clò Mòr di Ann Campbell, 1 Liceasto Harris phone 185983364, Flora Anne Mac Leod, Harmony villa, Scaldabay Harris, phone 1859511221, Alister and Katia Campbell, 4 Plockrepool, Drimisheder Harris, Moreg Mac Leod, 16 Jameson Drive, Stornoway Lewis phone 1851703265. Books and guides:
Have a good stay. If you want to share your impressions and addresses E-Mail me.
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If you are searching for travel information and good addresses about these islands just click at the links below or go to Home where you will find a search engine to scan this site or the web for you. All the addresses and the suggestions made in these pages were personally tested.
Have a good trip. I'll be glade if you want to share with me your experiences about islands you visited and addresses you think worthy to be added.
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