Isle of Harris/Lewis

Zazie

Hi all

Thinking of taking the car to Harris in June and would welcome any advice.

1 How to get there
2 Where to stay (budget mid-range - could be self-catering, hotel or B &
3 Anything not to miss?

Thanks.

vikingaero

How to get there:

http://www.calmac.co.uk/

Where to stay?

Dunno!

Zazie

Thanks for the ferry link.

I was hoping someone who'd been would be able to recommend a nice place to stay. Have you been Viking?

lucylucky

Not sure of the prices when you are going but the Hotel Hebrides is a nice place. Right next to the ferry terminal in Harris.

http://www.hotel-hebrides.com/

Remember to book your ferries, I have seen people turned away when the ferry is full

eamon

I've been there and would go back. Ferries for the Western Isles leave from Oban, Uig and Ullapool. Google Visit Scotland for listings for accommodation and things to do. Use the Calmac site for booking your ferry journey. Personally I would go for self catering.

hellnearth

Google Virtual Hebrides for lots of info. If you are in Stornoway, there are some good and cheap B & Bs on Newton road just along from ferry. Try Macleod no 40.

Zazie

Thanks all. Keep the ideas coming.

vikingaero

Zazie wrote: »

Thanks for the ferry link.

I was hoping someone who'd been would be able to recommend a nice place to stay. Have you been Viking?

I've been to most of the other Islands apart from The Outer Hebrides. Pesky kids got in the way of our super touring holidays.:o

lilac_lady

i'd advise self catering too. The weather can be wet and windy so it's nice to be inside looking out instead of having to spend a miserable day dodging the rain. It's a beautiful place to go - lots of unspoiled beaches and views tha take your breath away.

Mark_Hewitt

I'm thinking of going too! But mid-April.

I've looked at Hotel Hebrides. In Tarbert right? I'd like to hear opinions from those who've stayed there.

Are there any good quality modern hotels in Stornoway? Can't find any...

mairi

Hi Zazie

In answer to some of your questions....

1. Calmac have the monopoly over ferry travel to the Western Isles so using them is the only way to get to Harris by car. You can drive through Skye to the ferry terminal in Uig and get across that way arriving in Tarbert, or you can travel up to Ullapool and get the ferry across to Stornoway and then drive down through Lewis into Harris. The Stornoway/Ullapool route runs 7 days a week, but at the moment the Uig/Tarbert route is Mon - Sat. There is word of Sunday sailings starting but we'll have to wait and see! You could also opt to reverse the route, or travel the same way there and back. Very little happens on a Sunday and you won't find any shops, cafes etc open, so you'll find it extremely quiet, something you'll love or hate!

2. Where to stay? Well, Hotel Hebrides is in fact lovely as others have said, but there are many other places too including many homely B&B's. I would also recommend self catering, for the same reason as lilac lady, and the people who own Hotel Hebrides also run Kirklea Cottages which are very nice and quite reasonable. If you have a look on Visitscotland.com and look up Tarbert Harris, or explore-harris.com putting in all the w's and a dot before, the 2 websites provide quite useful information. Kirklea Cottages as well as many other places are listed on both under accommodation.

3. Must sees...well it depends on what you like, and although I wouldn't class these suggestions as must sees, they'll hopefully give you some food for thought.
There's plenty of opportunity for hill walking, (you're surrounded by them!) or more gentle walks along the most beautiful beaches you'll ever come across, and more than likely have to yourself. There's the awesome island of St Kilda, plenty of boat trips but quite pricey. You could drive down the east side of the island taking in "the bays" and views towrds Skye, and maybe even stop off and see the famous Harris Tweed being made, then drive back via the west side taking in all the beaches, stopping off at Leverburgh and the Seallam visitor centre which would give you loads of information on the island. You'll also see the island of Taransay made famous by the BBC programme a few years ago across the sea from this part of the island. There's Rodel and the lovely church of St Clements to check out . Try leverburgh.co.uk and search for some info. Take a drive along to the island of Scalpay which is now connected by a bridge officially opened by Tony Blair in 1998. Check out all the w's dot virtualhebrides.com slash scalpay. There's Amhuinnsuidhe Castle where depending on the time you visit, you may see the salmon jump, passing the old whaling station on the way. I don't think you'd be allowed in the castle unless you're staying there, which you'd probably need a 2nd mortgage for, but the grounds which you drive through really are beautiful, and make a lovely photo stop. On the road towards Stornoway just by Loch Seaforth you'll find a signpost to the small village of Rhenigidale, which until 1990 was only accessible by a footpath over the hills, but is now made easier to access by a single track road. If you google the name you can read it's history and you'll find a couple of places to rent, or stay in the hostel if you want to stay somewhere completely away from it all.

I hope this has given you some ideas, but if you google any of the suggestions then I'm sure it will help you decide if it's for you. I'm sorry I can't post proper links yet, but hopefully you'll follow what I'm trying to say! Best of luck and happy googling!