Oh, the magical Outer Hebrides, what an amazing place to explore in a campervan and with regular ferry crossings the trip defiantly is worthwhile.
Arriving on these incredible islands, you really will feel like you have escaped from it all. Discover a different pace of life as you explore untouched coasts and countryside, fascinating history and unique island cultures.
The Outer Hebrides is a group of islands off the west coast of Scotland, joined by causeways and ferries. Explore Lewis and Harris, Berneray, North Uist, Benbecula, South Uist, Eriskay, Barra and Vatersay.
It’s the captivating views, the endless beaches, ancient history, wonderful wildlife and finest fresh food that truly make a visit to the Outer Hebrides extraordinary. You can hear Gaelic being spoken or sung, listen to traditional folk musicians play in pubs, and see famous Harris Tweed being weaved by skilled local crafters. Or venture out on the wild side with cycling and mountain biking and of course, some brilliant water sports including sea kayaking and surfing.
Top 5 things to see in the Outer Hebrides
Kismul castle
Dating from the 15th century, Kisimul is the only significant surviving medieval castle in the Outer Hebrides. Kisimul Castle is the seat of the chief of Clan Macneil, who settled in Barra in the 11th century. Kisimul is known as the ‘Castle in the Sea’ due to its location on a rock in the bay, and can be accessed by taking a five minute boat trip from Castle Bay.
https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/kisimul-castle/
Harris Tweed Company
Discover a stunning array of Harris Tweed attire from this family-run weaver, the Isle Of Harris Knitwear Company.The Harris Tweed Company offers a fantastic selection of Harris Tweed coats, jackets and knitwear for men and women. Browse beautiful items woven by MBE decorated weaver Donald John MacKay from Luskentyre alongside stylish Mario Barutti jackets. View the company’s own authentic brand of Hebridean knitwear in a stunning palette of colours that are hand spun and dyed on the island.
http://www.theharristweedcompanygrosebay.co.uk/
Calanais Standing Stones
Located in the west coast of Lewis, the 5,000 year old Stones are famous all over the world.
The Calanais Visitor Centre contains an interactive Story of the Stones exhibition, which explores how the standing stones were built and used and what they have meant to people through the centuries. This fascinating walk-through display has graphic panels, models and an audio-visual display with a seating area.
http://www.calanaisvisitorcentre.co.uk/
St Kilda
Cared for by the National Trust for Scotland. Discover the awe-inspiring archipelago, St Kilda – the UK’s only dual UNESCO World Heritage Site. Home to nearly 1 million seabirds, it includes the UK’s largest colony of Atlantic puffins.
With its dramatic landscape of sheer cliffs and sea stacks, St Kilda National Nature Reserve feels like a place perched on the edge of the world. It is Europe’s most important seabird breeding area and includes the world’s largest northern gannet colony. St Kilda has an enigmatic past and the people who lived here had a unique lifestyle, dependent on the riches of the seas around Britain’s most remote point.
https://www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/st-kilda
Black house Arnol
This traditional Lewis thatched house is fully furnished, complete with an attached barn, byre and stackyard.
Built in around 1880, No.42 Arnol gives a special insight into island life. This blackhouse was once the residence of a Hebridean crafting family and their animals, who moved out in 1966, and today it is preserved almost as the family left it.
https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/the-blackhouse-arnol/