There was so much fun to be had on my trip to Scotland last May (I was there from May 4-20, 2019) that what started as two articles – about walking the West Highland Way and about everything else I did – ended up as six posts because there was just so much to share. If you’re interested in reading more about my trip, check the bottom of the post for more links. And if you’re thinking of visiting Scotland, go! I had an amazing time and would definitely recommend traveling there for many reasons, not the least of which is the beautiful scenery and friendly people.
Stage three of my trip, or maybe it was stage four, was all about the islands. Well, the Isles of Lewis and Harris at least. I remember being fascinated that an island could have two names back when I lived in Scotland (I spent six months on a working holiday on the Isle of Bute after university, more than a decade ago) and had always wanted to visit. Curious about what I did and what I wish I could have done? Keep reading to find out…
Fort William to the Isle of Harris
I took the bus from Fort William to Uig on the Isle of Skye where I caught the ferry to the Isle of Harris. It was a pretty journey (as all of my bus, train and ferry journeys were shaping up to be). It was also a beautiful day so once on the ferry – super easy to board as a walk-on passenger – I stashed my main luggage and searched for the outside deck so I could watch for marine life. It was such a smooth crossing as there were virtually no waves or wind, but also no marine life other than a few birds. I took lots of photos, mainly playing with the zoom on my camera, but also because the coast of Skye is fun to photograph. It did get a bit chilly as we approached Harris but just “being on the water chilly”, not actually cold. One of the easiest crossings I’ve ever had.
Tonight was a splurge night as I was staying at a hotel, the Hotel Hebrides, rather than my normal hostel, and it was literally across the street from the pier (Tarbert is a small village) so it was easy to find. I quickly checked in and if it wasn’t for the included breakfast the next day, I would have recommended it. The room was nice except the bathroom garbage wasn’t emptied from the previous person. Otherwise, it was comfortable and looked like the photos. Reception was super friendly and helpful. The pub was a pub (more later) with friendly and quick service. But the breakfast was cold/cool except for the eggs, I really should have sent it back, although that’s something I rarely do. Sure, I arrived for breakfast 30 minutes before they stopped serving but I still expected everything that should be hot, to be hot, especially given the price. The server for breakfast (who was also my pub server, and lovely then) was a bit unprofessional to the German couple beside me, who were quite rude first. They must have complained because shortly after they left, a guy came in and reprimanded her in front of me (which was very unprofessional, especially as there was a kitchen a few steps away). So mixed feelings, although the bathroom products smelled nice.
But to backtrack, I had a nice fish & chips and a pint in the pub for dinner, where I shared a table with a chatty English gentleman who was my Dad’s age and from Brighton. He was kind enough to invite me to share his table (the pub was full and I was waiting at the bar) which was nice. He had asked the server to ask if I wanted to join him, she asked me and I thought “why not”. We had a nice conversation, he’s biking the islands, while eating dinner. It’s always interesting chatting with the different people you meet when traveling solo. I never meet as many if I’m traveling with friends. The rest of the evening was spent relaxing, reading and enjoying the quiet of my own room.
Tarbert, Harris Distillery and then Stornoway
As previously mentioned, breakfast was included so I had the big Scottish breakfast (scrambled eggs, 2 bacon, 1 sausage, 1 slice of Stornoway black pudding, fried mushrooms, baked beans, a bit of cooked tomato, and what I assume was similar to a hash brown). I wasn’t impressed. At. All. It was oily and the only thing that was hot was the eggs. It was my only bad meal of the trip and I expected more from a nice hotel, especially as I’d been looking forward to it.
After checking out, I left my bag at reception (the lovely lady at reception was super helpful and friendly), and went for a walk along the road towards Scalpay before heading down a section of the Hebridean Way. It was a lovely morning and I had time to kill before the distillery tour so a walk was just what I needed. It made me wish I was walking more of the Hebridean Way (maybe next time) as the little I did was was lovely.
I then headed to the Isle of Harris Distillery for a tour – which was lovely even if their whisky isn’t ready yet. FYI – 3 year old whisky tastes like rocket fuel! Interestingly, I guessed what the other whisky was (Highland Park) as it’s one I quite like and often buy. Unfortunately, I’m not a gin fan but theirs was interesting, if a bit medicinal for my tastes, and the tour was great. However, I had been told by multiple people that Harris Gin is amazing so if you’re a gin drinker, try it if you have the chance. And take the tour, you get to learn about both gin and whisky.
Afterwards, I had a lovely scone (it was delicious!) with jam and cream and tea (side note: I loved that I could have a pot of tea everywhere, the tea drinker in me was super happy) at their café before heading to catch the bus to Stornoway. It was a nice bus ride and soon, I was on the Isle of Lewis. I easily found Heb Hostel (the hostel I was staying at in Stornoway, and one I would definitely recommend), checked in and then went for a walk around the Lews Castle grounds to explore. Unfortunately, the castle appeared to be under renovations so it was hard to get a good photo but the grounds were fun to explore.
Callanish, Dun Carloway and Gearannan Blackhouse Village
I love it when two of the places I really wanted to visit were on the way to where I was spending the night. But let’s backtrack, Heb Hostel was comfy and quiet and since everyone else showered in the evening, I had the bathroom to myself (it was a shared ensuite that night). After a quick breakfast, I left my main bag there (I was staying there again the next night) and only took my day bag with enough stuff for the night so I could easily walk between sites and enjoy the gorgeous weather.
I can’t say enough how much I like my new day pack, a Patagonia women’s 18L Nine Trails Pack. It’s perfect for day hikes, an overnight trip, hiking without too much stuff, or hiking when the majority of my stuff was being transferred from one place to another (or I could leave it at a base) so it was fine for my overnight trip to Callanish, Dun Carloway and Gearannan Blackhouse Village.
But I digress, back to the fun. I headed to the bus station which was about two blocks away (which is also where the ferry is) to catch the bus to the Callanish standing stones. Callanish is impressive, especially as you can actually walk up and around them (not like Stonehenge) and knowing they’re older than Stonehenge. There are also two smaller stone circles about a mile away and you can explore them all for free. Of course, I did. After exploring the main Callanish site, where the visitor’s center is, I walked over to the one that was furthest away (an easy walk), explored it, and then checked out the one in the middle before heading back to grab a quick bite (a scone and tea) at the visitor’s center cafe. All in all, I probably spent two hours there, plus another 30 minutes at the visitor’s center. It was great place to explore at my own pace and the weather was gorgeous – sunny and about 20C.
I caught another bus (same route) to Dun Carloway Broch. Unfortunately, the bus driver was busy talking and forgot to stop (she said she would so I didn’t miss it) so I had to backtrack from the next stop. No worries, the weather was amazing and it was probably only a kilometer or two. I wandered around Dun Carloway Broch, the best preserved iron age Broch in the Outer Hebrides. It was amazing how short the doorways were – I almost had to crawl to enter. Interesting but a bit claustrophobic for me. There was also a cute little visitor center. I kind of wished I spent a bit more time exploring the area around as afterwards I saw the views from a walk nearby but I had more walking to do and things to see.
So once looking my fill around Dun Carloway Broch, I headed off to Gearannan which was supposed to be about an hour away but it took a bit longer so I think Google was a bit off. No worries though, it was road walking so easy if up and down and the views (and the day) were gorgeous as I was right close to the sea most of the time.
Gearannan Blackhouse Village is not only cool, historical and the hostel a fabulous place to stay but it’s also right on Gearannan Bay so it’s beautiful and there’s lots to explore. Plus it faces west so I got to watch the sunset while drinking a glass of whisky on the beach. I took a jaunt up the cliffside, or rather a walk over the “rocky” beach (large, smooth rocks, not pebbles – see the photos to understand) and then up the trail up and along the cliff for amazing views of the Atlantic Ocean. Lovely! I found a nice place to chill and just let the fantastic views, fresh air and solitude soothe my soul. So happy I stayed there and I’d definitely recommend it – the hostel itself was clean, comfy and way more modern on the inside. But it was the gorgeous surroundings that truly made it stand out. Stay there if you have the chance!
Side note: there were two Canadian girls staying in the hostel room with me and one is from Lindsay which is quite close to my hometown. Small world.
Stornoway
Unfortunately, I woke up completely congested with a severe allergy attack – just in my sinuses but it zapped my energy. It altered my plans as I had no energy or desire despite how amazing the weather was (again!) so I decided not to go up to the Butt of Lewis and instead head straight back to Stornoway.
The bus that I caught from Gearnannan to Stornoway was a local milk run which was a great intro to how old people complain… a lot. The bus was 20 minutes late due to road work and wow, everyone over 50 had something to say about it. It was an interesting insight into locals and one of the many reasons I love traveling by public transit (for real, you get to see what a place is like when you travel with locals).
When I got to Stornoway, I went back to Lews Castle to explore the museum (nice museum, I learned a lot about the history and people of the Isle of Lewis), wandered around the town – the tea shop was closed, no tea to take home for me – and found a bench looking over the harbour to relax, soak in the sun and read. Despite being under the weather, it was a lovely, relaxing day. Oh, and the sandwich I had at the Woodlands Centre on the Lews Castle grounds was lovely.
Other than that, not much to report. My dinner of cheddar, oatcakes and an apple was approved by an older French dude. Oh, and over-the-counter meds are much cheaper in Scotland.
Final Thoughts
Unfortunately, my time on the Isle of Harris and Lewis ended and there was still lots to explore. Despite the allergy attack, I had an amazing time with fantastic weather. I met lots of interesting and friendly people, soaked in a ton of history, learned a bit about island life, relaxed and generally had an amazing time. If you ever have the chance, visit the Outer Hebrides!
Have you been to the Isle of Harris and Lewis? What did you like best?
Rambles and Walks 