The Outer Hebrides

Barra to the Butt of Lewis

Sound of Taransay, Harris - Photo: Steve Duffield These enchanting islands are made up of the oldest exposed rock in the UK and have some of the most beautiful scenery you could find anywhere. The contrast between the low-lying coastal plain of the Uists and the extensive moorland and hills of Lewis and Harris couldn't be more striking. Golden beaches stretch for miles along the west coast of the Uists whilst the azure waters would be at home in the Caribbean. Stunning and incredibly contorted rocks are found on the sea cliffs at the Butt of Lewis whilst shapely mountains and deep valleys characterise Harris. This diverse landscape provides a great variety of habitats and travelling through the islands allows us to experience a superb selection of wildlife.

The machair is vibrant with flowers at this time of year and, where low intensity crofting is still practised in the Uists, it provides a home to masses of nesting waders, Skylarks and Corn Buntings. By contrast the moorland supports a completely different array of flowering plants, many of which show adaptations to the lack of nutrients. It is also home to many of the nesting birds of prey which are found in surprising abundance in the islands. Hen Harrier and Short-eared Owl are absent from Lewis and Harris, yet common in the Uists where as north Harris is said to have one of the highest densities of Golden Eagles in Western Europe. White-tailed Eagles are slowly making a come back and can be found throughout the whole chain of islands in low numbers. Lewis is a good place to see some of our local seabirds feeding in the deep water close in-shore as well as providing us with the opportunity to see a number of whales, dolphins and possibly Basking Shark patrolling the surface waters. Otters although elusive are also common; once persecuted by humans these animals have now established one of their healthiest populations in Britain on the islands.

Callanish Stones - Photo: Steve Duffield Other signs of just how people once affected the wildlife can still be seen near Tarbet on Harris where the chimney from an old whaling station still stands.We shall also visit some of the more ancient monuments in the islands such as the Neolithic burial cairn at Langass in North Uist and the fascinating standing stones at Callanish in Lewis. It is evident that people have lived here for a long time and helped shape the fascinating environment we see today.