Western Isles Vacations

For a great many years sailing to the remote Scottish islands has only really been within the reaches of the very rich.  During the last few decades the infrastructure of the Highlands has greatly improved. The result of this the islands are now accessible to most budgets and islands such as  the Western Isles can now be reached by boat or aeroplane. One of the main reasons why people visit islands, such as South Uist and the likes, is that, even though tourism is an important industry, they are totally unspoiled. In the article below I introduce the relatively small village of Leverburgh on the Isle of Harris in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. The village is the second largest settlement on the island with Tarbert being larger.

Most frequently the main attraction of the Isle of Harris is the huge selection of beautiful beaches of golden sand which can be found along the west coast of the island. The beaches feature the cleanest waters in the United Kingdom of Great Britain. Beaches such as Seilabost, Luskintyre, Huishnish and Nisabost prove the most popular, however you must not expect to see masses beach towels, sand castles, wind breaks and buckets and spades because  it is extremely common to discover that you are the only people enjoying the astounding views.

Most of the finest beaches are found on the south of the island and all are within a few minutes drive from the village of Leverburgh. The village has a selection of accommodation including Grimisdale Guest House, with superb self catering properties a few minutes away and several important amenities such as a general store, Leverburgh is a superb place to stay for a touring vacation of the Western Isles.

Spending time in bed & breakfast on Harris is a rewarding experience. The hospitality of the Isle of Harris is world renowned and all providers of accommodation try their utmost to make sure that all visitors have an excellent vacation. Hotels and guest houses are always incredibly clean with clean bedding and towels and if you are in need of advice staff are always keen to assist.

The unique landscape of the Western Isles supports a an immensely wide range of plants and wildlife, some of these are extremely rare or unique species. While you will rarely find a naturally growing tree on the Isle of Harris there are a small number of plantations across the islands. A small number of small forests of pine where cultivated many years ago and, thankfully most recent plantations are of native species more suitable to the unique environment and certainly far more beautiful.

The human impact on the Isle of Harris is immense long, long ago the island was completely covered in trees. When mankind first lived on the islands of the Outer Hebrides, many thousands of years ago, they they chose to live on the coast. making a living by hunting and fishing, and using the trees as fuel, over time they settled inland. In modern times fishing still has a vital role in the local economy and many Hebrideans live on a croft (a small holding where they grow crops such as potatoes.

Crofting (farming a croft) creates land which is ideal for rare and endangered birds such as the Corncrake. A huge variety of species of flora and fauna, Golden Eagles are frequently spotted and around Leverburgh are countless great sites to indulge in birdwatching. Each and every year crowds of birdwatchers arrive in the Western Isles to catch a brief look of a rare bird. Many visitors choose to spend some time in Leverburgh and then catch the ferry over to the Uists to visit such places as the RSPB sanctuary.

If you are planning a vacation on the island please take a look at our listings of Harris hotel accommodation