Hebridean Triangle

Your first short ferry trip leaves from Mallaig, is reached by a scenic route from Fort William, and crosses to Skye.  Your hotel is in the picturesque north-east of this magical island.

Your Hotel on Skye

Your accommodation in the north of Skye has been providing comfortable lodging and hearty food to travellers and locals alike for as long as anyone can remember. After a long day’s journey or exploration, relax in your en-suite room or by the fire in the bar, and take your time over a delicious home-style dinner. You’re in the ideal spot for further discovery, too, with some of the island’s most arresting locations within a short distance.

What to see and do

The Isle of Skye is utterly captivating, offering myriad spectacular contrasts, from towering mountains to gentle lochs and dramatic coasts.

The Cuillin Range dominates the landscape, its jagged peaks visible from much of the island to tempt serious walkers and climbers. However, there is plenty of gentler walking to be found elsewhere, from the eerie “Old Man of Storr” and the dramatic cliffs of the Quirang on the northerly Trotternish Peninsula, to the sheltered Bracadale area on the west coast, with its stunning views of the Western Isles.
The town of Portree, with its attractive painted harbour, is well worth a stroll.

The Sleat Peninsula in the south is an area of hills, moorland, woodland and seashore, offering endless opportunities for walking and drinking in the magnificent sea views. It’s worth stopping off at the Clan Donald Centre at Armadale Castle, with its fine arboretum and lovely garden, if you are passing this part of the island.
Do refer to Robert’s Recommendations to make the most of your time on Skye.

Today you have time to explore more of Skye, before catching the early evening ferry from Uig in the north of Skye across to North Uist, then drive south over a number of causeways through Benbecula and on to South Uist.

Your hotel on South Uist

Your accommodation is located on the south-western tip of South Uist and built on the water’s edge. The original building, dating back to circa 1750, retains many of its original features, with thick walls and low ceilings, giving the restaurant a particularly cosy and homely feel.

What to see and do

The islands of Eriskay, South Uist, Benbecula, Grimsay, North Uist and Berneray are all inter-connected by causeways, making it easy to explore. Do take heed of the signs and watch out for otters crossing!

There are abundant local walks whether on wide-open empty beaches, along the machair or in the heather-clad hills. Just take a range of clothing and a few supplies, as facilities can be few and far between in this remote corner of Scotland, and the weather changes rapidly. Woodland is sparse here. In fact, there are very few trees at all. Lookout instead for the furrows and little heaps of peat, still cut by hand for winter warmth.

Eriskay is famous as the scene of the shipwreck of the SS Politician, the story of which inspired the film Whisky Galore!. If you take a drive around the island, you are likely to spot small ponies in the fields – these are a distinct breed, saved in recent years from the brink of extinction.

You’ll see ruined and restored cottages and blackhouses across the islands; evidence of a larger population before the Highland Clearances and emigration in the nineteenth century. Take a drive around the Northern loop on North Uist, and you will come across the Georgian folly of Scolpaig Tower, plus one of the smartest and most photogenic of blackhouses, huddling under its thatched roof, against a backdrop of shimmering sand.

Birdwatchers will not want to miss the RSPB Balranald Nature Reserve on the west coast of North Uist. It is home to thousands of coastal waders and divers, an ideal place to hear the distinctive call of the elusive corncrake, as well as being a lovely place for a stroll. Meanwhile, Lochmaddy itself boasts several unusual attractions including a camera obscura and the impressive Taigh Chearsabhagh arts centre and museum.

Your next ferry leaves from North Uist, with time for more exploration as you tour. This crossing takes just an hour and picks its way through the small islands between Berneray and Leverburgh on Harris.

Your accommodation on Harris

In the island ‘capital’ of Tarbert, your accommodation is a long-established, family-owned hotel with friendly local staff, comfortable rooms and hearty local food.

What to see and do

You will be spoilt for choice along the west coast of the Isle of Harris as one expansive white sandy beach after another unfurls before your eyes. Sometimes it’s hard to know where one ends and the next starts.

On a sunny day, the contrasting pure turquoise waters give rise to many a comparison with the Caribbean with not a sunbed insight. And you won’t need to wander far to find solitude and tranquillity.

On the east coast, travel the “Golden Road”, a ribbon of tarmac meandering across a barren and rocky lunar landscape. You’ll still come across crofters’ cottages where you can watch Harris Tweed being woven and perhaps treat yourself to a special souvenir.

Your final Hebridean base is in Lewis, the northern section of the same landmass as Harris.

Your Accommodation on Lewis

Close to the island’s northernmost point ‘the Butt of Lewis’ with its atmospheric lighthouse and crashing ocean, your accommodation here is a recently upgraded inn with rooms, at the centre of life in this island community for over a century. There’s a bar in the barn where locals rub shoulders with visitors, and a locally sourced menu in the restaurant, complimenting the cosy en-suite bedrooms.

What to see and do 

Lewis is positively bursting with archaeological treasures, notably the eerie Standing Stones of Callanish, the Pictish Carloway Broch and several blackhouse villages. Combined with its incomparable scenery, the Isle of Lewis offers plenty of activities for those interested in history, wildlife, walking and much more.

With the shorter ferry crossing, your return route takes you from Harris to Skye (one hour 40 minutes) from where you can return to the mainland by a bridge.  Alternatively, you can cross the “Minch” to the mainland at Ullapool. (small supplement)