Scottish Western Isles (1 Viewer)

[Dave K]

Hi all
We're off up to Scotland in April for a couple of weeks and we're hoping to concentrate on the western Isles, just wondered if you can recommend any places to visit and stay, any info will be helpful, just hoping the April weather is favourable!

 

[DavidG58]

are you planning on doing the whole length?

IMO Harris is by a mile the best, but we like big views and nature, for history Lewis, for amazing low level fresh water Uists, for isolation Barra

But save the most of your time for Harris

the last one is Lewis, end of the road heading roughly southwest from Stornoway

first one I now think might be mainland en route to WI

you cant help but enjoy it

 

[laird of Dunstan]

This one is just to the north of Stornoway ,its called Tolsta , theres a car park where you can overnight

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[DavidG58]

check out the web site on the post above, amazing value for £5, honesty system which I fear is abused, my FIL would have been an offender, look up my trip last August, I cant bring myself to revisit it

www.westharristrust.org/camping

 

[Dave K]

are you planning on doing the whole length?

IMO Harris is by a mile the best, but we like big views and nature, for history Lewis, for amazing low level fresh water Uists, for isolation Barra

But save the most of your time for Harris

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the last one is Lewis, end of the road heading roughly southwest from Stornoway

first one I now think might be mainland en route to WI

you cant help but enjoy it

Thanks for the reply David, we visited Skye last year but Kathie wants to see Fairy pools as we didn't see it last time, mainly because we then carried on along the north coast. We're hoping to concentrate most of our time on the Isles this time although we've only got a couple of weeks away from work so it'll be time permitting.
Dave

 

[DavidG58]

Thanks for the reply David, we visited Skye last year but Kathie wants to see Fairy pools as we didn't see it last time, mainly because we then carried on along the north coast. We're hoping to concentrate most of our time on the Isles this time although we've only got a couple of weeks away from work so it'll be time permitting.
Dave

If I can be so bold as to suggest, go Uig (Skye) to North Uist, my Avatar is on just about the only camp site there (cant remember the name now, but will look it up) the ferry to Harris, an amazing zig zag route, then return from Tarbert back to Uig as late as you dare leave it

There are a few places that I feel are do not miss, but you will bump into most of them as you arrive

I will look up exact locations when not under the influence of my Friday G + T's

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[laird of Dunstan]

Its a fantastic area to explore ,there are wild camping spots in some beautiful places. We only stopped one night on harris and spent 5 nights on Lewis , I was banned from driving down single track roads after i ended up getting stuck

 

[Dave K]

If I can be so bold as to suggest, go Uig (Skye) to North Uist, my Avatar is on just about the only camp site there (cant remember the name now, but will look it up) the ferry to Harris, an amazing zig zag route, then return from Tarbert back to Uig as late as you dare leave it

There are a few places that I feel are do not miss, but you will bump into most of them as you arrive

I will look up exact locations when not under the influence of my Friday G + T's

Thanks again, we're going straight from the Chester rally so I might catch you there or you can come up with us and be our tour guide

 

[Dave K]

Its a fantastic area to explore ,there are wild camping spots in some beautiful places. We only stopped one night on harris and spent 5 nights on Lewis , I was banned from driving down single track roads after i ended up getting stuck

Haha, some of the roads on the mainland are bad enough so I feel your pain. What are the ferry crossings like, are they similar in time to the Mallaig to Skye crossing?

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[DavidG58]

Thanks again, we're going straight from the Chester rally so I might catch you there or you can come up with us and be our tour guide

just mentioned to Bev, if we can get to Mum booked in for 3 weeks not one, you are on

As for the ferries, far fewer crossings, but plenty of room at this time of year, still worth booking at least the outward

Pay on board North Uist to Harris, maybe visit Tarbert and book return while trying the gin at the distillery, or book online, or phone all same price, very easy

 

[CWH]

you can come up with us and be our tour guide

just mentioned to Bev, if we can get to Mum booked in for 3 weeks not one, you are on

Huh, I'd invite myself too but I still won't have my van... Major sulk

 

[Dave K]

just mentioned to Bev, if we can get to Mum booked in for 3 weeks not one, you are on

As for the ferries, far fewer crossings, but plenty of room at this time of year, still worth booking at least the outward

Pay on board North Uist to Harris, maybe visit Tarbert and book return while trying the gin at the distillery, or book online, or phone all same price, very easy

And we've just discovered gin so that would be good!
Thanks again for all the info, we'd obviously be more than happy to have travel partners but don't put yourself out with your mum on our behalf, I know what that's like, whatever you're both happy with

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[Dave K]

Huh, I'd invite myself too but I still won't have my van... Major sulk

, you'd have been very welcome, maybe next year

 

[tinks703]

Hi, we have booked cal Mac hopscotch 8, from Oban to Barra for the end of April. Then up to south and north uist. Lewis and Harris then back from Stornaway to Ullapool. £299 for the three of us plus dog on a 7 m motorhome. Looking forward to it, back in time to vote for council elections.

 

[Dave K]

Hi, we have booked cal Mac hopscotch 8, from Oban to Barra for the end of April. Then up to south and north uist. Lewis and Harris then back from Stornaway to Ullapool. £299 for the three of us plus dog on a 7 m motorhome. Looking forward to it, back in time to vote for council elections.

Just looked at those, the hopscotch 11 looks ideal for what we want but the system is unable to give me a price at the mo .
Thanks for the info though

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[DavidG58]

when I have looked at hop scotch options in the past, they do not seem to make any significant saving and I think you have to pretty much commit to the crossings at the time of booking

might make more difference in the very long options like from Oban

we prefer to be more flexible

 

[Dave K]

Managed to now get a price for the hopscotch 11, it comes out at £196.95, this is Mallaig to Armadale, Uig to Lochmaddy, Berneray to Leverburgh, Stornoway to Ullapool.

 

[Dave K]

when I have looked at hop scotch options in the past, they do not seem to make any significant saving and I think you have to pretty much commit to the crossings at the time of booking

might make more difference in the very long options like from Oban

we prefer to be more flexible

I can understand that, it's that bloody thing called work that makes us like it unfortunately.

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[Dave K]

check out the web site on the post above, amazing value for £5, honesty system which I fear is abused, my FIL would have been an offender, look up my trip last August, I cant bring myself to revisit it

www.westharristrust.org/camping

Where can I find your trip from last August, I'm thinking it'll be better viewing than Casualty

 

[DavidG58]

http://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/scotland-in-14-nights.128238/#post-1813490

BTW be grateful, we can't farm Mum off, so it will Chester for a drink or 2 and a few chats

 

[irnbru]

Like DavidG said, your best not to bother with the hopscotch. Not a great deal to save nowadays since tbe fares have came down.

@andy63 has some great photos of our trip.

Wherever you go you wont be going far wrong.

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[Dave K]

http://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/scotland-in-14-nights.128238/#post-1813490

BTW be grateful, we can't farm Mum off, so it will Chester for a drink or 2 and a few chats

It would've been great to have the company of you both, it would've added to the experience of the trip, hopefully we can do it another time

 

[DavidG58]

It would've been great to have the company of you both, it would've added to the experience of the trip, hopefully we can do it another time

once you have read half of the tread above you might be grateful for our lack of intervention

pour another drink and enjoy

 

[Dave K]

once you have read half of the tread above you might be grateful for our lack of intervention

pour another drink and enjoy

Love the thread, I'm sure Kath thinks I'm mad laughing away to myself, the walkie talkies were a favourite of mine .
At least you did the honourable thing and you didn't offer your in laws to take your place!

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[andy63]

@andy63 has some great photos of our trip.

Not great but here's a few..

And the last one... a reminder of one of the worst maratime disasters whichfew really know about ,but which had a traumatic effect even to this day on the western Isles. .

 

[Dave K]

Not great but here's a few..
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And the last one... a reminder of one of the worst maratime disasters whichfew really know about ,but which had a traumatic effect even to this day on the western Isles. .
View attachment 152962

Thanks Andy, some great pics

 

[laird of Dunstan]

If you get to skye ,a great place for eats is at the Oyster bar ,its close to the Talisker distillery ,the locals on all of the islands we found were very friendly and accommodating , one guy even offered us his land to park on for a few days ,we drove up past lomond and then towards fort William ,then through the glens towards the Kyle of Lochalsh and over the bridge to Skye ,a couple of days on skye then the ferry at UIG to harris , before heading up to Lewis for 4 or 5 days then ferry to Ullapool ,inverness stopping for an overnight at Drumnadrocit ,before heading back down to milngavie , in all we had a fantastic two weeks and only paid for campsites on 3 nights ,if you get reasonable weather its a fantastic trip

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[Dave K]

If you get to skye ,a great place for eats is at the Oyster bar ,its close to the Talisker distillery ,the locals on all of the islands we found were very friendly and accommodating , one guy even offered us his land to park on for a few days ,we drove up past lomond and then towards fort William ,then through the glens towards the Kyle of Lochalsh and over the bridge to Skye ,a couple of days on skye then the ferry at UIG to harris , before heading up to Lewis for 4 or 5 days then ferry to Ullapool ,inverness stopping for an overnight at Drumnadrocit ,before heading back down to milngavie , in all we had a fantastic two weeks and only paid for campsites on 3 nights ,if you get reasonable weather its a fantastic trip

How do you manage with water and waste water, are there places to fill up, empty waste etc?

 

[laird of Dunstan]

How do you manage with water and waste water, are there places to fill up, empty waste etc?

water was not too bad ,At drumnadrocit there is a dedidcated outside tap for fresh water ,i emptied our cassette in Public toilets ,and grey water over a drain hole ,there was also fresh water available at Stornoway,i just asked one of the harbour guys first ,also toilets at Tolsta Beach ,we filled up at Bobs cottage on Skye,the guy offered us the use of his outside tap ,most people look upon water as a free resource in Scotland, we took the oportunity when it arose to fill up with water,empty our grey and black waste ,there are plenty of places to do it.There are even public showers and toilets close by the main road on one of the islands,either Skye or lewis ,the best way to do it is ensure that you leave no mess and ask before hand . We also picked up any rubbish that we found at overnight stops.

If your going to visit Eileen Donnan ,try to get there for 9 am ,the place gets poluted by tourists but its well worth a visit ,from there we drove to Skye via the bridge,taking it nice and slow,stopping now and then to savour the majestic scenery ,there are a lot of places to pull over ,we also spent money in local businesses which imho helps the image of motorhoming , our one visit to a tesco was at oban to top up on dog food and i spotted fresh scallops at half price so i availed myself of a healthy portion or two . We kept a look out for small village type shops to purchase food from , my personal view is that im saving £15 to £20.00 a night on campsite fees so spending a little in local shops helps

If you get to Lewis, i recomend the stones at callanish as a must see go into the visitor center first and have a read up ,i was quite annoyed at the fish and chip brigade pouring out of their buses and the trampling all over the stones with no regard to them having been a burial ground ,there are several standing stone circles in that area.

I must get a lead for my camera to upload some of my photos

 

[andy63]

A few more attractions worth a visit and photos of the info board at the chalanais stones.

dun carol broch.

There was an interesting bell on the rocks in the bay... didn't understand the significance of it at the time I visited but it's a bell that rings as the tide covers the rocks.. a piece of modern art next to a once ancient settlement. .. popular with modern day hippies now lol... but they a friendly bunch..
And a bit more info on the iolair who's monument I posted in the first lot of phots. .

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