Scotland's Remote Western Isles
Just off the west coast of Scotland you will find a unique group of islands known as the Western Isles. Known in native Gaelic as 'na h-Eileanan Siar' this group of islands includes the inhabited islands of Lewis, Harris, Barra and the Uists (plus several other smaller inhabited islands) and a great many uninhabited islands (to make a total of 200). The number of tourists visiting the Western Isles has increased steadily over the last few decades with growing numbers showing an interest in taking a vacation to the area.
A treacherous stretch of water, which is known as the Minch, lies between the Scottish mainland and the Western Isles. The North Atlantic Ocean can be found to the west of the islands which regularly pounds the coast to create dramatic scenes. Many geologists visit the islands to study the rocks (which are some of the oldest on the planet) and, the fact that the Western Isles were one of the first places in the U.K. to become inhabited after the last ice age, makes them an ecellent source of historic sites interesting to archaeologists and visitors alike.
Naturalists find themselves in a wildlife paradise where they find much flora and fauna that is unique to the islands. The Western Isles are also known for their fertile grasslands, found just inland from the beaches, known as machair. Because the machair receives a regular dressing of calcium rich shell sand the ground is the perfect medium for the great many species of wildflower that grow there.
The Western Isles seem to continually provide new sites of special interest, especially to archaeologists. One thing you will notice when traveling across the islands is the incredible number of archaeological sites, especially standing stones and stone circles. The most famous site is the stone circle at Calanais which is unique in Europe as it has four avenues forming a shape like a crucifix. It is worth noting at this point that a recent Western Isles Council policy dictates the naming of places should be in the Gaelic language (with English translations below on road signs).
The Isle of Lewis is not widely known for it's beauty as many think it to consist mainly of barren moors. However these moors provide important habitats for some very important, and often endangered, species of animals and many birds. Furthermore the coast of Lewis, especially along the west coast, is absolutely gorgeous and it sometimes reminds me of Cornwall as it was before it was flooded with tourists. There are a number of sandy beaches, towards the south west, that are considered by some to be the finest of beaches in the Western Isles.
While the Isle of Lewis is rather flat as soon as we reach the Isle of Harris we begin to see the rich diversity of scenery for which the Western Isles are known for. The North Harris hills are really mountains and driving through the area you will soon discover how dramatic they really are. North Harris is divided into South Harris at a narrow point, where you will find the main town of Tarbert, and from then on South Harris is a much softer and greener environment with, what is claimed, the finest beaches in Europe. Further south again and North Uist is rather like a cross between North and South Harris but North Uist is considerably different with soft sandy beaches and the finest machair in the Western Isles.
One thing you will immediately notice when staying in Western Isles accommodation is the cleanliness and incredible comfort of all the rooms. The Western Isles are widely known for their friendly folk and incredible hospitality and this is especially apparent if you stay in a local guest house.
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If you are planning a vacation to the Western Isles you will need to find suitable Western Isles accommodation For listings of the finest accommodation in the area visit http://www.westernisles-accommodation.co.uk
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