Seeing others, such as the red-necked phalarope (that only breeds on the Loch na Muilne reserve near Arnol in West Lewis) and the white-billed diver (most often found on the sea off Port Sgiogarstaigh near the Butt of Lewis in late spring) involves both a walk and a great deal of patience.
Everyone who visits Harris and Lewis wants to see a golden eagle, and outside of the breeding period, when both birds are at the nest, it is not too difficult. There were 59 breeding pairs reported on the islands in 2005 and all you really need to do is park up in hilly country, look up and wait. If it looks like an ironing board with shirt sleeves hanging off the ends floating across the sky, then it is a golden eagle. Equally magnificent is the white-tailed or sea eagle. These were originally reintroduced on the island of Rum in the Inner Hebrides in the 1970s, but quickly spread to other islands and now frequent the deserted sea lochs such as Loch Sealg in Park (Walk 30). Their ability to take lambs has not made them universally welcome in the Western Isles.
One of the big attractions of bird watching in the Western Isles is the variety of migrants passing through in spring and autumn as well as offcourse vagrants that get blown in during storms. There is a small but active group of recorders on Harris and Lewis and. Visit www.thewesternisles.co.uk/birdsightings.htm to catch up with their latest sightings.
Getting there
Getting to the Western Isles is a major undertaking. This, and the uncertainty of the weather, perhaps explains why there are so few tourists even in the middle of summer. The distance from London to Harris is roughly 1000km (650 miles), making it about the same as a trip to the French Alps. For most people, that probably means a twoday drive with an overnight stop. Going south to somewhere such as the Chamonix valley with its enticing arêtes and glaciers is also likely to cost less than heading for Lewis and Harris, where the only certainty is peat bogs and midges. The choice is yours – but once you are committed to going, getting there is an adventure in itself.
A snow-capped An Cliseam from above Maraig on Walk 7
By air
Currently the following airlines have scheduled flights into Stornoway on Lewis:
Flybe has regular services from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Manchester and Benbecula that link with national and internal flights. For further information 0871 700 0535 or www.flybe.com;
Eastern Airways has a daily flight from Monday to Friday from Aberdeen. For further information 08703 669 100 or www.easternairways.com.
By sea
Caledonia MacBrayne operates daily ferries on the following routes:
from Ullapool on the Scottish mainland into Stornoway – journey time 2hrs 30mins;
from Uig on the Isle of Skye into Tarbert, Harris – journey time 1hr 50mins. Sunday services during on the winter timetable sail via Lochmaddy with a journey time of 4hrs 15mins;
from Berneray in North Uist into Leverburgh, Harris – journey time 1hr.
To save the disappointment of being left on the quayside, reservations are recommended for vehicles especially during the summer months, although this is not necessary for foot passengers. Since the autumn of 2008 Road Equivalent Pricing is being tested on certain routes, where ferry fares are based on the equivalent cost of road travel. If this remains a permanent fixture and new attractions, such as the Isle of Harris Distillery, appeal to new types of visitor, the Outer Hebrides may become much more of a magnet for tourists. Then it may become imperative to make a reservation. For further information contact 08000 665 000 or see www.calmac.co.uk.
You will undoubtedly have to schedule your travel to coincide with ferry departure times and one of the usual ways of getting to the Outer Hebrides is to drive through the night and take an early morning ferry. With two people sharing the driving it is possible to take advantage of the relatively empty roads and make good progress, freshening up with a shower on the ferry before enjoying a full Scottish breakfast in the cafeteria. It should be borne in mind that north of the main motorway network around Glasgow and Edinburgh there are few 24hr filling stations other than Fort William and Inverness, so keep an eye on the fuel gauge.
Approaching Tarbert on the ferry from Skye
Although Ullapool to Stornoway is by far the busiest ferry route, Uig to Tarbert is a personal favourite for a number of reasons. Travelling from the south the scenery is better, with views of Glencoe and the Cuillins on a clear day. At about 90mins, the crossing itself is just the right length with lots of interest out at sea: the Ascrib Islands in Loch Snizort as you leave Uig; the Fladdachuain off the north coast of Skye; and the Shiants as you get closer to Harris. With the help of binoculars it is possible to pick out the house that the writer Compton Mackenzie had re-roofed during the period 1926–7 when he owned the Shiants. If that is not sufficient reason to favour this route, the fare is also a few pounds cheaper than the Ullapool to Stornaway crossing.
By rail
It is quite possible to get to Lewis and Harris by rail. Heading for Harris, the rail network terminates at Kyle of Lochalsh, but a bus service connects directly with the ferry terminal at Uig on the Isle of Skye. Likewise, if heading for Lewis, a bus service links Inverness station directly with the ferry terminal at Ullapool.
For further information, contact Scotrail on 0845 601 5929 or see https://www.scotrail.co.uk/. This service does not carry bicycles, so if you are cycling you can either take the train as far as Garve and then cycle to Ullapool or use the Highland Cycle Bus that runs from Inverness to Durness via Ullapool in the tourist season. Phone 01463 222444 or see www.decoaches.co.uk for times and bookings. For further information contact Scotrail on 0845 601 5929 or see www.firstgroup.com/scotrail.
Getting around
In your own car
There are some 320km (200 miles) of road on Lewis and Harris. Some of it, like the descent from North Harris into Tarbert, is of an exceptionally good standard. Other stretches, such as the road around the eastern Bay area of Harris, tend to be narrow and winding. Having a vehicle on the island makes getting around to the more remote parts very easy. However, the only filling stations in Harris are at Leverburgh, Tarbert and Ardhasaig and the only ones in Lewis are at Stornoway, Kershader, Lower Barvas, Leurbost, Uig, Cros and Bernera, with only one in Stornoway and the one on Bernera currently open on Sundays. Fuel also costs around 10p a litre more than on the mainland.
Passing places – essential on the miles of single-track roads on Harris and Lewis
By rented vehicle
If you arrive by air you will probably need to rent a car. There are vehicle rental companies based in Stornoway and Arnol.
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