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The - Western Isles - Outer Hebrides
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The Western Isles - The Outer Hebrides
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The Western Isles
The Western Isles, also known as the ' Outer hebrides' are a chain of islands some 30 miles off the north-west coast of Scotland. The main islands are - from north to south - Lewis, Harris, North Uist, Benbecula, South Uist and Barra. The Outer Hebrides sit orth of the Inner Hebrides, and comprise of Lewis, Harris, North Uist, South Uist, Benbecula, Barra, The Flannan Islands, St Kilda, Eriskay and other small islands.
The northern part of the Western Isles - known as Lewis, which is not an isle on its own, but is joined to Harris in the south. Between the two, is a range of mountains. The Isle of Lewis is the larges and most morthen island of the Outer Hebrides. The northern part of the island is largely flat, with much peat land, but has some gorgeous beaches on its coastline edges.
The south part of the island has dramatic scenery, with remote hills around Uig and the Pairc peninsula. The beautiful hills of the Isle of lewis are rugged and spectacular.
The main town on Lewis, Stornoway is a significant port and about a third of the population - some 8000 people live in and around the town.
The Isle of Harris & Lewis - Lovely beaches, great wildlife, stunning moorland, birds,rocks, crags, lochs, lochans, machair and wild flowers.The islands have an extensive coastline, approximately 2,500km in length, and there are many sea lochs, bays and inlets
Climate
The Western Isles have a marine climate dominated by ‘North Atlantic Drift’, with only slight temperature changes throughout the year. Winters are rarely cold and snow is almost non existent. Climatically the dominant features are wind and rain, December being the wettest month of the year.
In contrast to the winters, when the days are quite short, in the summer the actual daylight hours are extremely long with lots of daylight with barely two hours of darkness midsummer due to the northerly latitude of the Islands.
Travel
The Western Isles are accessed from mainland Scotland by ferries and airplanes. There are ferries from Uig on The Isle of Skye to Tarbert on The Isle of Harris, also from mainland Scotland, Ullapool to Stornoway and from Oban to Barra and Oban to South Uist.
There are airports at Stornoway in Lewis, Benbecula and Barra. with flights from Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness on the Scottish mainland and inter island flights to Barra and Benbecula.
The Western Isles has a good bus service. Many of the smaller islands are linked by road causeways and bridges, which have been built over a period of time.
Western Isles Birds The Western Isles birds are very beautiful - there are birds which can be seen all over Scotland and The UK. There are birds which breed on The Western Isles and also birds just passing through, which spend particular months of the year here before continuing their passages to other countries. |
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One of the most beautiful of all the birds, the Golden Eagle , the magnificent bird of prey is often to be seen soaring high in the Western Isles skies. as indeed are the white tailed sea eagles. There are large colonies of puffins on the famous St Kilda Island and also on the Shiants. The birds that can be seen on The Western Isles are so varied and really very beautiful. Click Here to see Western Isles Birds ..... Western Isles - Wildflowers |
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The flora and wildflowers are just stunning - as is the scenery of the islands. The Hebrides has a great diversity of wild flowers - from the yellow flag irises - to the lovely orchids , some of which are specific to The Western isles. All the year round The Western Isles is displaying for us splendid flora from groundcover plants - to the white water lilies that are native to the western isles |
The beaches are often backed by Machair, a Gaelic word describing a low lying fertile plain, providing one of the rarest habitats in Europe for plants and wildlife. Particular areas of the Western Isles - have their own machair - that is made up of all different types of flowers - sometimes some of the species being only specific to that particular region. The patchwork of machair becomes a riot of colour during the summer , when plants like corn marigold, wild pansy, thyme and orchids come into bloom. Click Here to see Western Isles Wildflowers ..... |
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Western Isles - Wildlife
The Islands contain some of Europe’s most outstanding wildlife and habitats The craggy cliffs are teeming with breeding sea birds and the shores are home to one of the densest populations of otters in North West Europe who live and hunt in the many of the Lochs. With a rich and varied marine resource, the Minch is home to the Minke Whale, Bottled Nosed Dolphins, Basking Sharks and many others.
There are of course many red deer on The Isle of Lewis and The Isle of Harris, which have adapted well to the rough peat and moor land.The Hebrides is also a very popular place for anglers who fish for wild salmon. Throughout the islands, the adult salmon return in the summer months.
Click Here to see Western Isles Hebridean Wildlife.....
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Western Isles - Seals
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The Outer Hebrides is also home to one of the two major Grey Seal concentrations in Scotland - and over 40% of the world population. There are also Common deals ( in fact 10% of the European population) to be seen all over the Islands. Click Here to see Western Isles Seals..... |
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Western Isles - Red Deer
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Red deer can be seen on the hills all over the Western Isles especially along the Huisinis Rd - Harris It is said that if there were wolves in Scotland then the number of red deer would be reduced dramatically as they would be a key target. Click Here to see Western Isles Deer..... |
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Western Isles - Butterflies
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The Hebrides also sees a great variety of pretty butterflies and moths, which I shall endeavour to capture on film as time goes by.. I have made a start already, with photographs and information about the Common Blue Butterfly, the Magpie moth which has a strange ecology, the larvae feeding on the heather here. Click Here to see Western Isles Butterflies and Moths..... |
Western Isles - Insects  |
The Hebrides or Western isles as they are now known is a great place to watch insects and creepy crawlies. You can get observe the insects behavior - like this burying beetle which has the curious habit of burying dead birds, mice, shrews, voles and other animals by digging the earth away beneath them. .Click Here to see Western Isles Insects..... |
Western Isles Beaches |
There are many long sandy beaches, where the golden sand is mixed with the white of crushed shells. There are many lovely beaches - which are unspoilt with golden and white silky sand. Some of the most dramatic beaches in the world are in The Hebrides. Huisinis beach, Luskentyre Beach. Borve, Horgabost, Seilebost, Garry, Traigh Mhor, Bosta, Uig, Reef Beach, Vhaltos, Mangersta many more.. Click Here to see Western Isles Hebridean Beaches..... |
Bosta Iron Age House  |
The iron age village first came to light after gales in 1993 exposed it. Found at Bosta on the northern end of Great Bernera was a network of 9 stone buildings all connected by tunnels. It is the most completely preserved late-Iron Age village ever found in this country. The University Edinburgh worked for many months and with the assistance of Historic Scotland to reveal a Norse settlement - which had actually been built over earlier Iron Age houses.. Click Here for more info about The Iron Age House..... |
Northton - Medieval Chapel |
Rubh An Teampaill Medieval Chapel at Northton - Isle of Harris - built on the site of an Iron Age Broch. Also findings point to the fact that this is the only place in the Outer Hebrides known to have been occupied continually since the Mesolthic period, 9000 years ago! Lovely Isle of Harris walk - three and a half miles, beautiful views, several beaches. Scarista,Traigh an Taoibh Thuath, Traigh-na Cleabhaig at Northton. See the impressionable remains of the medieval chapel, with stunning views of both Scarista and the Northton beaches.
Click Here for more info about The Walk from Northton - Isle of Harris... |
The Golden Road  |
The Golden Road winds and twists through the East Coast of Harris - sometimes called The Bays because of its miniature fjiords. The road - a single track road that connects all the tiny hamlets who have either Viking or Gaelic names. The scenery is spectacular encompassing what is sometimes described as a 'lunar' landscape, with rock that shines in the sun and beautiful lochs and inlets where seals bask on the rocks and a wide range of birds are to be seen. Click Here for more info & Pictures about The Golden Road..... |
The Phentland Road  |
The Phentland Road - A Secret Road This beautiful scenic road is almost a secret which perhaps only the locals are aware of - as it really isn't signposted well. You can take the road as a quick way to get from Stornoway to Carloway, or to follow through Brescelete on your way to Great Bernera passing Callanish. Click Here for more info & Pictures about The Phentland Road.... |
St Clements Church - Rodel  |
St Clements Church - Rodel - Medieval Sculpture The current church was built it is thought in the early 1500's but it is believed that it was built on the site of an older church of unknown date. The church is associated with the Augustinian nunnery at Iona. This building has been described as an ecclesiastical jewel and it really is a most impressive structure. The outside alone is very impressive - but the inside is simply stunning - the atmosphere inside seems to exude the Islands history and culture. Click Here for more info & Pictures about St Clements Church.... |
The Bridge to Nowhere |
Relic of Lord Leverhulmes Intended Plans The unfortunate Lord Leverhulme - I say unfortunate because it seems that many of the plans he intended for both The Isle of Lewis and indeed The Isle of Harris - do seem to have fallen "flat". As did this one. The plan was to develop Lewis and bring prosperity to Lewis - The bridge was just one part of his plans Click here to read about The Bridge to Nowhere........ . . |
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The Bunavoneader Whaling Station |
Whaling Industry Between 1903 and 1920 a Norwegian family - The Herlofsens ran the successful whaling station at Bunavoneader - Bun Abhainn Eadar in The Isle of Harris, just along the Huisinis Road - Outer Hebrides.
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The Blackhouse at Arnol - Lewis |
Blackhouses The blackhouses were houses for both animals and humans. There was no chimney and a peat fire was lit at all times in the centre of the kitchen and living area. THese dwellings were actually used by some residents of he islands right up till the 1960's. |
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The Iron Age Norse Mill |
Blackhouses The Norse Mill is a reconstruction of an Iron Age corn mill that actually did exist on the site at Shawbost. It really is in a very pretty location and the mill shows us a little snipped of what life was like for the inhabitants on The Isle of Lewis long ago |
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Rock - Geneology
The Western Isles, contains some of the oldest rocks in Scotland and The UK. The Lewisian gneiss, the name being derived from the isle of Lewis is the rock which is to be seen all over the islands. This rock is 3,000 million years olds and gives rise to acid, peaty, unproductive soils.
Click here for more info and pics of Lewisian Gneiss and the Rocks of the Wetern Isles
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Layers of Rock on a Mealista Beach |
Rocks at Mealista Beach |
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Lewisian Gneiss Rock |
Rocks - Gneiss at Bosta |
St Kilda
Many of you may not have heard or read about St Kilda, to really understand what you are seeing on the island, I think you really need to have read at least a few articles on the amazing history of the islands and the past residents.
This group of islands are all that remains above the sea of a large volcano thought to have been active 60 million years ago. The underlying rocks which are granite, gabbro and dolerite, have been eroded by ice, rain and sea to form an impressive coastline of the four main islands and offshore stacs. Stac an Armin, being 191 metres is the highest sea stac in the British Isles
In brief to summarise, St Kilda is a group of islands, though most people when quoting St Kilda, really mean the largest island where the actual village was, that called Hirta. Hirta was occupied for many thousands of years by various residents and there were many traditions handed down the generations, traditions influenced by monks, viking sailors, medieval rulers and landowners.
In later times though there were actually very few residents left and in 1930 the very last remaining villages asked the government to evacuate them to the mainland as life there was no longer sustainable. By this time there were only 30 residents left. It was a very sad occasion when they left the St Kilda village behind.
What remains there now are the ruins of both their original houses, mainly blackhouse type houses, alongside slightly newer houses which had been built for them in the later years. The layout of the 19th-century village remains to this day, and over 1,400 stone-built Cleit for storing food and fuel are scattered all over the islands, and even on the sea stacs
History
The Western Isles have been inhabited for over 6000 years. The Vikings invaded in the 9th century and today many place names are of Norse origin. Gaelic and English are both spoken. The Isle of Lewis and The Isle of Harris still retain some of their history and culture going back over 6000 years. The history of the Islands covers quite a bit of hardship over the times, when the islanders have fought with great determination to carve out their future. Historically Lewis and Harris have gone their separate ways, despite the existence of the common clan surname Macleod. - however today they are more united with the Western isles Council - the Comhairle nan Eilean Star, playing a great role in their present day
Callanish Stones
One of the things that The Western Isles are famous for - is the Callanish Stones - a worthy rival to Stonehenge - in fact these stones are older than Stonehenge.
Calanais comprises a late Neolithic stone ring and associated lines of standing stones.. Callanish has three sets of stone circles all within a few miles of each other - the main being a ring of large stones about 12 metres in diameter encloses a huge monolith at its centre. Charcoal samples were taken in the 1980's and subjected to radio-carbon dating in America which showed that these stones were erected between 2900 and 2600BC. Up till the 80,s previous estimates of how old they were - were really only educated guesses.
Dun Carloway Broch  |
The Iron Age Broch at Carloway in The Western Isles a stunning example of a broch. The broch was a structure built as a means of defence. The Carloway broch was probably built for either a tribal leader or at least for a really important member of the community. It was built with two concentric drystone walls .It isn't know exactly how long the Carloway Broch was in use, however it is known that it was in use in the 1500's. The broch's double wall is well preserved, showing how tiers of galleries were linked by a stone staircase within the hollow wall. Click Here for more pics & details about The Carloway Broch..... |
The Herring Girls of Stornoway |
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The Harris Tweed industry has always played an important role in the islands culture, industry and history. By its legal definition - the cloth must be woven on the islands. For centuries the islanders of Lewis,and Harris have woven the cloth the world knows as Harris Tweed, Clo Mhor or in Gaelic - 'The big cloth'.
The raw material, wool, being produced locally and part of it would have been used in its natural uncoloured state, the rest is dyed. When much of mainland Scotland turned to mechanisation of the cloth" industry - The Isle of Harris - (and Lewis) retained the traditional methods of creating this luxury cloth.
Today however machine-spinning and vat dyeing have been slowly trying to replace the hand methods. Recently extensive renovation and investment has taken place in the Mill at Shawbost , Lewis and the industry lives on.
The luxurious fabric from the Outer Hebrides has proved popular with leading British fashion designers over the past 20 years, including Vivienne Westwood, and is worn by celebrities such as Madonna and Gywneth Paltrow.
Harris Tweed - MBE for Luskentyre Weaver
A weaver who lives and works at Luskentyre - Donald John MacKay, in 2011 was given the MBE for services to the Harris Tweed Industry. Nike had been looking for a way to uodate their trainers and after seeing swatches of the Harris Tweed ordered immediately and many of the Islands weavers were put to work, to help meet the demand. Mr Mackay has been weaving for over forty years. Over the past 21 years, he and his wife Maureen have been independently producing the tweed, trading under the name Luskentyre Harris Tweed.