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A Journey Down the Outer Hebrides

A Journey Down the Outer Hebrides


Postby Blokewithastroke » Mon Apr 13, 2020 1:18 pm

Sub 2000' hills included on this walk: Ceapabhal (Harris)

Date walked: 31/07/2019

Distance: 278.9 km

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It seems to be an appropriate time - to me at least! - to be looking back to our summer holiday last year. We decided to go to the Outer Hebrides. Not somewhere we had previously thought of but with the then possibility of getting caught up in the more-than-likely frenzy of the post-Brexit period, we decided where - and when - better to go?

I should say this is not a usual blog or report. Instead, it is just a snapshot of our experience of travelling to and through the Outer Hebrides. I have chosen just one photograph of each of the islands we visited in our journey - with obvious apologies to Lewis and/or Harris and Grimsay. The first two because they are just one island; the third because it is extremely small!

If you wish to see a more complete report on these islands then please see the report sent by 'Bearded Wanderer' on 20/10/17 or even better the report sent by 'Malky-c' on 3/08/19. The latter contains some superb photographs.

After spending two nights at a well-known small hotel in the far north-west of Assynt, which included visiting the Corrieshalloch Gorge waterfall, we set off on our adventure on a ferry from Ullapool. It is hard to think of a better place to board a ferry to the Outer Hebrides, as you cruise past the Summer Isles and are over-shadowed by the grandeur of Ben More Coigach on the right and Beinn Ghobhlach on the left.
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Corrieshalloch Gorge


We arrived at Stornoway after 4 hours and found our B&B where we stayed for 2 nights before moving on to the Isle of Harris. The rest of the holiday followed a similar pattern, i.e. we spend 2 nights on an island before moving on to another location. This gave us a 'taste' of what to expect wherever we were staying. I expect that this will tempt us to go back and visit these places once - or maybe twice? Or umpteen times? - again. Eventually, however, we returned to the mainland at Oban after a 5 hour cruise through the Sound of Mull. All unique and subtly different in their own way. What a fantastic way to end our visit the Outer Hebrides!
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Butt of Lewis
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From the top of Ceaphabhal on the Isle of Harris.
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Berneray
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North Uist
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Benbecula
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South Uist
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Eriskay
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Barra
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Vatersay
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Oh, go on then! Just one more photograph... North Uist.
Blokewithastroke
Mountaineer
 
Posts: 61
Munros:4   Corbetts:3
Fionas:1   
Sub 2000:2   
Islands:15
Joined: Oct 19, 2014

Re: A Journey Down the Outer Hebrides

Postby jacob » Mon Apr 13, 2020 5:38 pm

Wow, I absolutely love the cows on the beach photo. Never seen any cow like that, hilarious. :lol:
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jacob
 
Posts: 521
Munros:19   Corbetts:9
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Hewitts:19
Joined: Mar 4, 2015
Location: East of Felixstowe ;)

Re: A Journey Down the Outer Hebrides

Postby Blokewithastroke » Tue Apr 14, 2020 9:43 am

I gather that it is not all that unusual in the far north-west of Scotland. The photograph attached was taken at Balnakeil Beach near Durness the day before we caught the ferry to Stornoway. It shows a stream of cows making their way across the beach to be milked, I assume, at the nearby farm. :)
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Balnakeil Beach
Blokewithastroke
Mountaineer
 
Posts: 61
Munros:4   Corbetts:3
Fionas:1   
Sub 2000:2   
Islands:15
Joined: Oct 19, 2014

Re: A Journey Down the Outer Hebrides

Postby nigheandonn » Tue Apr 14, 2020 10:58 am

I've met cows on the beach at Rhunahaorine in Kintyre, too. Deer on the beach in Jura!

Love the pictures, especially Berneray and Eaval. North Uist would be the one I couldn't resist a second picture of too :)
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nigheandonn
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Posts: 1663
Munros:19   Corbetts:9
Fionas:7   Donalds:26+10
Sub 2000:64   Hewitts:133
Wainwrights:214   Islands:34
Joined: Jul 7, 2011
Location: Edinburgh

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