Walking in Outer Hebrides & the Isle of Skye
| country: | Scotland |
| location: | Inner Hebrides, Western Isles |
| trip type: | Introductory / moderate walking holidays |
| departures: | 2008: 13 Sep |
| price: | From £825 (7 days) excluding flights, based on two sharing. We can arrange flights from the UK |
read 1 travellers review
the amazing things you'll be doing
The pristine archipelago of the Outer Hebrides is an undiscovered paradise on the western edge of Europe.
With rugged and remote hills dropping down to long, white-sand beaches with the clear blue sea lapping gently on the shore, it is the perfect place to unwind and explore on a guided walking holiday.
Steeped in history and Gaelic culture, the Western Isles are a world apart from the mainland. The 5,000 year-old standing stone circle of Callanish is but one of many fascinating reminders of these islands' unique past. The wild and rocky coastline provides excellent walking and we gaze out into the Atlantic for sightings of passing whales.
From the gentle hills and hidden coves of Lewis we journey south to the beautiful island of Harris and its stunning mountain ranges and magnificent white beaches, which literally stretch for miles.
We will explore the history and wilderness areas of these islands, with a combination of gentle and moderate walks, taking time to appreciate the scenery and history and easing into the island pace of life.
The Isle of Skye, very different in character, boasts dramatic mountain scenery with unique volcanic lava formations. The islanders' famous tradition of Gaelic hospitality, together with the unique beauty, peace and tranquillity of these islands make this holiday truly special.
With rugged and remote hills dropping down to long, white-sand beaches with the clear blue sea lapping gently on the shore, it is the perfect place to unwind and explore on a guided walking holiday.
Steeped in history and Gaelic culture, the Western Isles are a world apart from the mainland. The 5,000 year-old standing stone circle of Callanish is but one of many fascinating reminders of these islands' unique past. The wild and rocky coastline provides excellent walking and we gaze out into the Atlantic for sightings of passing whales.
From the gentle hills and hidden coves of Lewis we journey south to the beautiful island of Harris and its stunning mountain ranges and magnificent white beaches, which literally stretch for miles.
We will explore the history and wilderness areas of these islands, with a combination of gentle and moderate walks, taking time to appreciate the scenery and history and easing into the island pace of life.
The Isle of Skye, very different in character, boasts dramatic mountain scenery with unique volcanic lava formations. The islanders' famous tradition of Gaelic hospitality, together with the unique beauty, peace and tranquillity of these islands make this holiday truly special.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Travel to the Outer Hebrides. An afternoon walk to the Butt of Lewis introduces you to walking in the Outer Hebrides. |
| Day 2: | A morning walk along the wild coastline precedes a visit to the well-preserved Iron Age fortress at Carloway. We follow this with a spiritually moving exploration of majestic stone circles at Callanish, set high on a moor with a backdrop of sea and mountains. (8 km, 5 hrs) |
| Day 3: | We explore wonderful Sands of Uig and the rugged hills immediately south of them. Tremendous vantage points with vast beaches, remote glens and rugged peaks creating a real wilderness landscape. (11 km, 5 hrs) |
| Day 4: | We climb Toe Head (365m), high above Traigh Scarasta, from where St. Kilda can be seen jutting out of the Atlantic horizon. We then visit the famous sands of Luskintyre where we relax and enjoy fine views to the island of Taransay, of BBC’s "Castaway" fame. (6 km, 3 hrs) |
| Day 5: | We journey over the sea to the Isle of Skye, where we explore the stark and unusual landscapes of the Quiraing and the Old Man of Storr on foot. We will also visit Kilt Rock and the charming village of Staffin on this relaxing day. (8 km, 3 hrs) |
| Day 6: | Our hike takes us deep into Glen Sligachan where we will gain views of remote Loch Coruisk or perhaps visit one of the Red Cuillin summits. (15km, 5 hrs) |
| Day 7: | Return to Inverness via Glen Shiel |
travellers' tales
Wouldn't have wanted anything different! Despite patchy weather which meant that Munro-baggers didn't get all the opportunities they would have liked, the location, the island hopping activities and above all the superb wildlife more than made up for it. (more)
highly commended
This tourism business was Highly Commended in our 2006 First Choice Responsible Tourism Awards the largest awards of their kind in the world, and organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society. Since 2004, the Awards has recognised individuals, companies and organisations in travel making a big commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and helping to conserve biodiversity.
how this holiday makes a difference
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Despite its beauty, the Highlands and Islands is one of the least affluent regions of Scotland, and the Outer Hebrides especially so. By bringing the benefits of tourism to this area and using local services and produce, we help to support local businesses, create employment and contribute to the overall sustainable development of the region.
We spend a few nights on Lewis, Harris and Skye, spreading the benefits of our business across the Hebrides. The guest houses we use are small and locally owned and the regular business we bring to them offers them some stability in terms of business. This holiday, like all of our trips, operates on a strict 'leave no trace' policy. This concept will be explained by our guide at the start of the trip and practised throughout. All of our Scotland-based trips start at railway stations to encourage travel by rail to Scotland. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |