Highlights of the Outer Hebrides

From Edinburgh and Glasgow, we make our way into the beauty of the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park and continue through the countryside to reach the remote wilderness of Rannoch Moor.  

The haunting atmosphere persists to this day in magnificent Glen Coe, where the Campbells massacred the MacDonalds in 1692. From there we make for Fort William for close-up views of Ben Nevis, Britain’s tallest mountain.

From Fort William we make our way along the famed “Road to the Isles”, undoubtedly one of Scotland’s most scenic routes. Our journey will take us to Glenfinnan, where we will see the famous viaduct that stars in the Harry Potter movies. Next, we travel along the banks of Loch Eilt and see the beautiful sands of Morar.

At the historic fishing port of Mallaig, we join the ferry for the crossing to Lochboisdale on South Uist. Dinner will be served on-board, and when we arrive, it’s a short drive to our hotel on the neighbouring island of Benbecula.

The itinerary is subject to change due to ferry and hotel availability.

After a leisurely breakfast, we join the rest of our party for a drive through South Uist and across the causeway to reach Eriskay. This small island, just three miles long and two miles wide, boasts a beautiful sandy beach known as Prince Charlie’s Bay. It was here that Bonnie Prince Charlie landed in July 1745 at the start of the ill-fated Jacobite Uprising.

From Eriskay, we join a ferry for the short crossing to Barra. On arrival, we drive to Castlebay, the main village on the island, where we see Kisimul Castle.

Kisimul is the only remaining medieval castle in the Outer Hebrides and is the seat of the Clan MacNeil. It sits on a little islet in the middle of the bay, protected by its fifteenth-century walls. The castle is currently closed due to ongoing conservation work.   

Later, we will travel to see Cockleshell Beach, which doubles as the runway for Barra Airport. Barra is served by a twice-daily service from Glasgow, with a timetable governed by the tides.

Overlooking the beach is the home of the famous author Sir Compton Mackenzie, who wrote ‘Whisky Galore’. The book is based on the true story of a 1941 shipwreck. The cargo included 260,000 bottles of whisky, much of which was “rescued” before the official salvage team arrived.  

The story was made into a classic film in 1949. Much of the filming took place on Vatersay, which is next on our island-hopping itinerary. This small island is renowned for its diverse array of wildflowers.

Later, we return to Eriskay by ferry and make our way back to our hotel in time for dinner.

After breakfast, it’s time to move on to explore Harris and Lewis. First, we make our way through the lochans of Benbecula and into North Uist. At Berneray we catch the ferry for Leverburgh of the Isle of Harris.

Our first stop is to the little village of Rodel, where we will visit St Clements Church. This 16th Century church was built on an earlier building by Alasdair Crotach, 8th Chief of the MacLeods of Harris. He died in 1547 and is buried here in an ornate tomb which is decorated with fine carvings.

Harris is famed for its beautiful beaches, and we’ll pass Horgabost, Borve and Scarasta, which have some of the finest sands to be found anywhere. Enjoy the views over the sound to the island of Taransay, which featured in the popular “Castaway” TV series.

We will make a stop in Tarbert, the main community on the island before travelling through the Harris mountains to reach the moors of Lewis and our home for the next two nights in Stornoway.

Today, ancient history is on the itinerary as we explore the treasures of the Isle of Lewis. First, we make for the west coast of the island to see the mysterious Standing Stones of Callanish. Thought to be 5,000 years old, this collection of monoliths is believed to be older than Stonehenge or the Pyramids. The visitor centre features interactive displays that explore how the stones were constructed and what their intended purpose might have been.

Next, we move on to the Black Houses at Gearannan, to discover how islanders lived, not so very long ago, in these sturdy houses made of drystone walls and thatched roofs.

Our last visit of the day is to the Norse Mill at Shawbost. This reconstruction of an Iron Age grain mill is built on the site of the original mill used by Norsemen.

There are two buildings: The Kiln, where grains were dried by a peat fire and The Corn Mill, which is powered by water from Loch Roinavat. The mill was in use until the 1930s and provides a fascinating glimpse into life on these islands.      

We catch the early morning ferry from Stornoway. Breakfast will be served on board, and there will be time to head out on deck to enjoy the view as we pass the Summer Isles and make our approach to Ullapool by sailing up Loch Broom.

Back on our coach, we make our way through the North West Highlands to reach the Black Isle, then across the Moray Firth into Inverness. The tour will continue through the Cairngorms National Park, then descend through the Pass of Drumochter to reach Highland Perthshire, where there will be a stop.

The final part of our journey will take us through the Kingdom of Fife, across the Firth of Forth, and into Edinburgh. The coach will continue to Glasgow for those wishing to end the tour there.