Awesome or what?

Yes, yes they are.

Loving it. (again)

2008-05-24 13-48-20 by ScotRoutes, on Flickr

yup. not me, not mine, but I’ve spent a great 2 weeks doing something similar.

That beach near the end looked beautiful, name? The big house near a beach looked fantastic!

again, not me, not mine, but spent some of the same 2 weeks doing this:

oldest exposed rock in the world, is yer Lewisian Gneiss

just come back from Islay & am really looking forward to South Uist next year!

Never been to the Outer Hebrides. Mull is great and the Black Cuillin on Skye is one of the most awe inspiring sights anywhere in the country. Not the Hebrides, but Orkney is a terrific place. Such a rich history and Scapa Flow has such an otherworldly feel about it. Itching to get back and try some diving there!

we tend to head that direction every few weeks (off up next weekend for 5 days). never loses its magic. in fact, every time i come back i want to return even more than the last time!

The cinematography is excellent, but the narration is shocking. Random sentences and Ewen McGregor seems to have lost all but one emotion.

Just come back from a week on Lewis/Harris. OK the beaches are nice but then again there are good beaches on the mainland. Overall I found the island disappointing with nothing there that can’t be found on the mainland- and this is from a Scotsman who loves the Highlands. Skye however is a different matter entirely.

I’d be interested to know what the public spending is per head of population in Lewis/Harris. New schools everywhere, good roads, a hospital and amazingly low subsidised ferry prices compared to say crossing the channel.

Did see a great gig by Van Morrison while I was there- how random is that?

I thought how cool it would be to have a duathlon there. Run, swim, run, swim your way across al those pools and inlets.

There’s still time to enter!

St Mary’s Standard Triathlon & Aquabike

>OK the beaches are nice but then again there are good beaches on the mainland. <

Each to his own I guess.

Can’t think of any beaches on the mainland to rival Luskintyre and Huisinis. And when the sun comes out there is something about the light / seascape that is simply untouchable. Some rather good mtb and road riding too. Lewis I wouldn’t disagree with you on. Mixed views on Skye – fantastic mountains obviously but crap beaches (mostly)and some very depressing wee villages.

Aye, MacGregors dulcit tones were really getting on my t1ts second time around and they went a bit overboard on the Seabirds.

Best holiday ever on North Uist last June (while the rest of Britain got a soaking)

That adventure race looks fantastic.. bit short notice tho.

just come back from 2.5 weeks there.

loved everywhere except Lewis and Stornoway,
although sick for 2 weeks of the holiday, walks in the wildflower meadows were superb and the beaches were great. plenty of history to visit too, and walking on harris.

In the 2nd week though (Harris) the place was heaving with Motorhomes, and they took up the campsites and the wild camping places too. hard to find anywhere without crowds of motorhomes.
most places were full and to be honest was not impressed with the Harris campsites which could not seem to cope.

Barra/Uist/Benbec. were all lovelly and campsites were 12quid for a wee camper with brand new shower/toilet blocks/fridge/kettles…

i’d certainly go back as a cycle tourist but miss out lewis.

You’ll be fine Molgrips. Give it a whirl!

(PS – glad you like the look of it, those are my photos on The Heb site… )

The Great Arch on Pabbay

For an idea of scale it’s a 100m abseil down the left hand side to climb Prophecy of Drowning

>In the 2nd week though (Harris) the place was heaving with Motorhomes, and they took up the campsites and the wild camping places too. hard to find anywhere without crowds of motorhomes.
most places were full and to be honest was not impressed with the Harris campsites which could not seem to cope.<

Interesting when I was last there c 15 years ago I cant recollect seeing any. This became a bit of an issue on Tiree. Place became besieged by Campers turning up loaded to the gunwhales with fuel and food / driving all over the machair to wild camping spots / basically contributing very little to the local economy. Far more controlled now, they have to register and pay on arrival and the camp spots are controlled.

…oh and this has the best coffee on all of the islands.
they even list the single-origin coffee’s each day that they use!

morven

You’ll be fine Molgrips. Give it a whirl!

They focus less on the running, so I’d not worry about fitness, more vacation time and money!

I thought McGregors voice fits in nicely with the (help needed with a word!) ‘seriousness’ of the programme, Pufflins being eaten by Skuas, Red Throated Divers threatened by cousins, seal pups (almost) drowning, storms etc etc. It’s well titled that’s for sure. Everything that lives out there is ‘living on the edge’
I might not go back Islay though, the malts are just tooo tempting & cost me a bloody fortune last month!