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  #1  
Old 10th November 2013, 01:04 PM
Tony Marlow Tony Marlow is online now
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Default Outer Hebrides

I hope to visit the Outer Hebrides next year in June and I would appreciate any advice from anyone living there or who has visited on such issues as places to visit, places to stay, facilities available etc and any other comments which may be appropiate. I intend to drive there and use my car for getting around.

Many thanks,
Tony
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Old 10th November 2013, 01:12 PM
Richard L Richard L is offline
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North and South Uist are my faves.
Always camp (easy)
It's all good though.
Richard
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Old 10th November 2013, 01:24 PM
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skellum skellum is offline
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Hi Tony-
Outer Hebrides in June? You're in for very long days. By June 20 the sun barely sets. there are a couple of hours twilight then sun up by about 4 in the morning. Great for a holiday, but it means the best photo light is from 5 to 9 am, and 7 to 10pm.
Weather- anything from glorious sun with sparkling seas and flowering Machair, to (unfortunately) relentless rain. You take your luck here.
Which part of the Hebrides are you thinking of? Are you touring?
Lewis- most northerly Island. Lots of moor, good cliffs, some beaches, Callanish stones.
Harris- Next south. Mountains and great beaches squeezed into a smaller space. Still got a few abandoned croft houses.
Uists- Flat, some feel little featureless, great beaches everywhere you look.
Barra (and Eriskay) Most southerly, small and dramatic. Astounding when the sun shines, stay in the pub when it rains.

How big is your party? Do you like luxury, or are you in the mood to rough it a wee bit.
If you end up in my neck of the woods I'll stand you a pint or three for all the good work you've done on the exchanges.
Cheers!

Last edited by skellum; 10th November 2013 at 01:26 PM. Reason: cant type as fast as I think
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Old 10th November 2013, 03:15 PM
andreios andreios is offline
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I'll be watching this thread closely - since I've had a similar idea - though in the lines of flying there and camping... (Btw how about midges in those parts?)
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Old 10th November 2013, 03:52 PM
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skellum skellum is offline
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Ah. . . the dreaded midge. Varies a little from year to year, down to the weather.
Midges like it mild and damp. So, a cold winter followed by a blazing hot summer shrivels the little blighters up. Also, strong winds help (they home in on exhaled carbon dioxide, so windy conditions disperse your signature). No problem in Stornoway but out on the moor they are more plentiful and hard to hide from.
Sometimes you won't feel them at all in June, but camping, especially in the wilds, could be grim. Plenty of places here sell repellent, and nets are good (a fine mesh 'bag' worn loose over the head). Not glamorous but effective.
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Old 10th November 2013, 07:02 PM
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Martin Aislabie Martin Aislabie is offline
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Last year I went to the Scottish Highlands in June and bought some Avon "Skin so Soft" spray (from Amazon)

The citronella oil in the "So Soft" seems to be the key ingredient

As someone who seems to be extremely attractive to midges, I cannot recommend this product enough.

However, a piece of advice - its not clear how long this "So Soft" works - it depends on lots of things, so always carry it with you and top yourself up every few hours or so

The problem with the midges is, you don't know you have been bitten until several hours later.

The "So Soft" isn't so repellent that the midges never come anywhere near you, they still swarm around you but they don't land and bite.

Put some "So Soft" on your hair too, the little bu**ers will crawl through your hair to get to you.

The problem I had in the Highlands was the distances you want to travel are large and the roads quite slow, so you are taunted with great light on fabulous scenery, as you frantically try to get to the next suitable spot by which time the light had changed and you had to kick your heals for a couple of hours.

Have a great time.

Martin
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Old 11th November 2013, 07:04 PM
Tony Marlow Tony Marlow is online now
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Thanks for your responses there is much to think about.

Hi skellum, It will be just My wife and I travelling and was thinking of about a week on Lewis and a second week further south. I think my camping days are over and was looking at bed & breakfast but just a bit uncertain where to find them or where to eat. I would like to meet up with you for that pint, once I have sorted out the arrangements perhaps I can agree something with you.

Tony
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Old 11th November 2013, 07:38 PM
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wiesmier wiesmier is offline
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Well, I quite like the Outer Hebrides/Western Isles having lived here for the past 6 years or so.

The weather here is changing so that May, which used to be a good dryish midge-free month to visit cannot be relied upon now. Neither can September. The winter light is just fab though. Much better than the summer when there are tourists about.

Midges are not so much of a problem to that of the mainland due to our breezes! Still evenings are the worst mid-summer.

There are camping sites springing up round the islands these days but you can wild-camp too in some areas.

Plenty of places around to take snaps of all sorts. There's a grand exhibition on at An lanntair arts centre in Stornoway at the moment. Photographs by ex-Buzzcocks drummer John Maher [who lives here] and Ian Paterson. See http://leavinghome.co.uk/.

And you could look at my blogs too is you want to see how it's not done properly.

Do ask if you require any more info.
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Old 11th November 2013, 10:40 PM
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Hi Tony.
If you choose to spend a week on Lewis it would act as a base for visiting Callanish stones, Gearrannan village ( http://www.gearrannan.com/taigh-thor...n-ic-iain.html ) the dunes of Eoropie and Harris.
I'd then think about shifting all the way down to South Uist. It is most of a day's drive, but would let you see a different landscape. Eriskay and Barra are lovely (if the sun pops out).
Don't worry about places to eat. Lewis seems to have an ample selection of fine places to go- from pub grub to nice restaurants. There's a local guide to accommodation- PM me an address and I'll stick one in the post. It'll let you see what's available and what prices are like.
Cheers!
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Old 12th November 2013, 08:53 AM
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Well Painless Skellum, I think we should big up the Golden Road on Harris on the east side. A wonderfully weird landscape that you'll not see anywhere else. There are some nice cottages for rent down there too.

And of course The Butty Bus eatery at Leverburgh is well worth a visit - once you have enjoyed the wonderful Temple Cafe at Northton.
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