Stornoway – Isle of Lewis

We set sail on Caledonian MacBrayne  ferry from Ullapool on the North West coast of Scotland. We boarded with the car for the 2 ½ hour crossing over The Minch to the once Viking settlement of Stornoway. There are also direct flights to Stornoway Airport from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness and Aberdeen.

Sailing into the quaint harbour town of Stornoway it is worth getting on deck to take some photos. The picturesque town with its fishing fleet and Lews Castle makes for some great shots. The largest town on the island, Stornoway supports a population of around 8,000.

Stornoway is a great place to get into the island way of life. A relaxed pace, the locals are friendly and if you avoid the very busy holiday period it is even more laidback. Visit the Lews Castle and the stunning grounds; you can even take in a round of golf.

The Cabarfeidh Hotel in Stornoway is located just outside the town centre in a quiet residential area. The hotel offers a fabulous base with free parking and Wi-Fi. The hotels Solas Restaurant is a real gem. The food and service was fantastic. I don’t know if it’s the Machair that the livestock nibble which give the Lewis lamb and the Angus beef their delicious flavour but they are certainly worth ordering. The local seafood is outstanding try the Hebridean langoustines, Leurbost mussels or the local catch of the day, certainly won’t disappoint.

Cabarfeidh Hotel Stornoway – Isle of Lewis

The infamous Stornoway Black Pudding is delicious for breakfast, lunch or dinner in my opinion. The Scottish culinary scene is one of those unexpected delights. Everywhere we went in Scotland we found great restaurants serving up excellent cuisine, so often promoting and using locally sourced ingredients, love it.

The Park Guest House  is located in the town centre offering comfortable accommodation at reasonable prices. It is a great location if you prefer to be in the town. The Broad Bay House  is around 16 miles north of Stornoway and well worth the ride. This 5-star Guest House is in a stunning location, alongside a sandy beach, with mind-boggling views over the Minch. On a clear day you can see the Scottish highlands across the ocean.

On the west coast of the island is where you will discover Uig Lodge. With Stunning views over the Atlantic, fabulous sandy beaches and a smoker on site, Uig Lodge is a great place to sit back and relax. The fresh air blows in off the Atlantic Ocean stirring the appetite for the finest Scottish Salmon.

The Callanish Stones on the Island of Lewis are just incredible. So well preserved, these resolute standing giants have withstood the elements since between 2900 and 2600 BC. When you walk on this hallowed ground you cannot help wonder what memories and history these great stones hold.

Callanish Stones – Isle of Lewis

To understand and appreciate how challenging life must have been on the island in times past visit the Blackhouse at Arnol. The well preserved home offers an insight to life that is not so long ago. Steinacliet is nearby and is thought to be either the remnants of a Neolithic stone circle and chambered cairn or a prehistoric farmstead, with house and yard. What is remarkable is that this far flung island is home to much history and mystery.

The island’s Hebridean Brewing Company produces some magical beers and cask ales. Try the Berserker export pale ale, known locally as the ‘Wee Heavy’ and named after a Viking warrior, it’s got a good kick.

Venturing south we explore the Isle of Harris which is just as rewarding as Lewis. The mountainous south offers spectacular walking trials, stunning beaches and lots of wildlife. Look out for the Golden eagles nesting on the island. Renowned for its Harris Tweed we were excited.

Travelling down the west coast of Harris you will come across the beautiful Amhuinnsuidhe Castle set in a spectacular remote location. Tradition mixed with spectacular scenery, stunning beaches, breath-taking hiking routes and warm hospitality make this a great place to stop over. Meals and pre-dinner drinks are taken with fellow guests in the formal dining room which is just one of the many delights that the castle has to offer.

Another great place to stay is the Hotel Hebrides. The Hotel Hebrides offers the choice of 21 guest rooms in the boutique hotel or choose a luxury villa in the stylish Kirklea Island Suites. A well-stocked bar offering a fine selection of whiskeys is a great place to unwind. The Pierhouse Restaurant dishes up local Scottish delicacies including scallops from the East Loch Tarbert which are simply delicious.

The hotel is well located for the famous Luskentyre beach. You just won’t believe you are on a Scottish Island, the beach is reminiscent of a tropical island, just the palm trees are missing. Luskentyre beach was voted the 8th most beautiful beach in the world by the Lost Planet. It is amazing.

The Isle of Harris has spectacular beaches, puffin colonies, and awesome seafood to make it a worthwhile destination. But add the chance to see basking sharks, minke and killer whales to that list as well as the chance of spotting Golden Eagles and the cheeky otters.

Isle of Harris

From Tarbert you can catch the ferry to Uig on the Isle of Skye but we had bought a ‘Hopscotch’ ticket so we headed down to Leverburgh and caught the ferry to North Uist.

Follow our adventures as we make our way through the Hebridean islands, this is an awesome road trip.

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The post The Outer Hebrides first appeared on Awesome Travel Holidays.

Easily accessible from the mainland, we did the trip from Inverness travelling up through Invergordon, and along the east coast to John O’Groats. John O’Groats is one those places you set out to get to and when you arrive you question why. Never mind, we were en-route to Orkney, so this was the best way.

We caught the Pentland Ferry  from nearby Gill’s Bay, which offers the fastest crossing to St Margaret’s Hope on the island of South Ronaldsay. Northlink Ferries operate a service between Scrabster and Stromness.

Orkney is a major surprise. The islands making up this archipelago are green and beautiful. The air is crisp and the islands offer remarkable historical sites to visit, fantastic wildlife viewing opportunities and superb cuisine. But it’s the historic sites that steal the show.

The origin of the Orkney Islands goes back to the Neolithic age, around 5,000 – 10,000 BC. Well preserved historical sites including a preserved village, Skara Brae, with a reconstructed house is a ‘must see’. The Vikings invaded Orkney in 875 and annexed the islands as part of Norway. The Norse settled on the island and it wasn’t until 1472 that the Scottish re-annexed the islands.

If you enjoy culture and visiting historical sites you will need time to explore these islands and their treasures. Walking in the footsteps of people that inhabited these islands all those years ago is simply breath-taking.

The Ness of Brodgar is an archaeological site covering 2.5 hectares, sited between the Ring of Brodga  and the Standing Stones of Stenness in the Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site. There are many Cairns of which the most famous is the prehistoric chambered cairn, Maeshowe. It is believed that Maeshowe dates back to around 2700BC.

In Kirkwall you will find the magnificent 12th century, St Magnus Cathedral. Known as the ‘Light in the North’ this cathedral was founded in 1137 by the Viking, Earl Rognvald.

We stayed at Foveran Restaurant and Rooms  and we were delighted. This family run establishment has excellent, comfortable rooms with fabulous sea views. The cuisine is seriously outstanding, freshly sourced local produce cooked to perfection. The Foveran is owned and run by local lad Paul Doull and other family members, as well as, an excellent team of staff. The service is professional and they go the extra mile to look after their guests. We enjoyed every meal at this fine establishment and we will definitely return.

The islands are inter-connected by a series of bridges and ferries. Accommodation varies from good quality B&B’s to 4-star hotels. Accommodation is somewhat limited so it is better to secure your accommodation as early as possible. The people of Orkney are known as, Orcadians. You can expect a really friendly welcome and a lot of interesting conversations while in Orkney with the Orcadians.

There is much excitement when a pod of killer whales visit the islands. The Orca are fairly frequent visitors and pods of up to 150 animals have been spotted. The best viewing times are May – September. Other whales, dolphins and porpoises as well as seals are other frequently spotted wildlife. The islands are on a migratory route for many birds and this affords excellent bird viewing opportunities. Sea Eagle, Fulmars, Guillemots, Gannets and puffins are some of the birds you can expect to spot.

We needed more time, but we will be back. The Orkney Islands are captivating and exhilarating. The food at the Foveran Restaurant was truly memorable and certainly well-worth returning for one day soon. The historical sites are well mesmerising and I really want to catch a glimpse of those Orca.

We took the ferry from Stromness back to the mainland and now off to west coast and the Hebridean Islands. Stornoway here we come.

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The post Orkney Islands first appeared on Awesome Travel Holidays.