Highlands to Islands -The Hebridean Island Hopping Adventure

Calmac Ferries Oban heading for the islands Island hopping around the Hebrides has been on the Bucket List for the ExPix Crew for quite some time. And with an unexpected break in our schedule, September seemed the perfect time to slot in the first of our trips:

CalMac’s Hopscotch 8 - 4 Ferries & 1 Kayak = 12 Islands:

Barra

Vatersay

Eriskay

South Uist

Grimsay

Gearadubh

Benbecula

North Uist

Berneray

Harris

Taransay

Scalpay

Lewis

During the trip, signal and internet allowing, we’ll be blogging about what we’ve got up to, the good bits and the bad. And over the coming months, we’ll be bringing you some more detailed articles about each of the islands and what these have to offer for extreme and action sports enthusiasts.

Hopscotch 8 ExPix Log

Day 1

Monday 4^th September – Setting Off – Or Not!!!!!!!!!

Well the 06:00 departure didn’t go as planned!

Last minute alterations to make the van ‘liveable’ for the trip took longer than expected and meant that we reluctantly had to agree to set off the following morning.

Seems that van makeovers and road trips don’t go together that well!!!!!!!!!

Day 2

Tuesday 5th September – Setting Off - Again!

06:00 - Still not ready!

So many last minute jobs to do, beginning to think that we’re never going to be able to set off; good job we booked the ferry for Wednesday!

Packing the van is interesting. The new layout is taking some working out and what with all the crew’s gear, food, camera equipment, SUPs, kayaks and toys etc; we’ve got way, way too much stuff!

16:30 - Finally get on the road and the weather is horrendous; the long range forecast isn’t looking too good either. Still every cloud and all that; at least we won’t need the midgey net!!!!!

The planned day at Loch Lomond Wakeboard has been kyboshed much to everyone’s frustration so we rescheduled for a quick stop off in the morning and a full day on the way back.

22:00 – Arrive at Tarbet, Loch Lomond for the first of our stopovers. Another shuffty around, move this here, that there and we can finally get to bed.

Day 3

Wednesday 6th September – Oban – Castlebay, Barra

The new foam bed is great but the foam pillows are horrible; everyone’s got neck ache and have woken in a bad mood!

Still the day gets better – The guys at Loch Lomond Wakeboard hit us up with even more kit; O’Neill wetsuits, neoprene overcoats, gloves and boots; perfect Scottish holiday clothing!!!!!!!!!

Shame we couldn't get in some wakesurfing or wakeboarding, had a sup or kayaked, or even explored the Loch onboard the G21 OR G23 Super Air Nautique ……….still there’s always next time!

Next stop Oban for the ferry and we arrive with very little time to spare. Check in done and we’re off to find pillows!

Again plans have to be revised; no time to look around Oban so we decide to visit on the way back home.

13:30 - And we set sail on the Caledonian MacBrayne, Isle of Lewis ferry for the first of our island stops, Barra.

After a hectic few days, the 4 hours and 45 minutes crossing time is a welcome break. We spend the first 90 minutes outside on the top deck, see our first of many rainbows and soak up the stunning views as we sail out from the Mull of Kintyre into the Minch. The scenery is unbelievable, utterly breathtaking; a photographer's dream. If we weren't already excited enough about what's to come, we definitely are now!

Heading back inside, we have some much needed food; Cullen Skink Pie and Irn Bru; well it's got to be done!

The crossing is a bit choppy but the hospitality on board couldn’t be any better; the staff are great, really friendly and helpful and the selection of food etc is perfect.

18:15 – Arrive in Castlebay, Isle of Barra. The plan is to head to Vatersay, an island joined by causeway at the bottom of Barra and to work our way up through the islands over the next 4 days.

Finding spots to wild camp on the islands is harder than we remember from previous visits. With much of the Machair fenced off and the only available spot already taken; we pull up on the side of the road that runs inbetween the Vatersay East and West Beaches.

Glad of the chance to stretch our legs, we head to Vatersay West Beach. Crossing the pebbles to the soft white sand, we see the wind churning up the sea creating a blood red effect.

We can't wait to get on the water.

Walk over, some quick grub and then it’s time for bed.

View the embedded image gallery online at:
https://cpanel.expix.co.uk/index.php/low-down/van-life/491-highlands-to-islands-the-hebridean-island-hopping-adventure#sigProIdf5a45f726a

Day 4

Thursday 7th September

The weather is awful; dark heavy showers followed by bright sunlight on and off all day; no chance of us grabbing any action on the water today. On the plus side there’s even more rainbows!

Heading back to the tourist information office in Castlebay, Barra, we get ourselves an island map, much needed as there’s little to no phone signal for the satnav.

Learning of a Curry and Folk Music Night at the local Café Kisimul , we book ourselves a table and grab a coffee at the Macroon’s Tea Room, run by a very ‘dry’ Yorkshireman in the Castlebay Post Office, before heading off to explore the island.

Our 12 mile round tour of the island takes us to the west coast where, during a break in the weather, we’re able to roam the Tangasdale Beach in Halaman Bay, leading out into the Atlantic Ocean. The beach is almost deserted. Just the odd few walkers pass by, acknowledging us before leaving us to the peace and solitude that we've been looking forward to since booking the trip.

Moving on and we ‘land’ at Traigh Mhor Beach. Better known as the Airport Beach, it’s the only place in the world where scheduled airline services land on a beach runway. With the windsock down, meaning no planes are due to land, and with the beach to ourselves, we bag some fresh cockles from outside of the restricted zone.

Heading back to Castlebay for the much anticipated Curry and Folk Music Night, there’s just time to cook the cockles for a pre meal appetiser and boy do they taste good!

The curry night proves to be a good choice; great food and fantastic entertainment even if it does feel just that little bit strange to be eating Indian food in a Scottish restaurant whilst listening to French people singing Gaelic songs; work that one out if you can!!!

Meal over and we head back to Vatersay where we camp once more for the night.

Day 5

Friday 8th September

Well the van was certainly rocking last night, but no need to be alarmed; it’s not what you might think! The wind was howling all night and the rain was lashing down making it really difficult to sleep.

Our plans had been to SUP and swim the turquoise waters of Vatersay East Beach and despite waking up groggy, we are determined to give it a go. Trudging over the sand dunes with the SUPs, the beach is empty. And as we pump up the SUPs, the sun glistens on the crystal clear waters, inviting us in. With the water to ourselves and amid showers, we sup and swim the length of the bay and back, even stopping for a play with a seal who seems fascinated with the RED Paddle SUPs. All in all, one very satisfying session!

But back at the van and the satisfaction doesn’t last long. Feeling the effects of the disturbed night’s sleep and tired from the morning’s activities, the ‘novelty’ of moving kit around in the van to make it ‘usable’ is beginning to wear off. Let’s just say tempers are frayed and with the new ‘open plan’ layout, the option to go into ‘the other room’ just isn’t there!

#needabiggervan #whowantstosponsorus

So with no energy and very little patience, the thought of cooking tea is just too much. Luckily the Airport Café is running it’s Friday night Fish and chips supper so we head back there. And after a quick walk after tea, where we get drenched yet again for the umpteen time on this trip; we park up overlooking Castlebay and Kisimul Castle for the night.

Day 6

Saturday 9th September

Saturday brings with it even more rain and, dodging the showers, we try our best to dry the wetsuits. Not easy given the lack of space in our Toyota Hiace van.

Thankfully we’ve had a good night’s sleep which helps in our efforts in getting to grips with the space issues in the van. Whilst it is never going to be perfect, a few alterations here and there means that we can move about just that little bit easier. Still despite all our efforts, there is definitely no room to swing a cat, which given the size of the dog we have in the van, is probably just as well!

Heaval, the largest hill on Barra to the right of where we stayed the night is looking interesting. Standing at 1257 feet or 383 meters and as the highest point on Barra, we decide that it is the perfect place to break in the new Salomon boots.

After a rather wet and muddy climb, with the last bit being quite steep and tricky, we're rewarded with spectacular views across Barra. Pictures done and we descend, pleased that the Salomon boots have more than done their job for us today.

Wanting to update the ExPix Log, we battle with the internet for a couple of hours then retire for the night at the north of the island ready for our ferry to Eriskay the following morning.

Day 7

Sunday 10th September – Ardmhor, Barra – Eriskay, Uists

Rain, rain and more rain - so much for our planned early morning walk along the stunning beaches of the North of Barra!

A break in the weather sees us frantically repacking the van before we head to the ferry terminal at Ardmhor.

40 minutes later and we arrive in Eriskay (Èirisgeigh) and it's still raining!

We have a quick drive around the island, remembering as we go that it's Sunday and that nowhere is open on Sunday's on the islands. And as the weather changes, we park up for a walk, unfortunately getting wet again as we walk back along the beach next to the ferry terminal on Eriskay.

Tired, we cross the causeway and park up for the night near the Cladh Hallan Round Houses on South Uist (Uibhist a Deas); found thanks to the helpful advice from a local who gave us his word that our van would manage to get down the sandy road!

View the embedded image gallery online at:
https://cpanel.expix.co.uk/index.php/low-down/van-life/491-highlands-to-islands-the-hebridean-island-hopping-adventure#sigProId127268cfba

Day 8

Monday 11^th September

Another horrendous night with wind gusting and rain pelting down again, but waking up to the sun shining and magnificent views across Daliburgh Machair and Beach in South Uist and our spirits are soon lifted.

Sadly the weather turns once more and we are faced once more with the heavy showers, sunshine and rainbows that seemed to have followed us every day since we left the mainland.

We decide on a spot of 'office' work but despite being parked directly under a phone mast, we’ve no signal and no chance of updating the blog on the ExPix Website. Frustrating as it is, it’s something you learn to get use to on the islands. If you can cope with being out of touch that’s fine, but for those that are desperate to access the internet there’s a work around. Most of the cafés, restaurants and bars have free WiFi so we head to Lochboisdale Café where we update the ExPix Log over copious amounts of local fare.

*Handy little tip – If you’ve no signal and need to make an urgent call on the islands, head to the Tourist Information Offices. We’ve been reliably informed that they allow visitors to use their landlines in emergencies.*

With no shower in the van, we make use of the showers in Lochboisdale; well at least one of the crew does, it seems the showers only take the old pound coins! Still at least the sea otters keep the rest of the crew entertained.

With our work done for the day, we make our way to Loch Skipport (Sgioport), where our attempts to be self-sufficient prove fruitful as the crew catch a good haul of mackerel which we cook for tea. All surplus fish get put in the handy little freezer in the Dometic CR80 Fridge; it's amazing just how many we can fit in it!

Despite the weather it’s been a satisfying day; work done, food caught, now bed.

Day 9

Tuesday 12^th September

We wake to the sight of wild Eriskay ponies making their way towards the ExPix van. The ponies roam freely around Loch Skipport, where we camped last night and by the looks of things, are increasing in number. With foals in tow they finish off our supply of carrots, much to Kayla’s disgust, who is partial to a carrot after her tea. (If you’re one of the rare people who haven’t met her yet, Kayla is the ExPix dog!).

Van packed once more and we make our way to Grimsay (Griomasaigh), to a friend’s house for lunch. The weather is awful again and looks set for the day so we’re glad of the shelter. Overlooking a sea loch and Eaval, the highest hill on North Uist; Marwa’s house has views to die for. And after a hearty lunch of homemade food, we’re content as we sit soaking up the views and see yet another rainbow on the horizon.

Later Marwa takes us on a sightseeing tour of Grimsay. At just four miles long and two miles wide, Marwa’s local knowledge comes in handy as we learn with surprise just how much goes on, on this tiny island.

Marwa’s offer to stay the night at hers is far too tempting to resist; the crew jump at the chance to get out of the rain, with the thought of hot showers being all the persuasion they need.

Day 10

Wednesday 13^th September

Wednesday morning and the sun is shining. Not wanting to miss an opportunity we decide to skip breakfast and head to the loch in front of Marwa’s house with the FatYaks for a spot of kayaking.

Within no time we’re on the water and making our way to a colony of seals who are preached on the rocks at the other side of the loch. As we come closer, seals surround us in the water, bobbing their heads up like meerkats on patrol.

We paddle down the loch towards the Minch, passing sheep stranded on tidal islands, which seem bemused at our efforts. As we get closer to the open sea, the waves pick up and with another front coming in, we decide to head back. With rain coming down and the sun in the sky, a rainbow frames the loch making for some good pictures.

After a quick change and with the weather still bad, we decide on a spot of touristy things to do for the afternoon. On the list are; Kildonan Museum in South Uist, Puffin Studio Crafts, Salar Smokehouse Shop where we get ourselves a huge tasty piece of smoked salmon and Grimsay Market where we pick up some locally grown produce.

We’re told that the food is amazing at Westford Inn in Claddach Kirkibost North Uist, (Uibhist a Tuath) so we take Marwa there later that evening to thank her for putting up with the ExPix crew; seems we’re going to be making her place our base for another two nights!!!!!!

And after sampling the local fare, ‘A Taste of Uist’; ½ lobster, scallops, mackerel, hot smoked salmon, cured salmon and roll mops, together with some Scottish Ale, we settle down for the night, content with the day’s efforts.

Day 11

Thursday 14^th September

Wind and rain greet us again on Thursday morning and we’re beginning to wonder if the boat trip that we’d booked the day earlier is a good idea. Still, with the weather not fit for much else, we head down to Kallin Harbour Pier in Grimsay where we’re met by Nick, our skipper for the day onboard The Lady Anne.

Making our way out to sea and the skies clear and we keep our eyes peeled for wildlife on land and in the water. And we don’t have to wait long; Sea Eagles, Golden Eagles, Red Deer and Black Throated Divers; an awesome photo opportunity!

Back on land and we’ve worked up an appetite so we pay a visit to the Kallin Shellfish Shop where we buy freshly caught; lobster, langoustines, scallops and roll mops.

We have a drive round Balivanich in Benbecula, see another rainbow then go back to Marwa’s where we reorganise the van ready for our trip to Harris and Lewis on Saturday.

Day 12

Friday 15^th September

Friday morning and we leave Marwa’s for the last time as we make our way to North Uist.

After very little running of the van over the past few days, we're more than relived when she starts first time. The van itself isn't an issue; it's all the electrical stuff we're running in the back that we've been worrying about. As part of the Van Makeover, we planned on topping up the leisure batteries we use for powering the electrics, via some new solar panels. The leisure batteries draw off the main batteries (no split charger 'Doh!') and topping them up via solar panels should prevent the main batteries from going flat. Unfortunately we didn't have enough time to get the solar panels sorted before the trip, so this was looking like it could be a problem. But we needn't have worried. Before we set off for the Hebrides we called in at our local suppliers, Alpha Batteries who fixed us up with 2 new 110 Xplorer leisure batteries and these have worked perfectly for us during the trip, powering the Dometic CR80 Fridge, the electric tap for the Dometic Sink, lights in the van and charging laptops, camera batteries and mobile phones too.

With the van running just fine, we check out the beaches again at Hosta and Sollas. Nothing's changed since our last visit in 2012; the beaches look as spectacular as ever. But tempting as they are, we can't use the SUPs or kayaks in this wind. So we're tourists for the day, going on a ‘Bear Hunt’ in Langass Woods, to find Hercules The Grizzly Bear who, after going on the run for 3 weeks after escaping during filming in Benbecula, was later found in North Uist. We also call in at the Hebridean Smokehouse, well you can never have enough smoked salmon, drop in on an artist whose work we’ve been admiring, visit the Taigh Chearsabhagh Museum and Arts Centre in Lochmaddy and have lunch at the Kirkibost Café in the Claddach Kirkibost Centre.

Moving onto to Berneray, Uists where we’re catching the CalMac ferry to Leverburgh, South Harris the following morning, we settle for the night, parking up alongside a beach. That is once we’ve navigated the more than scary entrance path to the camping area that feels to slope into the sea; let’s just say it wasn’t just the passengers that had their eyes closed!!!!! The views across Harris sound are spectacular and in the distance, we can see some of our destinations.

View the embedded image gallery online at:
https://cpanel.expix.co.uk/index.php/low-down/van-life/491-highlands-to-islands-the-hebridean-island-hopping-adventure#sigProId91bb3327ea

Day 13

Saturday 16^th September – Berneray, Uists – Leverburgh, South Harris

10:25 and we set sail from Berneray on the CalMac Sound of Harris Ferry arriving in Leverburgh, South Harris an hour later.

We make our way to St Clements Church in Rodel, a medieval church dating back to 15^th century, then take the ‘scenic’ costal route from Rodel to Tarbert, South Harris. When we say scenic, it’s not quite what you think. Forget rolling hills and green meadows and think instead of a sparse, bleak, rocky, lunar landscape, peppered with fresh water and sea lochs and boggy ground; certainly breathtaking that’s for sure!

It’s now been 12 day since we set off on our trip and for 12 days in succession we’ve had heavy showers and rainbows. Not the weather we expected but the ExPix crew are determined to make the most of 'The Rainbow Tour'!

Arriving in Tarbert and we visit the Harris Distillery. One taste of the famous Harris Gin and the crew are hooked; question is just where in the van we are going to put all this gin!

Next we order pizza; nothing unusual in that we hear you say, except that we order it from The Hebridean Pizza Co van which is parked up in the Harris Distillery car park for the evening. The van visits various islands from Grimsay, Uists where it’s based. Once our order is placed, we’re given a ‘slot’ and told to come back later to pick up our food. If you don’t fancy the wait you can always ring in advance to ‘book your slot’. But not being organised enough, we use the time to visit the impressive beaches of Scarista (Sgarasta) and Shelibost (Seilebost) in West Harris.

Back in Tarbert and the pizzas are seriously good! We devoured our food before driving off to find a spot to camp for the night. Whilst there are rights to roam in Scotland, finding free wild camping spots is getting harder. In Harris, visitors are asked to pay The West Harris Trusts £5 per night for parking in any one of their 5 spots located in Luskentyre (Losgaintir) and Shelibost (Seilebost) with not many of these having any facilities.

Parked up for the night and excitement rises in the van, there’s an ‘Amber Alert’, meaning it just might be possible to see an aurora. Capturing the Northern Lights, (Aurora Borealis) in the Outer Hebrides would be the icing on the cake for our photographer Ian Edmondson. And the alert is all it takes for him to head out into the cold night, cameras poised. But whilst there is some light movement, it’s only slight so he reluctantly hangs up his kit for the night.

Day 14

Sunday 17^th September

The sun is shining and for now it looks like the ‘Rainbow Tour’ is over.

We take advantage of the raise in temperature; stand up paddle boarding and swimming in the morning in the waters surrounding the beautiful Luskentyre (Losgaintir) Beach, West Harris. When it comes to SUPs, the crew are just learning, so the ‘waves’, if you can even call them that, make for some hilarious moments. Crashing into the sea whilst all around those on photography course use us as subjects; it feels strange to be on the other side of the lens!

Back at the van and we feast on fresh lobster for lunch, put the SUPs away and head back to the beach with the FatYak kayak.

Whilst the CalMac Hopscotch 8 allows us to access 11 islands, with the kayak we're hoping to reach even more. In the distance across the sea we can see land; Taransay as the island is called, made famous by the Castaway 2000 series. Our goal is to Kayak over to the island and back, a 3 mile round trip.

Going out towards Taransay, we’re met with a side on wind which is rushing through the Sound of Taransay, pushing us off course. After numerous re positioning, we finally make it to shore. We don’t stop long on the island as its late afternoon. So with a quick turnaround, we’re soon paddling back to Luskentyre beach.

We pack up feeling more than happy with the day, before heading back to Tarbert where we check into the Harris Hotel, our stop for the night.

We’ve booked a table for dinner, so after a quick change, the shower is most definitely welcomed; we go down to the hotel restaurant. We read the menu with anticipation and as the food arrives, it doesn’t disappoint. Beautifully presented and tasting just as good as it looks; we’re definitely being spoilt tonight.

And just when we think the night can’t get any better we visit the hotel bar………..did someone say whiskey? What a collection! Our only complaint is that we aren’t allowed to touch the ‘Top Shelf’!

Day 15

Monday 18^th September

We start the morning with even more good food; fresh fruit salad followed by a full Scottish Breakfast and jam and toast and we’re set for the day. We’ve had a great night’s stay at the Harris Hotel with fantastic hospitality but it’s time to move on.

After checking out, we cross Scalpay Bridge which links East Harris to the Isle of Scalpay, (Scalpaidh). We park up and embark on a short 2.2 km walk to Eilean Glas Lighthouse, one of the first four lighthouses to be built in Scotland back in the late 18^th century. The route to the lighthouse is easy going but the costal walk on the way back, although only being 0.4 km longer, is much harder terrain. The rainfall over the past few weeks has left the ground wet and boggy and we are in danger of disappearing into sink holes of squelching mud. Thankfully the Salomon boots are fully waterproof and we arrive back at the van without too many dramas.

We shoo off the rooster that is trying to get into our van and start our journey to Lewis with a hair-raising drive through the mountainous pass of North Harris. The landscape is like nothing we’ve seen before and the single track road makes for interesting driving especially when it widens. The other drivers just want to get to their destinations so quickly and with speeds nearing motorway regulations we make it quick smart to Lewis!

In Uig, on the Isle of Lewis, we hit lucky when we stumble across the Ardroil Sands Campsite at the very picturesque Ardroil Beach, Uig Sands. At just £2 per person, per night, this place has everything you could possibly need; toilets, utility room with hot water, fresh and domestic water filling taps, chemical disposal point, and, for an additional £1 charge, hot showers too!

On the way back from the shower block our photographer see's something in the sky. It's dancing, a little like a graphic equalizer display on an old stereo system. He is so mesmerised watching the lightshow, he almost forgets to take out the camera. With a quick dash to the top of the dunes, there's just time to grab a few images of the Aurora. Could this trip get any better?

View the embedded image gallery online at:
https://cpanel.expix.co.uk/index.php/low-down/van-life/491-highlands-to-islands-the-hebridean-island-hopping-adventure#sigProId4342b21c62

Day 16

Tuesday 19^th September

It’s too windy (again) for supping so in the morning we do a circular walk from the river which flows adjacent to the Ardroil Sands Campsite, to Uig Bay and back.

After breakfast we explore more of the south west coast of Lewis and are awestruck by the sheer beauty of the beaches. Cliff Beach, (Camas na Clibhe), Reef Beach, (Traigh na Beirghe) and Bosta Beach (Traigh Bhostadh) where the Iron Age House is; why oh why didn’t we bring the kites and buggy with us!!!!!!!

#stillneedabiggervan

#peugeot #mercedes #volkswagen #fiat #vauxhall #citroen #renault #ford #nissan

Thwarted by the wind and naffed off to say the least that we hadn’t been able to fit the kites and buggy in the van, we make our way to the Callanish Standing Stones (Calanais Standing Stones) late afternoon to do more sightseeing.

Day 17

Wednesday 20^th September

Due to the weather the ideas we had for actives in Lewis don’t go to plan and it’s with some frustration that we head further north for a fact finding mission. It’s our first time on Harris and Lewis so getting the lay of the land is important, but it would have been good to get some action in too.

The areas here appear to be more populated than the lower parts of the island but with fewer beaches.

It seems to be a day of driving with the occasional stop off at the Gearrannan Blackhouse Village, Ness and the Butt of Lewis.

After a tiring day, we eventually settle down for the night at Lord Leverhulme’s Bridge to Nowhere near Tolsta. The bridge was supposed to connect Tolsta to Ness but remains useless as the road was never completed.

The spot, surrounded by hills, is imposing and the sea stacks on Garry Beach, (Traigh Ghearadha) give way to caves, known locally as ‘The Caves of Life’, which are only visible at low tide; shame it was high tide when we arrived!

Space issues aside, and they're really down to us wanting to take too many toys with us, we're getting use to the new layout in the van. Whilst some alterations are necessary, overall we're really pleased with how we're managing in it.

Day 18

Thursday 21^st September

The weather’s still not playing ball so we continue with our exploration of Lewis after a quick stop off in the morning at the Isle of Lewis Cheese Co, where we buy some goats cheese produced in the diary adjourning the shop; a shop which consist of a fridge, a price list and an honesty box!

We then make our way to Stornoway, the largest town in the Outer Hebrides. After such solitude over the past few weeks and with the majority of the driving being single lane roads, it’s a shock to encounter our first static traffic lights and roundabouts since arriving on the islands.

We replenish our supplies of fishing gear from the well-stocked Stornoway Fishermen’s Coop; a seal or something snapped a line on the Uists. Then we buy fresh razor clams and mussels for tea.

Shopping done and we head back to Callanish for some night shots of the Standing Stones before settling for the night once more at the Ardroil Sands Campsite.

Day 19

Friday 22^ndSeptember

Friday morning and we make use of the facilities at the Ardroil Sands Campsite. The new 50 litre water tank from Tek Tanks that we installed in the van prior to the trip has been fantastic. With a much bigger capacity than what we're used to, it's meant that we haven't needed to fill up with water until now. The hosepipe that we bought works great too and within no time we're fully loaded again.

Then we’re on the whisky trail trying to find the Abhainn Dearg Distillery in Carnish near Ardroil. Abhainn Dearg is the first legal distillery producing single malt whiskey in the Outer Hebrides in almost two hundred years. With no signs on the road it’s difficult to find but we’re told that the distillery will be doing something about that soon!

With a few more bottles to add to our stash we head back to Stornoway.

We check out Lews Castle grounds and Gallows Hill overlooking Stornoway where we find a number of Blue and Red Grade mountain bike trails courtesy of the Hebridean Cycle Club. It looks like the guys at the club have some more ideas in the pipeline including some trickier runs.

We’re booked into the Hebridean Guest House in Stornoway for the next two nights. Ideally situated on the main road into Stornoway and within a very short walk to the town centre, and harbour; we check in there before sampling the local cuisine.

Day 20

Saturday 23^rd September

The wind is howling and the sea is choppy ruling out any plans we had for using the SUPs and kayaks. Again the kites and buggy would have come in handy today, as would the bikes if we’d have brought them.

Following some local advice, we decide on a spot of fishing off the rocks near Holm in Lewis. There’s a long drop down off the rocks and it’s a bit nerve racking casting off so close to the edge. But our efforts pay off and we manage to get another mackerel to add to our tally.

We take a look round Point, (An Rubha) also known as the Eye Peninsula, but with the weather being so bad we don’t venture out of the van much except for the odd shot here and there.

In the evening we head to Digby Chick, a local restaurant in Stornoway. Having read rave reviews, we booked the table some time ago and have been looking forward to eating here ever since. The food is to die for and the service is exemplary, making for a fantastic last evening on the islands.

View the embedded image gallery online at:
https://cpanel.expix.co.uk/index.php/low-down/van-life/491-highlands-to-islands-the-hebridean-island-hopping-adventure#sigProIdedb8d98f44

Day 21

Sunday 24^th September – Stornoway, Lewis – Ullapool, Mainland Scotland

Sunday morning and we wake feeling happy and sad in equal measures. Our spirits are still high, in more ways than one, from the previous night’s meal but we’re sad to be leaving the islands. After 20 days on the road our journey is coming to an end but the crew don’t feel ready for that just yet.

The weather is naff yet again and being Sunday, everywhere is closed in Stornoway. With little else to do we park up early at the ferry terminal ready for our ferry to the mainland. The ferry terminal has a lot of history and we read all about it with interest.

14:30 And we’re off on the CalMac Ferry from Stornoway, Lewis arriving in Ullapool at 17:00.

We have a quick drive around Ullapool then decide to hit the road to try and get some miles under our belt before sunset. We make it to Fort William and park up on the banks of Loch Linnhe, just outside of the town. With the kayak and roof box on top of the van, we can’t quite make it under the barriers which are set at 2.3m but fortunately there is a space outside of the barriers that does just fine.

Day 22

Monday 25^th September

Mist greets us as we arrive in Oban later in the morning, swirling around revealing different bits of the islands as the day goes on.

We start with even more seafood in the form of a Seafood Platter from the Oban Seafood Hut (The Green Shack) on Calmac Pier Oban. The food is divine, and as we’re eating, fresh supplies of live lobsters and crabs are delivered.

Lunch over and we make our way to Battery Hill to McCaig's Tower, a prominent 200 metre circular stone structure overlooking Oban. The promised views of the islands of Kerrera and Mull and the Firth of Lorn are obscured by the fog and put pay to our planned photoshoot.

But the day’s not all lost though; the Oban Distillery is still open!

Whilst we may be too late for a tour of the distillery, we can still browse the whiskeys in the shop. Well we say browse, but it seems one of the crew doesn’t quite know what that means. 4 bottles of whisky later and we’re looking for space again in the van for even more stash!

Finding somewhere to wild camp in Oban is very, very difficult. Everywhere you look there are signs saying no camping, or no sleeping in vehicles. After a quick check on a Facebook group, we’re directed to a carpark overlooking Tesco where we’re assured that we are able to park for free. Not the views we were hoping for, but by now it’s late and we’re just glad to get our heads down for the night.

Day 23

Tuesday 26^th September

A different day and a totally different sight; the sun is shining and the fog has lifted in Oban.

We head straight to McCaig's Tower and get the shots we wanted overlooking the town.

Our next stop is Loch Lomond Wakeboard in Ardlui but by now the weather has changed again; rain, wind and fog, not what we wanted.

With the weather forecast set to get worse over the coming days, we get some shots but decide to shelve the plans for some water time, opting instead to head back to ExPix HQ early.

View the embedded image gallery online at:
https://cpanel.expix.co.uk/index.php/low-down/van-life/491-highlands-to-islands-the-hebridean-island-hopping-adventure#sigProId037ae0af58

Summary

Leaving the Western Isles, (Innse Gall) was hard. There's something about these islands that really gets under your skin. They're mesmerising and challenging in equal measures.

We were beguiled by the sheer beauty of the landscape; Mother Nature at her finest, displaying everything she has to offer, and in the Outer Hebrides this is a lot. And we were taken out of our comfort zone on many, many occasions. But what that gave us was opportunities; opportunities to be at one with nature, to challenge our abilities and to challenge what we thought we knew about life in the UK.

We really were 'Experiencing the Extreme' - Experiencing Life on the Edge'!

Was it a good trip - Definitely!

Despite the weather it’s been a truly amazing trip.

We got to see so many different places, met some really great people and feasted like kings on local Hebridean produce; some bought, some caught by the crew.

And we played in the clearest of turquoise waters, walked across the craziest of landscapes and experienced Hebridean culture and hospitality at its very best.

But most of all we escaped the Rat Race!

We slowed down, de-stressed, chilled out, relaxed, found inner peace; whatever you want to call it, it felt good!!!!!!!!

Did the trip go according to plan - Not Exactly!

The weather definitely disrupted our plans. With limited space, you have to draw the line at some point in terms of what gear you take. And based on previous visits, we thought we’d made the right decision about the equipment we'd chosen. We planned on using the SUPs and kayak to explore the lochs and coastline of the islands. And whilst we did manage to get in some supping and kayaking, we didn't do nearly enough of what we wanted to do because of the wind.

In hindsight, the kites and buggy would have been perfect to use. There were more than enough windy days to get some good sessions in and the miles and miles of beaches would have been ideal.

Surfboards would have come in handy too. Whilst it wasn't always barrelling, there was more than enough swell to play with.

And on land we could have made use of bikes; cycling part, if not all, of the Hebridean Way Cycle Route.

Still we got in some good walks and whilst we may not have been able to do everything that we’d planned, we always had something to do.

Did the weather spoil the trip - Definitely Not!

You don't holiday or travel in the UK for the weather; what you go for is the stunning scenery and the Outer Hebrides has this in abundance.

Yes we had to be more adaptable and flexible with our plans but that didn't stop us enjoying these beautiful islands. And the warmth of the people we met and the amazing hospitality more than made up for the damp weather.

How did Island Hopping compare to visiting individual islands - It was amazing!

We've visited individual islands in the Outer Hebrides before but being able to compare the islands in 'real time' brought a whole new dimension to the trip.

The difference in the landscapes of these islands is hard to imagine. And seeing how they operate in terms of culture, industry, lifestyle and traditions etc and what they had to offer for extreme sports enthusiasts was really interesting.

Did we cope in the van - Surprisingly Yes!

We'd lasted 7.5 weeks in the van in Europe on one of our Euro Tours, so by comparison we were thinking that 3 weeks should be easy. That is until you factor in the new layout, that the makeover wasn't quite finished meaning that we had to 'make do' with some things, that we'd massively over packed and had very little space to move about in, oh and the weather.

So all in all not a good start; let's just say we were worried!

But we were determined to make it work and it did.

We soon got use to what space we had and were able to find a work around for most things.

The new Tek Tank water tank and the new Dometic Hob and Sink Combo made a difference. Having water 'on tap' is something that you can't underestimate. No more lifting heavy water tanks, risking spilling water everywhere whilst trying to get a drink. And the new leisure batteries from Alpha Batteries kept us powered up, meaning that the Dometic Fridge and Freezer worked perfectly throughout the trip; great for stocking up for when we were in more remote areas. And talking of remote areas, having the Dometic Toilet on board was ideal. Yes you can go wild but it's a lot more 'convenient' having your own loo. And there are more than enough places on the islands to empty them too; you can use campsites or most ferry ports have a chemical disposal point.

And we were warm; the insulation and carpeting worked, which given the weather was just as well. And it kept the condensation at bay too.

But most of all, the van gave us the chance to get away from it all. No restrictions on time; come and go as we pleased. And opening the doors in the morning to spectacular views has to be one of the best things about living in a van. People search for this kind of freedom and pay a lot of money for views like that.

Yes a bigger van would definitely be better for us, just because of all the kit that we need to carry and the fact that we do need to work in the van.

But this trip has shown us that:

Making any space more liveable, no matter how small, is doable - It's all in the design and the layout.

You need to choose your appliances according to your space and lifestyle - Look around, there are plenty of smaller cookers, sinks fridges, and toilets out there. Decide what's important to you, what's going to make things more comfortable and go for it.

You can certainly live comfortably and easily on the road in a medium size van if you've got the right layout and are conservative with what you take.

If the van was so good, why stay in hotels - Good Question!

Not everyone has vans so we wanted to show what else the islands have to offer in terms of accommodation. We've stayed in various places on Barra and the Uists before but never on Harris and Lewis so it was good to experience this to have a more rounded view point.

Staying at Marwa's wasn't planned but proved useful in giving us a central base during the worse of the weather.

But was the trip worth it - Hell yea!

Stunning beaches, breathtaking views, fantastic food and peace and solitude too; what is there not to like!

Would we go back again – You bet!

At times it really did feel like we were living on the edge of the world. No phone signal or internet meant that we were cut off from civilisation as we know it but we'd take this over a 9-5 any day!

What were the highlights of the trip - Where do we start!

In no particular order, as they say:

Swimming at Vatersay East Beach - The water was so turquoise and so clear, and we had it all to ourselves; beats the swimming pool that's for sure.

Catching cockles on the airport beach - They were so fresh and sweet; they were delicious.

360 degree views from the top of Heaval - Bit of a hike at the top but definitely worth it.

Views of the loch and Eaval from Marwa's house - Views to die for; could sit and look at them all day.

Launching the kayak at Marwa's - No wheels needed here, straight out of the house and slide the kayak down the slope and we're launched.

Sea Eagles - Watching then soaring overhead was amazing but watching one coming in with 'landing gear' down then catching a fish was like starring in our own David Attenborough film.

Sollas - The light and solitude was incredible.

Food, food and more food - The local produce; fish, seafood and venison is the best we've ever tasted; so fresh, so tasty, exquisite. The homemade jams, chutneys and tablet are pretty darn good too.

Digby Chick Restaurant and the Harris Hotel - Awesome food and outstanding hospitality made for two fantastic nights; wish we could go back there soon.

Aurora - Bagging our first ever aurora pictures in such a stunning location.

Playing with the 'waves' at Luskentyre Beach - We may not be the best at supping but we had a great time learning.

Kayaking to Taransay - It was a challenge and we did it.

Watching Kayla interact with the wildlife - Ponies, fish and the rooster; not quite sure she knew what to make of it all.

Friendliness – If you’re on the smaller islands it’s customary to acknowledge anyone that you pass, whether walking or driving. It gives a real sense of community and makes you feel welcome.

Hospitality - Everywhere we went, from the CalMac ferries to shops, restaurants and hotels; the staff were truly amazing.

Have we got any tips - Oh Yes!

Be Prepared - One thing the islands do teach you is to be prepared. We packed enough clothing for all types of weather so didn’t get too caught out by the wind and rain.

Plus you need to be prepared in terms of equipment too. There aren't any specialised extreme sports shops on the islands so if you break a line, need to repair a board, a kite or your bike etc, you could be caught out if you haven't brought spares with you. Some shops do sell tools but it's probably best not to leave it to chance.

Be Adaptable - The second lesson you learn is to be adaptable. Not everything goes according to plan on the islands but if you’re flexible you can easily enjoy your time there.

Don't Over Pack - There's a tendency to think that you need to bring everything with you in terms of food supplies. But if you do this, you'll miss out on all the amazing local produce that the islands have to offer. You'll also be surprised just how well stocked the shops are. Sure there aren't too many of them but they do have all the essential everyday items plus a good selection of items for people with special dietary needs.

Stay Safe - Most of the beaches have only a few people on them at most. So if you're going in the water, make sure to get clued up about the conditions first. If you get dragged off shore, you could be in a lot of trouble.

If you're cycling be careful on the roads. Single lane traffic makes of interesting driving and cycling, especially when you're playing 'chicken' with the locals!

Know your terrain if you're walking. Be prepared for what you may encounter and take supplies with you, there probably won't be any shops to nip into.

Most of all ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!!

Save

Home

Services

News

ExZine

Events

Low Down

Galleries

Search Our Site