A British Island Adventure: Harris

Showing posts with label Harris. Show all posts

Wednesday, 29 February 2012

Top 10 best British islands: No 6 - Shiant Islands

Shiant Islands, Outer Hebrides, Scotland

We couldn't get to St Kilda, so we settled for the Shiant Islands. Second best, or so we thought at the time. A short boat trip with Sea Harris carried us to this tiny archipelago that lies to the east of Tarbert, Lewis and Harris.

A row of jagged islets, called the Galtachean, point the way to the two main islands. The largest is split in two, but joined by a ridge of pebbles occasionally breached by extreme high tides or storms. Garbh Eilean (Rough Island), to the north, is dauntingly steep and perilous to climb. We heeded our guide's warning and stuck to the more accessible Eilean an Tigh (House Island). As the name suggests, one small dwelling stands upon it, providing temporary shelter for the Shiant's owner and the occasional plucky visitor, as well as being a permanent home for the black rats that inhabit the island. The second island, Eilean Mhuir (Mary's Island), stands apart, yet remains close enough to form a bay that was filled with puffins when we visited in June.

The Shiant Islands receive less visitors than Staffa and St Kilda, yet boast some spectacular geological features of their own: columnar basalt sea cliffs, made from the same type of rock that forms Staffa, rear vertically upwards to a height of 120m above the sea. Various seabirds nest on the exposed ledges like ornaments on a shelf, while Great skuas and Great black-backed gulls circle the rim of the cliff in anticipation of an easy meal. It's an inspiring sight whether you're at the bottom looking up or at the top looking down.

The Shiant Islands is in the top 10... for their magnificent 120m sea cliffs.

Monday, 13 February 2012

Top 10 best British islands: No. 9 - Lewis and Harris

Lewis and Harris, Outer Hebrides, Scotland

Lewis and Harris is Britain's largest island, aside from mainland Britain itself. Although it's only one island it is often thought of as two, with Lewis to the north and Harris to the south. Harris in particular is a place to savour.

The journey from North Uist to Harris' capital Tarbert has to be one of the most scenic in Britain. It begins with a CalMac ferry trip from Berneray that weaves a precise route through the scores of rocks and islets of The Sound of Harris before docking at Leverburgh. From there the west coast road skirts huge sandy bays, and milky blue water. Eventually the road coils up into the rounded, rocky hills – a desolate expanse scoured and blunted by the weather. The road then descends again to Tarbert, which lies on a narrow isthmus and acts as a crossroad for the entire island. Head northwards for the mountains that include An Cliseam at 799m, eastwards to the island of Scalpay or westward along another incredible coastal road to Huisinis – none of these options will disappoint.

Harris is in the Top 10... for its sharply contrasting landscapes that range from idyllic beaches to lunar-like mountains.

Friday, 31 December 2010

D's three favourite islands of 2010

1. Harris
For the stunning journey from Berneray to Tarbert that begins with the slaloming ferry to Leverburgh, followed by the winding coastal road along sandy beaches, before rising up and over the strange, blunted mountains.

2. Shiant Isles

What began as a compromise after missing out on St Kilda, became one of our best island trips. The sun shone, puffins bobbed and sea cliffs reared. As we returned to the boat for coffee and cake before departing, a white-tailed eagle glided above us.

3. St Mary's

We had our doubts (cost, scarcity of accommodation, smugness) but we were wrong. We found what everyone else finds: a beachy paradise of warm air and cold, clear water. Despite the chill, it was the perfect place for our first snorkelling experience.