From Lewis to Hirta: Exploring the Wonders of the Hebrides Islands

The Hebrides are formed from the oldest rocks of the British Isles, and over the centuries, they have known rulers and adventurers from the North. Over time, an exciting skein of sea routes has given life to a precious historical heritage. Today, it is not possible to visit the Hebrides without experiencing the magical taste of the past.

Famous for their breathtaking landscapes and dramatic cliffs, the Hebrides are perhaps Scotland’s best-loved archipelago, located off its west coast.

The northern ones include the Isle of Skye, the Small Isles, and a lot of smaller reefs. The southern ones include Mull, Islay, Jura, the Slate Islands, the Treshnish Islands, and some islands around Mull.

The Outer Hebrides, also called the Outer Isles or the Western Isles, are separated from the continent and the innermost twins by a particularly stormy strait known as Minch and Little Minch.

Lewis and Harris, North Uist, Benbecula, South Uist, and Barra are the most populous and speak Scottish Gaelic. Still, there are plenty of other minor rock fragments worth an excursion or at least a glimpse of the distance on a boat trip.

In short, many islands, all animated by the same serene rhythms and indomitable beauty, share the same rough and sweet scenery at the same time.

Despite the large size of the archipelago, over 200 km long from north to south, travel from one location to another is relatively easy. It is lovely to gradually discover every secret corner of this land.

To get to the northern end, Butt of Lewis, you travel along wide, scenic roads that touch ancient villages, ruins, and prehistoric wonders, while on the coast, you can see the white beaches and cliffs.

In both English and Gaelic, the signs indicate the mixture of two different cultures and arouse visitors’ curiosity.

Among the most beautiful places in the Hebrides, Lewis and Harris certainly make up a single large island.

The first part of the island is flat, but the second part has some big hills and is known all over the world for Harris Tweed, a Scottish wool fabric that has been made on the island for hundreds of years.

On the Isle of Lewis stands Dun Carloway, one of the best-preserved round towers (the so-called “broch”) in Scotland, with a maximum height of almost 7 meters and a diameter of 14. Initially, the outer walls may have reached 13 meters.

Not far from here, you can see the characteristic “black houses,” the houses with thatched roofs.

Still, they are also found in other areas: a beautiful village of Blackhouses, or “black houses,” is called Gearrannan and rises along the island’s west coast.

Also, in 1989, the Urras nan Gearrannan association cleaned up and fixed up a typical residential neighborhood by taking back the houses that had been left empty.

For a real dive into the past, just visit the archaeological site of Calanais Standing Stones, also called Callanish, founded in 1800 B.C. and made up of a glorious megalithic monument.

Thirteen massive stones are arranged in a 13-by-11-meter circle, with a central stone nearly 5 meters high in the center, and other rows of stones branch out and fading outward all around.

Even the sea has beautiful views that sometimes look like they belong in an exotic paradise. For example, the coast west of South Harris is one of the best in the UK, with clear turquoise water and fine white sand.

The westernmost islands of the Outer Hebrides, which make up the isolated archipelago of Saint Kilda, are also beautiful, especially the large island of Hirta, with colossal cliffs and an almost surreal atmosphere, like an earthly paradise.

This land was left empty in 1930 because of the changes caused by the First World War, a string of bad harvests, and the death of the last people who lived there because they got sick and couldn’t go to a hospital.

Even though most people left Saint Kilda in 1986, it is still a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is still seen as a place where maritime, natural, and cultural heritage blend well together.

The evocative Hebridean Celtic Festival is an event that happens every year in mid-July. At this festival, Celtic music and the most important parts of Gaelic culture come to life in a happy, festive atmosphere.

To get to the Hebrides by plane, you can rely on Loganair flights, which connect Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Inverness with Stornoway on a daily basis under a British Airways concession.

From Glasgow, you can fly to the islands of Barra and Benbecula, and from Aberdeen, you can get to Stornoway with Eastern Airways flights. Many Hebrides are served by Caledonian MacBrayne ferries, which can also load cars.

The climate is sparkling, but it is still milder than one would expect at these latitudes, thanks to the Gulf Stream, which warms the waters of the North Sea, making the Hebridean islands warmer.

Average temperatures in January, the coldest month, range from a minimum of 0 °C to a maximum of 5 °C, while in July and August they go from 10 °C to 18 °C. Between October and January, when it rains on average 12–13 days, most of the rain falls.