TOUR B - BREATHTAKING HARRIS: A SCENIC TOUR
Excursions
- 4.75 hours
- Limited capacity
Description correct for 2010 cruises
Leaving Stornoway we travel southwards, skirting the fjord like sea lochs of Loch Erisort and Loch Seaforth, and the road climbs steadily past Bowglass and Ardvourlie before traversing a mountain pass with spectacular views of the rugged countryside. We should keep our eyes peeled for red deer, otters and golden eagles. Clisham – at 800 metres (2,600 feet) is the highest mountain in the Outer Isles. Powerful forces of ice and ocean in the distant past have carved and polished a dramatic landscape of stark sea cliffs, sweeping beaches and rugged heather uplands.
Just before reaching Tarbert, we pass the old whaling station of Banamhuinneader. We stop in Tarbert, the largest village on the Isle of Harris with only 400 occupants, overlooking Loch Tarbert. Now passing through a dramatic lunar landscape of rocks dotted with tiny lochans (small lakes), we descend to the vast expanse of Luskentyre Bay, pausing at Horgabost Beach - a strand of bleached white sand that enticingly fills the entire bay, washed by turquoise sea and backed by steep dunes. All this is set against a backdrop of mountains to the north and the beautiful uninhabited island of Taransay – location for the BBC’s experimental reality TV programme, Castaway, when a group of people were left to live on the island for a year, fending for themselves.
We return north to Stornoway by the same scenic route.
TOUR NOTES: We shall have some free time in Tarbert, where there is a small range of shops, and at Horgabost Beach - there are toilet facilities at each. The sighting of wildlife can not be guaranteed. The quality of buses and the local road infrastructure are not comparable to mainland Scotland. Buses – which are often used for school runs as well as executive tours – do not usually have air conditioning or toilets.
Snack or meal provided
Refreshments available
Free time
Shopping opportunity
Wheelchair access
Swimming opportunity
All prices are based on operating costs, tariffs and rates of exchange and are subject to change without notice.
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