In a land far away........
Sat 6th June - Day 1 - Journey to Aviemore
We started the holiday with a long drive up to Aviemore, Glenmore is site we have stayed at previously and like, it allows late check in and Aviemore has lots of facilities and stuff to do while having a break before heading up to Ullapool
Sun 7th June - Day 2 - Aviemore
Rest day at Aviemore, so time for a walk. We headed up to An Lochan Uaine (the green loch) then carried on to the Abernethy Nature Reserve where Louise spotted a green hairstreak butterfly. Later in the day Alan ran around Loch Morlich. Beaver have been re-introduced so went on a Beaver hunt in evening
Mon 8th June - Day 3 - Aviemore / Ullapool / Lewis
Ferry was at 5.30, so we drove slowly up to Ullapool stocked up on supllies and waited for the ferry. Calmac and cheese on the ferry and when we arrived we headed for a park up at Garry Beach, arrived quite late, great beach
Tue 9th June - Day 4 - Lewis
Went for a walk on Garry beach when woke up, then down the road a mile to see the bridge to nowhere. Needed a few supplies so stopped at Stornoway supermarket. Went to a Galeic cafe and had coffee and cake. After a walk around the town we headed up to the Butt of Ness, nice lighthouse for Alan and nice beach for Harvey. On way back down to campsite stopped at the Blackhouse museum. Stayed at Eilean Fraoich campsite
Wed 10th June - Day 5 - Harris / Hushinish
We went to the beach local to the campsite when we woke to give Harvey a run, then on to a Broch and the Calanis Standing stones. We satyed the night at Hushinish, up the hill from the main carpark. The beach was lovely and we had some nice weather and saw white tailed eagles
Thur 11th June- Day 6 - Tarbet, Luskentyre, Pairc Niseaboist
First proper wet day of trip, but we made the best of it, we took Harvey down to the beach for a run then headed on our way, stopping at the near by estate house for some nice scones from the honesty shop. Next was the Harris eagle obsevatory, this was a nice walk and gave Lou to test her Paramo gear fully in the rain. Next onto a soggy Tarbet so we could buy some whisky and tweet. We stayed at Pairc Niseaboist which was nice and had a nearby beach
Fri 12th June - Day 7 - Heading to the Uists
Alan went for a run first thing then we headed to the cafe right next to Pairc Niseaboist, Lou bought some artwork from the local gallery. After this we headed to the nearby beach to give Harvey a run, then headed to the comunity shop near the ferry terminal to North Uist to get some supllies. No issues on the ferry, after we arrived we headed to West and then East beach, very windy on the beach. After this headed to Clachan Sands, great, basic campsite right on the beach that we loved
Sat13th June - Day 8 - Clachan Sands
Spent the day at Clachan sands. Lou went botanising, Harvey and Alan went for a long walk north. The beachs were amazing here and Lou found some unsual orchids, the best Machair of the trip. Alan went for a long walk south later in the day
Sun 14th June- Day 9 - Heading to Banarald
We had a walk at Clachan sand before leaving as the wetaher was nice and the machair was good. On the way to the next site at Banarald we stopped at Grenitote and walked to the beach, was massive and dessertted. The Balnarald site was on the rspb reserve and we did a circular walk before tea. Was a nice beach here and Alan went for a swim as the weather was nice
Mon15th June - Day 10 - Benbecula
Lou did a rspb walk where she learnt a lot about the area and crofting, Harvey wasn't allowed on the walk so Alan and him went on there own adventure, looking for corncrake and St Kilda. After leaving the site we went to the woods and Hercules the bears grave. there are very few trees on the island so the change was nice. We had cheese toasties for lunch parked on a section of old road then headed to the shops in Benbecula to stock up, was a nice supermarket. Stopped at the Uist distilary, was a bit weird so carried on. Stayed at Otters Edge campsite, was fine, beach fairly near.
Tue 16th June- Day 11 - South Uist
Bit of a wet day today, headed to the coop then Lady of the Isles statue. Next was a walk in the mountains on the Eagle trail at rspb reserve. Ground was wet and feet got soaked, had to throw Harvey over a fence, but we liked the walk. Lou went to a little craft shop in middle of nowhere and the told us about a history app for the islands, so after this went to a beach with a nearby Neolithic house. After this when to our site at Kilbride via a brief look at Eriskay
Wed 17th June- Day 12 - Eriskay, Barra
In the morning we went on a short walk for the site, and the to Eriskay shop to stock up. Next the ferry terminal, Alan and harvey went to the nice beach while waiting for the ferry. Ferry went fine and headed to the comunity cafe when on Barra, we'd seen this before on tv and wnated to visit. Did a circuit of the island as was wet, then to the campsite. Scurival campsite was quirky but great. After tea we went for a walk up to the wind turbine that overlooks the atlantic, big waves and a lot of wind
Thr 18th June - Day 13 - Barra
Bit of a wet day, so headed for a drive. Stopped at a nice beach near Borve, then went onto Vatersay, not the best weather but beachs nice, saw a washed up dolphin. Rain cleared by evening and had great sunset
Fri 19th June - Day 14 - Barra
We tried to catch a plane landing the day before but the flights were all cancelled, so today we decided to take a walk to the airport from the campsite, the manager said we did'nt have to be off site at a particular time. It was a long walk but the weather was great and we had a great time on the beach next to the airport. After we returned off to the the next site, Borve camping, which was Borve camping, nice site and close to the ferry terminal for the morning
Sat 20th June - Day 15 - Long TripBack Home
Up at 6 for the 7:50 Ferry. Ferry was good, nearly 5hrs, alan had a full vegi breakfast and Lou had a breakfast roll. Harvey was good. Ullapool was bit of a shock after 2 weeks on the islands, went to Tescos and set off home. After a few stops got back at 9.15pm, long day but preferable to another night half way home