Five reasons to road-trip the Outer Hebrides by campervan or motorhome
The Outer Hebrides, in our eyes, is one of the best places to travel in a campervan or motorhome in the UK. From its perfectly maintained roads, its incredible campsites and camp spots to its friendly locals, or its rare and beautiful wildlife, and that’s before we get onto the jaw-droppingly, out of this world beaches.
You can check out our two travel films from the Outer Hebrides here
And read on below for some of our favourite things to do on the Outer Hebrides below:
#1 The Beaches
Let’s state this right now. The beaches on the Outer Hebrides are the best beaches you will ever see in your whole entire life. In the cold, the wet and the wind, they’re beautiful. But if you get lucky with the weather like we did – then they are on another level.
With the long summer days meaning the sun doesn’t set until close to midnight, you’re also able to witness some incredible sunsets.
Along the whole of the outer hebrides you’re spoilt for choice. There are simply so many, it’s hard to say which is our favourite. Here’s some photos to help make your choice; but definitely up there are Luskentyre, Cliff Beach, South Uist, Baleshare, Benerary, West and East beach on Vatersay. See, there’s just too many!
#2 Its Wildlife
The Outer Hebrides is home to some of the UK’s rarest and best wildlife. You can’t go far without spotting a seal bobbing in the sea close by, and the summer months are filled with bird song, from the likes of Oyster Catchers, Lapwings and the noise of corncrakes in the long grass.
The mountains of Harris are also home to 20 pairs of Golden Eagles, one of the highest densities in Scotland. We’d highly recommend the North Harris Eagle Observatory, the only purpose built hide for Eagles in the UK, which is set within the territory of two nesting eagles. While you might not see them, the walk itself is beautiful, which takes you through some breathtaking scenery.
There are also a number of wildlife boat trips you can go on – we did one in Mull, so didn’t do one on the Outer Hebrides, but we do know that their are boat tour providers such as SeaTrek and Lady Anne Boat Trips take you to spots where you can see whales, dolphins, eagles, whale sharks and our personal favourites – Puffins!
We also managed to spot a Minke whale from the shoreline while on a hike. We’d recommend downloading Whale Track, from the Hebridean Whale & Dolphin Trust. Which has all of the most recent sightings on board.
And while driving, keep your eyes peeled to the skies (provided you’re not the driver!) where you have the potential to spot the UK’s biggest bird of prey – Eagles!
#3 Distilleries and craft traders
It’d be remiss not to mention whisky in a blog post about Scotland. And it’s true, there are a few great distilleries on the islands. But if whisky isn’t quite your bag (which it isn’t for us), there are also a number of pretty awesome gins, too. Our favourite was Barra Atlantic Gin and its seaweed infused liquors, which used various ingredients found on Barra and the surrounding islands to make a pretty tasty drop.
The islands are also popular with artists, with cute roadside cafes turned art galleries, selling local crafts, from paintings to Harris Tweed.
#4 The History
The islands are a place of myths and legends. Steeped in history, the Outer Hebrides are littered with thousands of years of human history. From neolithic stone circles such as the Callanish Stones, to bronze age ruins on Bostadh Beach on Lewis and Harris, to burial chambers on the Uists.
There are plenty of castle ruins, old villages wiped out or deserted from the clearances and much more. We’d highly recommend the Kildonan Museum on Uist and the museum on Stornoway to understand the history of the island and its communities.
#5 The journey
This might feel like a cop-out, but we really mean it. Whether it be the ferry ride to the islands on a sturdy, old-school Cal Mac ferry – where you can spot dolphins swimming in the wake of the boat (this happened to us!). Or the calm, serene ferries that take you across from each island to the other. And once you’re on the island, the roads are beautifully smooth and unpopulated. And the scenery is unrivalled, whether it be the deep blue waters of lochs, the grassy peatland bogs, green, rocky mountains rising into the sky, or glimpses of white, sandy beaches from the roadside.
You will not get bored while travelling around these islands
For more information about Campervan and Motorhome travel on the Outer Hebrides, check out this blog here
And remember – you can watch the whole adventure over on our YouTube here.
These Wild Journeys 