Scotland, The Outer Hebrides, Isle of Harris and Lewis

Wet & Windy in the Western Isles

By Melanie

Photo Locations

 
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Though from the name they appear two separate islands Lewis and Harris are in fact one landmass with an artificial separation created in the past by a division in the Clan MacLeod. Lewis makes up the northern two-thirds of the island with Harris to the south.

Why Go?

A trip to the Western Isles is a little like stepping back in time, in some spots you feel you have stepped back ten years, in others twenty, and in others many, many more.

It is a land that is wild and rugged, dramatic in places from the cliffs of the north east of Lewis and the mountains of Harris to the calm serenity of the machair in spring and the peace of the long silver sands on a windless day. You will find ancient relics that are worth visiting simply for the experience of being there, though in the ever-changing light produced by the weather from the Atlantic you will want to get your camera out of its bag to capture some of the wild beauty of times past.

How To Get There

You can fly to Stornoway and pick up a hire car, or you can travel by car crossing by CalMac ferry from either Uig on Skye to Tarbert or from Ullapool to Stornoway.

My Trip

My trip here was in March 2007, staying a week on Lewis and a week on Harris. I travelled by car via the CalMac ferry from Uig to Tarbert. Driving conditions between Broadford and Uig were not the best and it was with a measure of apprehension that I arrived at a ferry terminal empty apart from two vans. We did sail, the crossing was rough but otherwise uneventful. It transpired this was the last crossing to the island for several days and by the following weekend the supply of petrol and diesel was almost non-existent. That the weather was this wild I took as being normal, even when I had some difficulty opening the door of the car because of the strength of the wind. It was not a pleasant drive from Tarbert to my first destination, Aird Uig, a rocky headland on the west coast of Lewis, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. All the way I could see images to capture if the conditions had been just a little kinder.

My self-catering accommodation, The Guard House, was cavernous with a choice of rooms to sleep in. I was a little concerned about the heating, which was powered by a coal-fired Rayburn, but was assured by the caretaker that it kept the place 'as warm as toast.' My concerns were not unfounded: there were the 'epic' trips out to get in the coal, which meant donning the warmest clothes I had with waterproofs and wellies; having to light the thing to warm up and dry out after a day out and waking up each morning in the cold even if I'd stoked it to the top before going to bed each night. There was a good selection of reading material, local information, a well equipped kitchen, a choice of bathrooms and a restaurant next door (closed as I was there out of season).

My first photographic foray was about an hour after I arrived: a short break in the cloud found me heading by foot down a track to a small bay below the house. Near disaster followed:

I was engulfed by a wave that sent the camera and myself reeling. I beat a rapid retreat, stopping briefly to dry off the camera with my microfibre towel. My heart was pounding and my hands shaking, but importantly we both survived.

After a night's sleep interrupted by the howling wind, the next morning tried to dawn but didn't, I was only too happy to stay in bed! My start to the week had been dramatic and in the week to follow there were some very trying conditions, but they did lead to some stunning breaks in the light. I saw some truly remarkable places and was struck by how even the most visited of spots retained  a mood of isolation.
 
True to form the weather broke on my last day, I took a trip up to the far north east of the island in an attempt to photograph the Butt of Lewis at the first light of day and a trip to Stornoway to stock up on supplies and fill up the tank with diesel that was just starting to be delivered after the cancelled ferry crossings in the previous days.

How different was to be my experience with Harris: calm winds, sunny skies and mountains. My accommodation here was in Stable Cottage, one of four rental properties at Borvemor Cottages  a different kettle of fish to The Guard House. Now I had instant, at the touch of a button, electrical central heating but was lacking in home comforts. So not luxurious but entirely practical and functional with its own highland cow

and a delightful, dune backed beach just a two-minute stroll away across a field. Famed for its beaches Harris has more than just these to offer. Visit Undiscovered Scotland to give you a flavour of what else there is to see. I spent several pleasant days exploring and trying to capture some of its allure and charm and had to fight with a brief return of the elements for just one of my days there. Of course it was the battling with the elements that again resulted in the best light.

Personal Highlights

The light at Callainish in the break between hail showers
The light at Callainish IV (Ceann Hulavig)
Sunsets from the beach at Borvemoor
Rainbows at Huisinis
The lighthouse at Eilean Glas

Personal Lowlights

Bright blue sky, with no clouds at Eilean Glas
Keeping warm at Aird Uig
Not appreciating the distances to travel and arriving for sunrise and missing it
Not having the long lens when I spotted an eagle
Fatigue at the end of two weeks of exploring new locations.

Photography tips - based on personal experience

Read as much about your location as you can before you go, trawl the websites and look at the work of others, to give you ideas.
 

Check out the tide times.

Study some OS maps of the region, I would not have visited Calanais IV, if I'd not seen it on a map.

Be prepared for all the weather the Atlantic can throw at you, make sure you have some sort of protection for your camera, try Claire's solution or if you want something more expensive try the Kata Elements Cover, don't rely on an umbrella unless you want to emulate Mary Poppins.

For this trip I had my 5D, the 1DN MKII,  with 17-40L, 28-70L and 100-400 IS L lenses. Velbon CF tripod with grip head,  and a selection of ND grads and a polariser.I could have managed without the 1DN MKII, but I always like to have a spare body.

When the light is good

Get out, stay out and keep looking. Revisit the spots you saw in bad light and make the most of them.

When the light is bad

Get out and take some reminder shots, so you can revisit when things look better. Practice composition.
Go look for wildlife.
Have a nap you may need it.

Travel Tips - based on personal experience

Don't underestimate travelling times on the single-track roads

When you pass a shop, ask yourself: 'is there anything I need?'

Be prepared to make yourself conspicuous on Sunday's, the Sabbath is strictly observed, don't expect to find a pub/restaurant open, don't expect to be able to buy petrol and don't hang out your laundry!

The main supermarket is in Stornoway, though you may be surprised what some of the community stores have to offer.

Be prepared for some long daylight hours, remember how far north you are.

Sign posts are more often that not in Gaelic, you have been warned.

Will I go again?

Definitely, next time not alone. Keeping up the enthusiasm in the conditions I experienced was difficult towards the end of the two weeks. A like-minded companion is invaluable.

Recommended Reading

The Soap Man by Roger Hutchinson.   The story of Lord Leverrhulme and the Islanders.

Children of the Blackhouse by Calum Ferguson

Walks in the Western Isles by Mary Welsh, another delightful walking guide from this author with illustrations by Christine Isherwood. 

The Rough Guide to Scottish Highlands and Islands armchair reading and practical information for those who do not want to trawl the net.

UK travellers. PTR recommendations for insurance:

Travel insurance and camera insurance.