Northern Highlands & Islands - Scotland - page 815

There are five buses a day between Stornoway and the hamlet of Breacleit (one hour,
Monday to Saturday) on Great Bernera; two or three a day will continue to Bosta on re-
quest. Alternatively, there's a signposted 5-mile coastal walk from Breacleit to Bosta.
MIAVAIG (MIAGHAIG) & MEALISTA (MEALASTA)
The B8011 road (signposted Uig, on the A858 Stornoway-Callanish road) from Garry-
nahine to Timsgarry (Timsgearraidh) meanders through scenic wilderness to some of
Scotland's most stunning beaches. At Miavaig , a loop road detours north through the
Bhaltos Estate to the pretty, mile-long white strand of Reef Beach ; there's a basic camp-
site (per person £2) in the machair behind the beach.
From April to September, SeaTrek ( 01851-672469; www.seatrek.co.uk ; Miavaig Pi-
er) runs two-hour boat trips (adult/child £35/25, Monday to Saturday) in a high-speed RIB
to spot seals and nesting seabirds. In June and July it also runs more adventurous, all-day
trips (£90 per person, two per month) in a large motor boat to the Flannan Isles , a remote
group of tiny, uninhabited islands 25 miles northwest of Lewis. Puffins, seals and a ruined
7th-century chapel are the main attractions, but the isles are most famous for the mystery
of the three lighthouse keepers who disappeared without trace in December 1900. There's
also a 12-hour round trip to remote St Kilda (£180, once or twice weekly, May to
September, weather permitting).
From Miavaig the road continues west through a rocky defile to Timsgarry and the vast,
sandy expanse of Traigh Uige (Uig Sands). The famous 12th-century Lewis chess pieces ,
made of walrus ivory, were discovered in the sand dunes here in 1831. Of the 78 pieces,
67 are in the British Museum in London, with 11 in Edinburgh's National Museum of
Scotland ( Click here ) ; you can buy replicas at various outlets on the isle of Lewis.
There's a very basic campsite (per person £2) on the south side of the bay (signposted
'Ardroil Beach'; toilet only, no showers) and a superb guest house, Baile-na-Cille (
01851-672242; www.bailenacille.co.uk ; Timsgarry, Uig; per person £55) , on the north
side.
At the southwestern end of Traighe Uig is Auberge Carnish ( 01851-672459;
www.aubergecarnish.co.uk ; Carnais; s/d from £85/120) , a beautifully designed timber
building that houses a luxury B&B and restaurant with a stunning outlook over the sands.
The minor road that continues south from Timsgarry to Mealista passes a few smaller,
but still spectacular, white-sand and boulder beaches on the way to a remote dead end; on
a clear day you can see St Kilda on the horizon.