Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Leumadair
7a Callanish (Calanais)
T
01851 612706,
W
leumadair.co.uk.
A purpose-built modern guesthouse owned
by a very friendly Lewis couple, who have a pet h
awk.
Free wi-fi is
available and dinner can be provided on request.
£80
Uig (Uuige)
It's a long drive along the B8011 to the remote parish of
UIG
, which suffered badly
from the Clearances. he landscape here is hillier and more dramatic than elsewhere, a
combination of myriad islets, wild cliff scenery and patches of pristine golden sand.
14
Timsgarry (Timsgearraidh)
he main road takes you through the narrow canyon of Glen Valtos (Glèann Bhaltois)
to
TIMSGARRY
(Timsgearraidh), overlooking
Uig Sands
(Tràigh Uuige), the largest and
most prized of all Lewis's golden strands, where the sea goes out for miles at low tide;
the best access point is from the cemetery car park in Ardroil (Eadar Dha Fhadhail), a
couple of miles south of Timsgarry.
Uig Museum
Uig Community Centre • Mon-Fri noon-5pm • £1 •
T
01851 672456
A giant wooden statue of one of the
Lewis Chessmen
, which were found in a local
sandbank in 1831, heralds the
Uig Museum
in Timsgarry. Inside, you can see some
replicas of the beautifully expressive twelfth-century Viking chesspieces, carved from
walrus ivory and whale teeth. As well as putting on some excellent temporary
exhibitions, the museum has bygone bits and bobs from old blackhouses; there's also a
tearoom
in the adjacent nursery during the holidays.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
UIG
By bus
There are regular buses between Stornoway and Uig (Mon-Sat 4 daily; 1hr-1hr 30min).
ACCOMMODATION
Ardroil campsite
Ardroil (Eadar Dha Fhadhail)
T
01851 672248.
The location, by one of the most remote
and incredible sandy beaches in the Western Isles, is
unbeatable, but be warned, there's only a toilet block and a
cold-water tap. For (very slightly) more facilities, head for
nearby Kneep (Cnìp).
£6
/person
Auberge Carnish
5 Carnish (Carnais)
T
01851 672459,
W
aubergecarnish.co.uk.
A new-build clapboard
guesthouse on the far side of the stunning Uig Sands. The
rooms are spacious and tastefully furnished and the
ST KILDA
HIORT
Britain's westernmost island chain is the
St Kilda
(
W
kilda.org.uk) archipelago, forty miles from
North Uist. Dominated by Britain's highest cliffs and sea stacks, Hirta, the main island, was
occupied until 1930 when the last 36 Gaelic-speaking inhabitants were evacuated at their own
request. The island was then bought by the Marquess of Bute, to protect the island's millions of
nesting seabirds. In 1957, having agreed to allow the army to build a missile-tracking radar
station here linked to South Uist, the marquess bequeathed the island to the NTS. St Kilda is one
of only two dozen
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
with a dual status reflecting its natural and
cultural significance. Despite its inaccessibility, several thousand visitors make it out here each
year; if you get to land, you can see the museum, send a postcard and enjoy a drink at the
army's pub, the
Puff Inn
. Between mid-May and mid-August, the NTS organizes volunteer
work parties
, which either restore and maintain the old buildings or take part in archeological
digs - for more information, contact the NTS (
T
0844 493 2100,
W
nts.org.uk). For the armchair
traveller, the best general book on St Kilda is Tom Steel's
The Life and Death of St Kilda
, or else
there's the classic 1937 film
The Edge of the World
by Michael Powell (which was actually shot on
Foula in Shetland). Several companies offer
boat day-trips
for around £200/person: Sea Trek
(
T
01851 672469,
W
seatrek.co.uk) leave from Miavaig (Miabhig) in Uig; Kilda Cruises
(
T
01859 502060,
W
kildacruises.co.uk), from West Tarbert on Harris. The sea journey (8hr return)
is not for the faint-hearted and there's no guarantee that you'll be able to land.
