# Scotish western isles



## Don_Madge (May 1, 2005)

I'm planning a a solo tour of Scotland starting on Monday 11th October for two/three weeks. H W M B O has given me leave of absence. I just hope she's there when I get back.

I want to visit North and South Uist, Benbecula, Harris and Lewis. I'm hoping to get Caledonian MacBrayne Hopscotch Ticket for the following route.

Uig to Lochmaddy, Berneray to Leverburgh and Tarbert to Uig.

This will be my first visit to the Isles and any info will be most welcome especially bird watching, wild camp spots, petrol stations and eating places.

This is a moment of madness on my part I know. Please don't mention the weather, our Timberland has been tested in temperatures of minus 6 so I'm not too worried about the cold.

Safe travelling

Don


----------



## autostratus (May 9, 2005)

Don.

I can't help personally with the bird watching query as we haven't been to Scotland but you may get information from Neill who is a birder on: http://www.motorcaravanning.co.uk/

You might also get some help on reserves here: http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/scotland/index.asp

This site I visited quite a few times for info: http://www.camacdonald.com/birding/ukscotland.htm

HTH


----------



## Anonymous (Nov 10, 2000)

This may be a bit late but there was a tour in this area reported in a recent Practical Moterhome. I'm at work so I can't check the date, but you may find something on their web site.
Andrea.


----------



## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Don,

I'm no birdwatcher (though my AA Book of Birds and binnies stand ready to be deployed when necessary). However, talking of AA, I know a man who can. So I hope the following helps.

Um, after reading it, I hope you still feel lucky as he claims you should....

Let me know if you want to take him up on his offer.

Dave
---------------------
He's a lucky chap! I've been over there once in the early nineties and it's 
a magical place. Uig to Lochmaddy across the Little Minch can be a bit of 
an experience if you don't have sea-legs - mind you its only 3 hours (ish).

I have to say that from a rarity (twitching) point of view, October is when 
I would want to go, however it might be a bit late for anybody with a 
passing interest. The nesting sea-birds will have gone and the real 
speciality bird -Corncrake, will almost certainly have migrated. He might 
be lucky and catch a straggler, which will be almost impossible to see, but 
if you hear it calling, sounds interesting anyway. That said there will be 
some things to see which we don't get down here. Eagles (both Golden and 
White-tailed) breed on all of the Outer Hebrides. You won't bump into them 
every 5 minutes but I think you'd have to unlucky not to see one in 2 weeks. 
There will be divers (Red-throated mainly, but also a chance of 
Black-throated and Great Northern) also Black Guillimots among the Common 
Guillimots and Razorbills, though the Black Guillys will have now lost their 
superb summer plumage and will look a bit of a mess. There are other birds 
of prey apart from eagles - Merlin and Peregrine being the most likely but 
also Hen Harrier and Short-eared Owl. From a rarity point of view, in 
October anything could turn up and real way-out rarities are very possible. 
Purple Martin from the States turned up on Lewis a few weeks ago - the first 
record for Europe (a mate of mine sucessfully twitched it). If your friend 
is interested in rare birds or perhaps benefitting from a local expert, I 
know a friend of a friend who will almost certainly pass on helpful info - 
let me know if interested.

A few of the things that stand out in my memory are:

1. Passing places are totally necessary and totally respected. The roads 
are very narrow (single track), but unlike down here they are used for 
overtaking as well. Farmers and the like pull over all the time to let 
faster vehicles past.

2. There are mad dogs at all the farms. This will be hard to believe but 
when you drive past farm gates, Border Collies will often come flying out 
and try to bite your tyres - even at 30 mph. I'm not kidding it happens a 
lot.

3. The Uists and Benbecula are tree-less. I think there are 3 in total and 
if you look at an atlas you'll see that the islands cover a fair distance 
North to South. The reason for this quickly becomes apparant when you get 
out of the car for the first time. They would all be bent over at the top, 
being exposed to the raw Alantic wind with little in the way of hills for 
shelter. If you get the weather I can't think of many places I'd rather be, 
if you don't it's god-forsaken.

Hope this helps (bet you wish you hadn't asked)


----------



## Don_Madge (May 1, 2005)

Thanks Dave,

I was hoping to have a couple of weeks peace and quiet and catch up on my reading.

I'm not a twitcher (in the bird sense anyway) I just like to sit and watch and let the world go by.

I knew it would be windy but the mention of the minches (I've been know to get seasick on the Woolwich free ferry) has got me thinking, I might stay on Skye, the ferries might go on strike (please) I'm a professional coward at heart so I might just go to Portugal. The ferry is cheaper by £90, it's a lot warmer there and the fuel is cheaper.

H W M BO has said Scotland or nothing. By the way we have a fifty fifty marriage, she gives the orders and I carry them out!!

So if you're in Scotland next week and see a silver Timberland give me a way. I'm dreading going through Glasgow, I manage to get lost there even with a navigator. 

Don


----------



## autostratus (May 9, 2005)

Don

We won't see you in Scotland.
But we are off to France again next Monday or Tuesday so will keep an eye open for you on the road south.  

The birding is quite good if you get on the migration route.
Might go over to the Camargue.


----------



## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

> Border Collies will often come flying out
> and try to bite your tyres - even at 30 mph. I'm not kidding it happens a
> lot.


Any motorhome gadget, tactic or other wacky idea to defeat 30mph Border Collie teeth?

Dave


----------



## 88847 (May 9, 2005)

*Scotland*

Don, Having live in scotland (St Andrews) for the past 30 years, and having travelled extensivily (not in a mh tho) i can only say that you will be entering some of the most wonderful views on this planet, and im not scottish either,
Weather up here is a couple of degrees less than down south, no need to get to wrapped up.........beware of sheep on the single track roads, other than that there is nothing else to be concerned about
i also am not a bird watcher , but have visited the osprey nests and have noticed lots of little things buzzing about the sky, guess they must be the birds you look for
Oh i appologise,................you may come across the odd midgy so bring some insect spray

Have a good time

Paul


----------



## 90473 (May 1, 2005)

> Any motorhome gadget, tactic or other wacky idea to defeat 30mph Border Collie teeth?


Hope there's no k9 lovers about :wink:

Accelerate until the nasty beast is just in behind at full flight........then.....

quickly touch the brakes.........and...........listen for satisfying thump at rear (sometimes a faint yelp of surprise can be heard as well :twisted: )

At night you can sometimes see the sparks when doggy nails start to bite into the tarmac :!:

Sorry, really only joking. I would never advocate a cruel act against any animal.........

except maybe the local tomcat who pi**es in my garage at every available opportunity :evil:


----------



## 91568 (May 1, 2005)

We love "collecting" islands and did the Western Isles two years ago. Much of Lewis is as bleak as b*ggery, (and my first ex-wife lives there somewhere!). In SE Harris is the worst campsite in the world, but don't be deterred, (though there are better times of year to go there than now).

In good weather the ferry trip out from Ullapool is a world-beater, (we crossed back from Tarbert to Uig). We failed to get onto Barra because the sea was too rough, and I'm glad it was because the ferry boat was like a small sheep pen.

There's some good prehistory out there and scenery like nowhere else.

Go for it!

Might I suggest some suitable reading? Almost anything by Neil M Gunn

http://www.harenet.demon.co.uk/nmg/


----------



## 89022 (May 12, 2005)

I don't know much about the western isles (we go there next year's summer) but when going from Uig to Portree I would advice you to take the road via Staffin over the Quarriang(spelling??).
This high pass is one of the best in Scotland (the best pass is on the road to Applecross).
You also have a spectacular view on the Old Mann of Storr when driving from Staffin to Portree. (weather permitting!!) 
And when you're not fed up with islands allready try Raassay as well.
On the north tip at the end of the road there is a small parking place that will also has place enough for a overnight stay.

Save journey

Leo


----------



## Don_Madge (May 1, 2005)

Thanks everybody for the info. All noted mad dogs as well.

Don


----------



## Don_Madge (May 1, 2005)

Leo,

Can you point me in the right direction for Raassay please?

Don


----------



## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?lat=57.4239&lon=-6.0546&scale=500000&icon=x

Dave


----------



## 89022 (May 12, 2005)

thanks Dave,

Raasay is a strange place in Scotland but there are better places....
How about Seill and Luing??

The last time i was there the ferry was about the same size as my car....

BTW it here.....
http://www.multimap.com/map/browse....able=&ovtype=&zm=0&in.x=8&in.y=8&scale=500000

and
http://www.multimap.com/map/browse....00&cidr_client=none&place=Luing,Argyll+&+Bute

Leo


----------



## Don_Madge (May 1, 2005)

Dave, Leo,

Thanks, you have just scrambled an old mans brain with the last two posts.

I'm going to bed.

Good night

Don


----------



## 91568 (May 1, 2005)

Wake up!!!!!!!

On Skye, if the weather's half decent, be suree to go to Elgol, (I won't put up a link, because I don't know how to do it tidily), it's towards the bottom rh corner). 

Don't tell anyone else though, OK?


----------



## Don_Madge (May 1, 2005)

Noomo wrote

"On Skye, if the weather's half decent, be suree to go to Elgol, (I won't put up a link, because I don't know how to do it tidily), it's towards the bottom rh corner)"

Thanks for that Noomo,

Join the club, I can't either, R H corners I understand.

I'm afraid I call on Dave for all the technical stuff or when a bit of grey matter is needed.

Don


----------



## 89022 (May 12, 2005)

You mean here???

http://www.multimap.com/map/browse....=100000&cidr_client=none&place=Elgol,Highland

BTW if you're lucky you might find a small spot to stick your MH in,
specially off-season.


----------



## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Geographically, yes, presentationally, no ;-)

http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?lat=57.1431&lon=-6.1003&scale=100000&icon=x

Dave


----------



## 89022 (May 12, 2005)

how come you link is shorter than mine???

Leo


----------



## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Now, now, don't get personal.

Click on your link, look in the information block below the map, and compare with mine .....

Dave


----------



## 91568 (May 1, 2005)

Well, that's a good trick!


----------

