Outer Hebrides

THE OUTER HEBRIDES

I spent the month of June in 2015 in the Outer Hebrides, starting on North & South Uist & Benbecula, before catching the ferry to Harris & Lewis. The journey on the ferry to North Uist was light rain, but as soon as I landed it turned into a beautiful sunny day. It is advisable to book all your ferries in advance in order to guarantee a space.

I had taken my motorhome, as there is a campsite immediately behind the RSPB reserve at Balranald. You can go to sleep listening to the rasping calls of Corncrakes. I had amazing close views of them, including a pair mating, before they slowly walked across the private road up to the cemetery. At this time of the year, as you walk out to the actual reserve, the area is usually covered in wildflowers. Once on the reserve, which runs alongside the beach, there were Dunlin, Sanderling, Curlew Sandpiper & Turnstones all in summer plumage. There is a small area of inland water where Arctic Terns, that are nesting nearby, often bathe.

Both Harris & Lewis are a different type of habitat, with mountains & cliffs. There is a hide to see Golden Eagles but, not when I did the long walk to get there. It was quite good for Red, Black & Great Northern Loons on various lochs or on the sea. Once again, the cliffs were full of Razorbills, Puffins, Guillemots, Fulmars & Gannets.