Lord Leverhulme made his final visit to the Western Isles in September 1924. After returning from a

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We will be making a pilgrimage to ancient sites in mid May of next year. Probably starting with Callanish on Lewis and working our way south (Barra?) as far as the sites take us. I am just starting the research so am open to any all suggestions on how to best use our time and energy. We are a retired, las vegas hotels discounts well traveled, curious, outgoing, sturdy couple who enjoy good conversation along with creature comforts. Suggestions as to route, itinerary, not to be missed locales, hotels or inns (we are not fond of B Bs) or really interesting places to stay, people to meet, good pubs restaurants. Anybody know anything about flying off of the beach at Barra? Puffins, I want to see rookeries of puffins. Is it possible to do this trip in mid May without reservations so as not to be tied down. Thanks for your help.
I did a trip in June 2008, going the other way. Starting las vegas hotels discounts in Castlebay on Barra, staying a couple of days in Lochboisdale on South Uist, Lochmaddy on North Uist, Leverburgh on Harris (only one night there) and Stornoway las vegas hotels discounts on Lewis. Total eleven days (actually thirteen, but I don't count the time in Glasgow las vegas hotels discounts as part of the Hebrides trip).
I don't drive, las vegas hotels discounts so I had to rely on buses and ferries. I bought something called a Hopscotch 8 ferry ticket. It included four ferry trips. Oban - Castlebay, Barra (Ard Mhor) - Eriskay, Berneray - Leverburgh and Stornoway - Ullapool.
I actually thought the pace of the trip was a bit too slow. Some of that may have been because of the weather. The nature of the islands las vegas hotels discounts is very beautiful, but walking in heavy rain is not fun. I had prebooked the rooms, so I was sort of stuck with the itinerary.
Most likely las vegas hotels discounts flying in from Glasgow to Stornoway. We would like to make the road trip south return to the mainland from the southern islands. How do people do this, surely we are not the first? If we are unable to drop the car in the south, how long would it take to drive directly back north to Stornoway from Barra?
Usually they rent a car on the mainland (or drive their own vehicle) and ferry across to the islands and back. One-way rentals are usually only available in major towns/cities/hubs . . . Inverness, Glasgow, GLA, EDI etc. Remote/rural rental companies are almost las vegas hotels discounts always one-off's - independent small companies that don't have other locations
W/o driving back to your starting point to drop a locally rented car, you could to fly into Inverness and collect a car there -- drive across and take a ferry to the Hebrides. Then ferry back to the mainland and drop the car at another location.
Still putting things together. I did find a company that allows vehicle pickup and drop off on either end but they only allow starting on Thursdays. Curious. They are not interested in customizing either. So, we will be starting in Stornoway, ending in No. Ouist, and hightailing it back to Stornoway for the flight to the mainland.
puffins----I understand that they may be in residence in late May. Any favorite locations on No. Ouist for seeing them? Many years ago in the Orkneys I happened upon a huge colony whilst hiking on the cliffs, completely accidently. las vegas hotels discounts A viceral memory. I would love to see them again.
So next up is Eriskay. Ferry from Barra. the closest I've ever got to Eriskay is South Uist where the causeway now crosses. In those days there was no causeway. Eriskay, you need to see ponies, St Michael's church (inside), and the beaches. And you should watch an old copy of Whisky Galore before you go
So, next on the journey is South Uist. (BTW, you asked about routes. las vegas hotels discounts Pretty much you will find there is one road going from anywhere to anywhere, There may be side roads to visit specific places, but, essentially, there's only one road)
There is a little las vegas hotels discounts memorial to Flora MacDonald's birthplace (most people think the "over the sea to Skye" was from the mainland, but it wasn't. It was from Uist.)so you should know your Jacobite las vegas hotels discounts history.
The Uists are very quiet but have amazing wildlife, otters, bird reserves, beaches, loch fishing.(and an airport in Benbecula), las vegas hotels discounts Visit the museum on South Uist, just off the main road, if only for the home baking.
Barra is a small chocolate box of an island - people don't even cut peat there anymore, seem to be too interested in having fun. Great beaches, try to see "The Vatersay Boys" if in Castlebay las vegas hotels discounts on a Saturday. Unforgettable. A party island.
las vegas hotels discounts More - on North Uist the best Hotel is the Langass las vegas hotels discounts Lodge, an old hunting lodge by a loch, deer in the garden in the morning, a stone circle a few hundred yards away ("Finn's people" I think), good food. You said you were interested in monuments - if coming from Lochmaddy you pass Bharpa las vegas hotels discounts Langass half a mile before the hotel turnoff, this is a big pile of stones on the hillside, you used to be able to get into the central chamber. Not far from the road but waterproof boots advisable.
Next up- Benbecula. Now Benbecula is possibly the only dismal bit in this whole story. It is most famous for the air base; and all the awful stuff that goes with it- shoddy housing, concrete water towers, 1960s B Bs.
There's lots of good history. The Trinity temple is a mediaeval church. There's a chambered cairn at Langass, and a stone circle nearby. The island was pretty much "cleared" in the 19th century (as was South Uist) and the history of that is poignant in the extreme. The RSPB- the UK's Audobon- has a big reserve at Balranald which will be at its best in May, and the machair along the western beaches will be stunning. I like the Lochmaddy hotel and the Carinish Inn, and although I've never made to the Langass Lodge it gets a good name.
Wonderful info advice. I like my advice peppered with humor (Thanks Shiela). Some answers are: we will be arriving in Stornoway on a Friday, no we haven't booked las vegas hotels discounts a car yet but if we do as planned and drive the round trip we will rent from the very nice man at Lewis Car Rentals. His name is Donald he has been very generous with information. I recommend him to all others as well.
Zippo, thanks for the puffin tip. I am sorry now that we didn't allot more time for the Western Isles. Ah well, such is iife. We will just have to go back. I am a neolithic junky and feel those stones to my bones. The Ring of Brodgar in the Orkneys is my favorite place on the planet. So on to Callanish.
Again, I'm not acquainted with Harris but it's high on my list of places to visit. The things I want to see are the hills- ie scenery- Scarista beach (I'd like to stay at Scarista House, but I'd have to win the Lottery first).
In 1919 William Leverhulme purchased the South Harris estate from the Earl of Dunmore for the sum of 36,000. He planned to turn it into a fishing centre and, with this in mind, he purchased what was to be his first shop in a chain of fish shops throughout the UK. A total of 400 shops were purchased and they were given the corporate identity`Mac Fisheries`.
In December 1920, with the backing of the local people the village of Obbe was officially renamed `Leverburgh`. Within weeks of this work began on the pier and surrounding area , over 300 men, local, from Lewis and Uist were involved in preparing the site. A stone pier, with two wooden piers which would provide enough room for fifty herring drifters to berth, was constructed, las vegas hotels discounts and an accommodation block, curing sheds, smoke houses and a refrigeration building las vegas hotels discounts were all erected. Work huts ,store sheds and a twenty car garage added to this development and houses were built for his team of managers. He had planned a second phase of development that would have seen the inner sea loch converted into a harbour that would take up to two hundred boats, and a channel was to be blasted between the inner loch and the open sea and fitted with lock-gates to maintain a constant depth of twenty-five feet of water in the inner sea loch.
He offered the local crofters free help and advice to improve their homes and the roads were upgraded to withstand the volume of increased traffic. With the economic decline of 1920 -21 Lord Leverhulme's project suffered with some of the work having to cease and men were laid off. But by 1924 Leverburgh was ready to receive its first landing of herring. Twelve Great Yarmouth registered drifters landed las vegas hotels discounts a quantity of herring that was so great that extra girls were taken in from the mainland to handle the catch.
Lord Leverhulme made his final visit to the Western Isles in September 1924. After returning from a trip through Africa, he developed pneumonia and died in 1925 in Hampstead. When the news reached Harris the sirens were sounded on Leverburgh pier and the workforce stopped work immediately.
Since his executors and the Board of Lever Brothers had no interest in the Leverburgh project they ordered the work to cease and the work force was laid off. They put the South Harris Estate up for sale and in October 1925 the pier site at Leverburgh was sold for 5,000 and the 33,000 acres of land in South Harris sold for a mere 900.
Mudlush, I have found you something on the transport stuff. I have not completely struck out on straightforward car hire; but I have found someone who will definitely do it, but as part of a bigger package.
I spoke to them; they don't do the car on its own, but would probably want to package the flights and the accommodation for you. They are not tied to who they use; so you could be in B Bs or posh hotels.
For Lewis you might enjoy a trip to Arnol and the Blackhouse Museum which offers an excelllent example of one of Scotland's blackhouses. las vegas hotels discounts The thatched longhouses go back almost a thousand years, many were still in use until the 1960's. At Siabost (Shawbost) is a charming folk museum which was originally a children's school project but gives a wonderful las vegas hotels discounts look into local life and culture. Another place that's we