Isle of Lewis & Harris: 3 Days of Traveling Back in Time with Standing Stones & Stunning Beach Views

Time Travel & Spirits: Travel Advice from a History Buff who likes to Imbibe while Discovering the Past…

Visting Scotland and looking for a great adventure? Travel up to ‘Capital of the Highlands’ and take a guided 3-day tour from Inverness to see Isle of Lewis & Harris in the Outer Hebrides. I promise you that you won’t be disappointed– no matter when you visit! Interested? Come along on my trip– it was late fall so I enjoyed the quiet beaches along with the brisk October weather.

From Inverness: Lewis, Harris, & Outer Hebrides – Click Here for GetYourGuide Details

Day 1: After an early morning start, our first stop was Ullapool– well actually, it was our second stop as we got in a quick photo-op on the hour-long ride from Inverness. The tour was a small manageable group that was not at capacity, so we had plenty of room to stretch out in the comfy 16-seat van. Our tour guide Helen, she was amazing and made sure we had everything we needed throughout the entire 3 days! The ferry ride from Ullapool to Stornoway (our home for the next two nights) was about 2 1/2 to 3-hours, so plenty of time to put our feet up and enjoy a Thistly Cross Hard Cider from the bar.

Once we made land, we were off to make the most of what was left of the day– after stopping to see some ‘Highland Coos’ we made our way to the Arnol Black House. Once home to a Hebridean crofting family, the unique dwelling was built between 1852 and 1895 and restored to like-new. With scarce resources on the island, its round corners and thatched roof made use of the warmth from the animals (which lived inside with the family) and was filled with the smokey peat from the chimneyless fire in the center of the room– hence where it probably got its name from the soot blackening the interior. Next door is a ‘white house’ which replaced the ‘black house’ about a hundred years ago. Such a fascinating, and a bit sad history. After another breathtaking photo-op looking down on a white sandy beach, we continued as far north as we could go to the Butt of Lewis Lighthouse— which is literally at the tippity-top end of the island. My fear of heights was not a fan of the cliffs but got some great pictures with the zoom lens on my camera! Last but not least we stopped at the Port of Ness before heading back to be dropped off at our hotel in Stornoway– dinner, drinks, & sleep were all that was left of the day.

Day 2: Beaches, Churches, Gin, Rainbows, & more views! We started of the day at Luskentyre beach which was, even with the overcast clouds, such an amazing experience! The contrast of the white sand against the blue water and gray skies was only made better by the numerous rainbows that popped up around us (🌈they followed us all day!). No matter the temperature, I recommend rolling up your pants and wading out into the ocean. Pictures do not do this place justice! After walking back over the dunes and dusting off the sand between our toes, we got back in the van and stopped for two photo-ops– one via an overlook and the other at Nisabost Beach. We did not have time to trek up to the Macleod Standing Stone, but you can see it up on the grassy knoll overlooking the beach.

After stopping for a yummy lunch– including yummy Cullen Skink (fish chowder) and a refreshing gin & tonic– we made our way to St. Clement’s Church. Built in the early 1500’s as a burial place for the MacLeod clan by Alasdair, 8th Chief of MacLeod (d. 1547). The church contains many late medieval/post reformations sculptures–the finest being Alasdair’s tomb. Make sure you check out the sculpted panels on each side of the tower! St Clement’s has been described as ‘the grandest medieval building in the Western Isles’. After a bit of history, you are rewarded with gin–and a bathroom break! The tour stopped at the Isle of Harris Gin Distillery (OK they have whisky too, but the gin is my favorite). There is not time for a full tour, but the shop does offer tastings and you can pick up more than just gin or whisky in their gift shop! After yet another photo-op stop, giving you 365 degrees of breathtaking views, it was time to head back to Stornoway for some free time to explore on our own and grab dinner and drinks.

Day 3: Final Day! All good things must come to an end but not before a few more hours of exploring before heading back to the ferry to the mainland. After stopping at yet another amazing beach, we visited the Gearrannan Blackhouse Village— you can rent one out and stay in it for the week/weekend. It is a bit different from the Arnol Blackhouse in that it has power, has both a cooking stove and a heat stove (with a chimney, so no smoke-filled rooms), and running water. I added a stay here to my bucket list! Can you image waking up to this view each morning? After reluctantly boarding the van, we visited the Callanish Standing Stones in the hopes we would be transported back in time (Outlander reference) but no such luck. We were able to really get up close and wander in-and-out of the 5,000-year-old standing stones (they pre-date Stonehenge!) — such an amazing experience. Sadly, it was time to leave the islands but not before one last beach stop with a bonus– the Bosta Beach Iron Age House. Uncovered in 1992 after a severe storm, the discovery yielded a well-preserved settlement dating to the late Iron Age (400-800 AD), also known as the Pictish Age. Due to erosion, it could not be saved but they were able to study it and recreate the home for visitors. (Please be aware that the inside is only open in the summer months.)

Stornoway: Hotels, History, Food, & Drink! So, I would be remiss if I did not mention anything about our time in Stornoway. We had two great meals each at Harbor Kitchen and the Boatshed— the hake whitefish with lemon butter caper sauce with asparagus and the fish and chips were great. If you only get to one–Harbor Kitchen is my vote! Service was great! As a fan of gin, I was not disappointed by the selection of local gins– besides Harris Gin, Downpour was another big win. I recommend both! I almost forgot Barra Gin too! Being the off season, there was not much open in the evenings so make sure you check store hours if want to do any souvenir shopping in the evening.

Before leaving of the ferry back to Ullapool, spend a few moments on the waterfront to see the Stornoway Herring Girl statue and pay your respects to Iolaire Memorial in the harbor. In 1919, a ship carrying sailors returning home after the war got caught in a storm and the boat crashed upon the rocks and sank just off the shore. There were only 79 survivors, sadly over 200 lost their lives in the catastrophic event. To have survived the war and die so close to home is unthinkable. There is an outline of a ship using 280 pylons, one for each person on board. When it was dedicated on the 100th anniversary in 2019 it was meant to be temporary, but it was still there in 2021.