Uists or Harris/Lewis?
 

Okay, it's me again, trying to plan my trip! I need some opinions. Where should we spend the bulk of our time, the Uists, or Harris/Lewis? Sheila, I know that you don't like Harris/Lewis, but from pictures I've seen, it's looking like there are some phenomenal beaches, not just on Harris, but on Lewis as well (and I'm used to keeping-the-sabbath-holy-religious people, being a Baptist pastor who's married to a Presbyterian minister who are both children of pastors --Lewis can't frighten me!) And I can't find much about the beaches on the Uists. So before I book, I just want to make sure that the Uists are as beautiful as Harris/Lewis. I already have two days on Barra scheduled, FYI. Oh, and I know it might be too cold to swim. I STILL want to be near the ocean as much as possible. Thanks for bearing with me on this -- this site has been so helpful!

I know Sheila's opinions - and I'm not sure why. I'm sure she has spent more time on the islands than I have. But in my 3 visits (two multi-day and one day trip from Skye) I REALLY loved Lewis/Harris. The Uists are lovely - but I will more likely go back to Lewis/Harris. You will be thrilled no matter which you choose, tho' <BR><BR>My absolute favorite island is Mull and sheila doesn't seem to like it at all. So it is probably just individual preferance.

Janis:<BR><BR>Please, tell me more! What do you like about Harris/Lewis, and what is the best thing about the Uists? Also, why do you like Mull so much? I will be there just one night later on (on our way to Iona), but won't have a car, so am trying to figure out where to stay, etc. Thanks!

First - re-reading my post I need to clarify something. When I said I know Sheila's opinions, it sounded sort of rude. I didn't mean it that way - just that Sheila has posted that she doesn't much like Lewis/Harris or Mull. <BR><BR>As I said - you will love whichever you decide.<BR><BR>Now, I'll adress Mull first. There are more dramatic islands but I have spent a total of about 9 days on Mull over 3 trips (one was just a day trip from Oban - the other two were longer). It just "feels" comfortable. There is enough scenery to fill about a week. Duart Castle is so refreshing - a "family castle" without all the pretense you get at many stately homes. Calgary Bay on a warm afternoon. Tobermory is lovely - an almost carbon copy of Portree but smaller. Boat trips to Iona, Staffa and the Treshnish Isles. Spending the day walking around Iona and eating in the cafe run by community at the Abbey. Wandering in the footsteps of Mendelssohn in Fingals Cave. I found a wonderful B&B in Fionnphort - It is amazing to wake up in the morning and from you bedroom window look across to Iona and the Abbey. A great pub next door with good food and a barman who is a spitting image of Mark MacGuire (he didn't know anything about baseball but was a good sport)<BR><BR>Lewis/Harris vs N/S Uist? I love the starkness of the landscape. Beaches go on forever. Lewis is gentler with a lot of small lochs. Harris is much more rugged. <BR><BR>Some parts of the Uists are similar to Lewis. I really like S. Uist but find N. Uist pretty "blah". I actually think I like lewis/Harris better is because they are larger and just more diverse. Something for whatever mood you are in.

I meant to include info about a small book I've found very useful for the islands. "Scottish Island Hopping - A Guide for the Independent Traveller" published by Polygon Press is great. It covers the inner and outer hebrides, Orkney, Shetland and other islands and crams tons of info into about 200 pages.

I rather agree with you. I have not seen anything like all of Harris/Lewis but all around Toe Head is fine and Valtos area on the west coast of Lewis is stunning.