Western Isles - Scotland attractions and B&B's
 

Will be staying in Syke, Lewis and Harris in June.

Anything I shouldn't miss? Are there any recommended trips to see the Whales or other wildlife.

Also struggling to get accommodation in Syke and Harris any ideas, wanting to spend about £25 per night.

Cheers

There are a number of B&B guest accomodations on Skye. Look at sites such as http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.u...telsnorth.html.

We'll be in Uig (the small town where you catch the ferry) on the last 2 days of June. Stop by at the Uig Hotel and I'll buy you a drink if I'm around.

Callanish.

I'm feeling particualrly useless in answering this. It's SO good to see people getting out of the triangle, and Lewis and Harris are two places I've never been and really can't comment on.

All three islands are all about scenery, more than anything else. Please check teh National trust for Scotland and the Scottish Wildlife Trust web sites for your tours- or just get one of the seal boats from Elgol.

I have stuff on Skye saved. Email me for details.

Have you already done an accomodations search on the Scottish Tourist Board site, www.visitscotland.com? There should be places within your price range.

For Lewis visit the Black Houseat Arnol which is a typical Hebridean dwelling. I would also recommend the standing stones at Callanish where the stones are laid out to depict a Celtic cross. The Dun Carloway Broch is a round stone tower form the Iron Age and a important site on the Isle. Harris is just interesting to drive through although I'm sure there are places worthy of stop. Be sure to get a good map of the Western Isles. And remember that everything closes on Sundays.

I forgot one of my favorite places on Harris outside of Rodel is St. Clements Church.
Here are a few B&B's

Aros at Callanish email:[email protected]

Baile Na Cille guest house in Timsgarry email: [email protected]

Good Luck

I second the recommendation to visit St. Clements church on Harris. Also try to visit one of the local weavers in their own workshops. We visited Katie Campbell in her shop on the shore just south of Tarbert.

historytraveller

It's news to me that it's the shape of a Celtic cross. I'm not disbelieveing, but where did you get that snippet?

I've checked my library and done quick scan of the web. KT, do you have anything on this?

My know it all about prehistory spouse is back tomorrow and I'll get him t o check his stuff when he gets in.

I thought it was a fact that when giants of old who then lived on the island refused to be christened, St.Kieran turned them to stone. :)

Actually I have now found one reference to it. Oh for an aeriel photograph!!

Sheil, I'm blushing but I'm very far from being an expert.

However, yes, there are standing stone "avenues" extending outward from the circle at Callanish, so that the whole thing is in the form of a rather skewed Celtic cross.

I just did a quick check for an authoritative plan on SCRAN (www.scran.ac.uk) and they have an RCAHMS plan. Or you can look in the RCAHMS database, Canmore, if you don't mind registering (www.rcahms.gov.uk).

Sadly, I still haven't gotten out there myself (but I am looking forward to a return visit to the Orkney stones this summer!).

Sheila, Sorry it's taken me awhile to get back to your query, but I wanted to verify my sources. I've listed them below, however I must admit I've visited the stones at Callenish on two different trips and never noticed the "skewed celtic cross" as KT so aptly described it.
Since the monument dates from 3000/2500 BC with some additions around 800 BC, there is no possibility that the Celtic cross design was intentional. Must be a ploy by guide books to evoke more mystery. Arguably, the best way to discuss the whats and whys of standing stones and celtic crosses would be to sit in front of a peat fire with a plentiful supply of libations.

sources: Footprint Scotland:Highlands and Islands Handbook by Alan Murphy (this is probably the best guide I've found for this area)

Guide to the Best of Scotland by Passport Books

Cadogan Guides: Scotland

Another interesting book( no mention of celtic crosses) is Circles of Stone: The Prehistoric Rings of Britain and Ireland by Aubrey Burl

KT...Thanks for the website info.

You're welcome, historytraveler. Neat websites, no?

I tend to agree when you say "Must be a ploy by guide books to evoke more mystery." Last night I went home and looked in several Scottish archaeology books by some of the luminaries in the field, such as Graham & Anna Ritchie. They all described the arrangement of the stones, and some printed the plan, but none of them described it as a Celtic cross. I guess they did their studying and research in the days before the woo-woo-New-Age frenzy of confusing the neolithic with the Celtic. (Can you sense my own bias here?)

BTW, I was wrong in calling the rows of stones extending outwards "avenues." Only one of them is a double row, i.e. an avenue; the others are single-file. Mea culpa.

If I could go anywhere in the world for a day, it would be Luskentyre Beach on Harris. It's the most gorgeous beach I've ever seen. Don't plan to swim (too cold), and do plan to climb through the dunes, which you can't even see until you get back in there.

We visited with a weaver south of Tarbert, too, and loved the experience. My husband got a great sweater there. We still joke about the worst fish ever at a little shop in Tarbert -- don't remember the name. It was take out, and we ate it overlooking the Tarbert harbor What a mix -- the best scenery and the worst food! There was a great little restaurant in Tarbert right near the ferry -- I can't remember the name, but it had a yummy raspberry dessert.

Historytraveller mentioned many of the sights to see in Lewis. I also like to go to Ness (The Butt of Lewis). I remember my grandmother (from Barvas, in Lewis) saying how disappointed she was in Niagara Falls. She thought the waves crashing upwards to the lighthouse at the Butt of Lewis in bad weather was far more impressive. Also go to Uig (Maivaig) in Lewis. Much different terrain and gorgeous beaches. Also check out SeaTrek. www.seatrek.co.uk . You can go out on tours in their inflatable boats. Good chance to see some smaller islands, seals, birds etc.

Just wanted to say thanks for the help in planning our trip.

Had a great week on the islands and the weather was excellant.

The scenary in Skye was amazing especially on the road to Elgol and around Armdale. Not forgetting the white coral beaches near Dunvegan.

In Harris we enjoyed unspoilt beaches to ourselves and had the pleasure in watching seals play from our breakfast table.

Lewis was a bit disappointing as it was much more industrialised than we expected but enjoyed the standing stones at callanish and the butt of lewis.

Thanks again and would recommend the trip to anyone.

Ah, but Ted, could you see the shape of the Celtic cross at Callanish?:)

Sheila,

I did think about commenting on this at the time but thought my answer would just muddy the water.

The stones are positioned in the shape of a cross as we all know.

But at the centre of the cross is a circle of stones to which the 'avenues' extend from.

A cross with a circle in my opinion, so no to the celtic cross idea.

Did you know that a hole had been dug in the centre of the circle and a small covered pit existed (can't remember what for). That was until the locals in those days started pinching the stones to build their homes!

I didn't. I wonder if I can persuade my husband across the Minch next month?....