Slightly overdue I'm writing this article about our week's holiday on Isle of Harris, Outer Hebrides, in November 2014. I had posted photos on my Facebook page but I realise not everyone uses this social network. With my photos below I would like to show everyone how magical Harris is, especially in winter time when the light is at its best and you've got the island for yourself!
We set off by ferry from Ullapool to arrive in Stornoway after about 2.5 hours. Luckily the weather was fine and the sea calm.
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| Ullapool ©Fenfolio2015 |
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| The Scottish Highlands at dusk ©Fenfolio2015 |
Our accomodation for the week was a beautiful house at Seilebost on the West coast of Harris, overlooking Luskentyre
beach. Visit the website
http://www.fir-chlis.co.uk/ to see photos from the house and the surroundings.
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View from our accomodation towards Luskentyre beach and Taransay island
©Fenfolio2015
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On our first day we were treated by gorgeous, spring-like weather, and we decided to walk the hill Ceapabhal and Toe head at the far West of the island which took us about 6 hours.
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| Ceapabhal and Toe Head walk ©Fenfolio2015 |
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| We could hardly believe it was November! ©Fenfolio2015 |
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| Harris coast with Chapel ruin ©Fenfolio2015 |
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| Toe Head ©Fenfolio2015 |
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Stunning views to the other islands of the Hebrides from Ceapabhal hill
©Fenfolio2015 |
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| View to South Harris ©Fenfolio2015 |
The next day the weather was still fantastic for another walk. This time we chose the Coffin route; the route used by pallbearers to carry the dead from the Bays district over to the west side of Harris for burial on the machair (=
fertile low-lying grassy plain).
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| Walking the Coffin Route ©Fenfolio2015 |
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| Signpost along the Coffin Route ©Fenfolio2015 |
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| Colourful lichen on rock ©Fenfolio2015 |
On the third day we explored Luskentyre (or Losgaintir in Gaelic) beach in front of our house. First we had to find our way through and over the maze of channels and islands which was created by the tide.
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| Hebridean machair ©Fenfolio2015 |
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| Hebridean machair ©Fenfolio2015 |
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| Luskentyre beach at low tide ©Fenfolio2015 |
When we finally arrived on Luskentyre beach itself I was blown away by its beauty. Everywhere I looked I saw art in nature; patters, texture and shapes created in the sand and sky by the tide and wind.
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| Luskentyre beach B & W ©Fenfolio2015 |
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| Luskentyre beach B & W ©Fenfolio2015 |
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| Luskentyre beach B & W ©Fenfolio2015 |
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| Luskentyre beach B & W ©Fenfolio2015 |
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| Luskentyre beach at dusk ©Fenfolio2015 |
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Luskentyre beach at dusk ©Fenfolio2015
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| Luskentyre beach at dusk ©Fenfolio2015 |
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| Patterns in the sand ©Fenfolio2015 |
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| Patterns in the sand ©Fenfolio2015 |
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| Patterns in the sand ©Fenfolio2015 |
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| Patterns in the sand ©Fenfolio2015 |
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| Patterns in the sand ©Fenfolio2015 |
Of course the weather is very changeable on the Outer Hebrides. Most of the time a depression comes in from the West but this time it came from the East. Walking on the beach during a storm was really exhilerating!
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| Storm coming in over Luskentyre beach ©Fenfolio2015 |
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| Storm coming in over Luskentyre beach ©Fenfolio2015 |
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| Storm coming in over Luskentyre beach ©Fenfolio2015 |
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| View towards Isle of Skye ©Fenfolio2015 |
One day it was just too wet to go out, so we stayed indoors all day, watching movies and reading books. I also created some paintings of the landscape with my photos as reference and made some sketches of the collection of shells found in the house.
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| Luskentyre beach in watercolour ©Fenfolio2015 |
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| Still life drawing in pen ©Fenfolio2015 |
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| Still life drawing in pen and watercolour ©Fenfolio2015 |
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| Rocky coastline of Harris ©Fenfolio2015 |
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| Mixed media painting of rocky coastline ©Fenfolio2015 |
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| Derelict house, photo edited with apps ©Fenfolio2015 |
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| Mixed media painting of derelict house ©Fenfolio2015 |
November is a very quiet time to visit Harris. Most of the galleries, restaurants and coffee shops are closed for the season and you won't see any tourists. A great opportunity to try and spot some wildlife and get familiar with some of the local residents!
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| Hebridean sheep ©Fenfolio2015 |
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| Funky Hebridean sheep ©Fenfolio2015 |
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| Highland cow and calf ©Fenfolio2015 |
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| Starling ©Fenfolio2015 | | |
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| Raven ©Fenfolio ©Fenfolio 2015 |
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| Golden eagle pair soaring sky ©Fenfolio2015 |
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| Whooper swans in flight ©Fenfolio2015 |
Before we embarked on the ferry again to go back home, we stopped at the Standing Stones of Callanish on Isle of Lewis. They are an arrangement of standing stones placed in a cruciform pattern with a central stone circle. They were erected in the late Neolithic era and were a focus for ritual activity during the Bronze age. It was generally believed that Callanish functioned as an astronomical calendar. According to one tradition, the Callanish Stones were petrified giants who would not convert to Christianity (
from: Wikipedia).
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| Standing stones of Callanish ©Fenfolio2015 |
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| Standing stones of Callanish ©Fenfolio2015 | |
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| Taking in the views of Isle of Harris ©Fenfolio2015 |
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| Stornoway harbour ©Fenfolio2015 |
As you can see from my photos, Harris has touched our hearts and we will definitely come back to unwind and be inspired again!
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