Outer Hebrides - Adventure & Explore
A chance to explore the beautifully wild and tranquil landscapes of the Outer Hebrides on this 8-day guided leisurely walking trip in the company of a small group of like-minded people.
Experience Type: Multi-Day Experience
Duration: 7 nights
Accommodation: Hotel
Meeting Location: Glasgow
Group Size: Maximum 12
Level: Leisurely Plus
Age: 18+
Dogs: No dogs, except trained assistance dogs
In a Nutshell:
Enjoy staying in two comfortable hotels that will be our accommodation for the week.
Relax as we organise all the onward transport after the group initially meets in Glasgow as well as guiding the walks and sorting the logistics.
Be wowed by the islands’ history, hospitality and the spectacular and secluded scenery.
Make new friends as you spend a week with a lovely group of people.
Discover the astonishing beauty of the Scottish Outer Hebrides …
The string of islands that make up the Outer Hebrides are a real jewel in Scotland’s crown. There’s everything here – historic landmarks, mysterious monuments, the rare fertile grassland habitat called machair, craggy mountains, stunning swathes of sandy beaches as well as great food, abundant wildlife and friendly locals! Above all though, is that sense of seclusion and authenticity that characterises the islands and makes them even more special.
To make the journey easier, we collect you and the rest of the group from our meeting point in Glasgow and then drive everybody northwards and onto the ferry. We then split the next eight days between two hotels, each conveniently located to allow us to explore much of the island chain.
Breakfast is included on each of the six mornings we are on the Outer Hebrides as well as packed lunches. Your Large Outdoors host will make the necessary arrangements for enjoying dinner as a group each evening (at participants’ own expense) - whether that’s fish & chips on the shore, or a 3-course meal in a superb local restaurant.
Each day will be a mix of guided Leisurely Plus walks (learn how we grade our walks), interspersed with other activities - whether it’s having a dip in a calm sea, visiting a gin distillery, or enjoying a boat trip.
There’s plenty of downtime enabling you to simply relax and soak up the scenery, as well as enjoy being in the company of a small group (max 12 people) of fellow adventurers.
Suggested Itinerary
PLEASE NOTE - THE BELOW ITINERARY IS SUBJECT TO FERRY TIMETABLES AND CHANGES TO THESE MAY MEAN WE NEED TO DO THINGS IN A DIFFERENT ORDER.
Day 1
Meet your Large Outdoors host and fellow travellers in Glasgow at 10am to begin the journey. There’s no getting away from the fact that there’s a bit of a drive ahead today, but the scenery will be magnificent and your host will be doing all the driving, so you can relax, enjoy the views and get to know the rest of the group.
We’ll make our way north to Ullapool, a picturesque fishing port where there’s time to potter around the craft shop or tuck into fish and chips before catching the evening ferry to Stornaway on the Isle of Lewis. It’s then just a short drive to our hotel. It’s a long first day, as we won’t arrive until after 10pm, but it’ll be worth it to wake up on the Outer Hebrides, ready to explore!
Day 2
We spend the morning exploring Lewis visiting Dun Carloway Broch, an ancient building ruin atop a mound of rock and the sacred wonder, the hauntingly beautiful standing stones of Calanais overlooking Loch Roag.
From here we head south and cross over to the Isle of Harris, noticing how the landscape changes from moorland to mountainous scenery.
The drive provides stunning views including the sight of the brilliant white sands of Luskentyre beach, a good taster of the magnificent beaches that are waiting to be explored.
We hop on the ferry at Leverburgh for an hour-long crossing over the sound of Harris arriving at Berneray. We then drive the short distance to North Uist and reach our base for the next five nights. Home will be the Temple View Hotel - a lovely, recently refurbished, boutique-style hotel that has en-suite bedrooms overlooking either the sea or the moorland.
After settling in, we enjoy an evening meal at the hotel (not included).
Traigh lar beach on North Uist, Outer Hebrides. Scotland.
Days 3 - 6
Over the next four days we will explore the remaining islands of the Outer Hebrides. With so many walk options we have a flexible itinerary according to the weather but some of our favourite spots are:
Udal head – North Uist
We have a 10-mile walking route that scores 10 out of 10 for its views as we follow the headland around the tip of North Uist at Udal Head. Expect miles of white sandy beaches, sand dunes, brilliant blue seas and a wildness about the place, particularly as there are very few other people around.
Barra
Hopping on the morning ferry we head over to Barra and explore the rugged coastline and sandy beaches. The route passes the famous Barra airport where, if we’re lucky, we’ll see the tiny planes landing on the huge sandy bay which doubles as the airstrip!
After the walk, we spend a further few hours exploring more of Barra including a stop in the town of Castlebay for refreshments before popping on the early evening ferry back north. Tonight we will most likely eat out on our way back to our hotel.
Croft and Wildlife Boat
This morning we meet a lovely local crofter called DJ and his family to learn about the fascinating history of crofting and what life is like today. DJ takes us on a tour of the croft, including meeting the highland cattle, before enjoying a lunch on the croft.
In the afternoon we drive a short distance and then hop on a boat for a two-hour wildlife cruise, where, along with the huge variety of sea birds and seals, we may even see deer swimming.
Ushenish Lighthouse
This out and back walk on South Uist has strikingly different landscape to the Machair and beaches on our other walks. The route takes us through a mountain valley, past old crofts with cracking sea views towards Skye and the mainland. The path is known locally as the Postman’s Path as it’s the route the Postie would take to deliver letters (lucky person!).
Day 7
Today we head back towards Stornoway, with a return ferry ride across the Sound of Harris. We spend the day exploring Harris including the chance to walk and explore Luskentyre beach and visit the Isle of Harris Gin Distillery.
We arrive in Stornoway around tea time, with the chance to freshen up before one final meal out and a night at the hotel.
Day 8
Today is the day we leave the Outer Hebrides behind after the magical experience of exploring this unique and special place.
We jump on the ferry back to Ullapool before driving back to Glasgow, where it’s sadly time to say our goodbyes.
We aim to be back in Glasgow between 4-6pm on the last day and can drop you back in the city centre or at the airport. Please book onward travel accordingly, to allow for flexibility with the return time to the city centre or airport - we do allow for some stops on the journey, but we (sadly!) can’t control the traffic.
There’ll be lots of time for sightseeing too:
From ancient standing stones, castles and wildlife; to arts and crafts shops, distilleries, boat trips, and wildlife. There is plenty of birdlife (Short-eared Owls, Puffins, Arctic Terns, Great Skuas, White-tailed Eagle and Gannets, to name a few!) and other wildlife (Red Deer, Otters, Minke Whales, Orca, Basking Sharks, Harbour Porpoise, Common and Grey Seals, as well as a variety of dolphin species) that we could be lucky enough to see on our travels.
During the 6 full days in the Outer Hebrides, we’ll be sure to make the most of the wonderfully diverse landscapes - moors, machair and white, sandy beaches - as well exploring the Gaelic culture, wildlife, food and drink.
There may be opportunities for some wild swimming/dipping during the course of this trip too, so please feel free to bring your swimwear and/or wetsuit.
Good to Know
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Meeting Time: From 10am - your Large Outdoors host will meet you in Glasgow - please see Pickup options below.
Pickups (Day 1): when booking you can let us know which of the two Pickup locations below you’d like to be collected from.
Glasgow City Centre (Hotel) 10:00am at the ibis Styles, Glasgow Central, 116 Waterloo Street, Glasgow, G2 7DN. Please note: a discount code for this hotel is available if you plan to stay in Glasgow the night before/after the trip - details will be shown on your booking confirmation email.
Glasgow International Airport 10:15am at the Pick-up & Drop-off area located outside the main terminal building in Car Park 2.
Returning to Glasgow (Day 8): If you are taking advantage of our Pickup service, we will also return you to Glasgow on the final day. We aim to be back in Glasgow between 4-6pm and can drop you back in the city centre or at the airport. Please book onward travel accordingly, to allow for flexibility with the return time to the city centre or airport - we do allow for some stops on the journey, but we (sadly!) can’t control the traffic.
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To make the most of exploring the interconnected chain of Atlantic islands and to ensure we’re in the right place for our main ferry journeys, we’ll sleep in a hotel in Stornaway on the evening of Day 1 and Day 7. Accommodation on Days 2-6 will be in a different hotel - providing an excellent base for exploring further south.
Bedding and a towel are provided at the hotels - but don’t forget your own toiletries.
Room Types:
You can book one of the following options, subject to availability:
Bed in a Shared Female Room
Bed in a Shared Male Room
Twin Room (en-suite)
Single Room (en-suite)There are Shared Rooms, where you’ll be sharing a room - with two single beds - with one other participant (en-suite bathroom). Twin Rooms sleep up to two participants booking together, with two single beds (en-suite bathroom) - sometimes rooms with double beds are available, so please email the Large Outdoors Office when booking if you would prefer a double and we will do our best, although we can’t guarantee this option will be available). Single Rooms are for one participant and have a king-sized double bed or a single bed (en-suite bathroom).
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Included:
7 nights’ accommodation at hotels (single or twin rooms).
A Large Outdoors host/guide to welcome you and deal with the logistics for your experience.
Transportation for the duration of the trip - including transfers from/to Glasgow by Large Outdoors vehicle and all ferry tickets.
Guided walks and sightseeing on six days (Days 2-7).
A hearty cooked breakfast each morning, prepared by the accommodation.
A packed lunch (sandwich and snacks) for Days 2-6.
Complimentary tea and coffee provided in your room at the hotels, but please ensure you bring sufficient water bottles or carriers to fill up with tap water and take out with you.
Bedding and towels - but don’t forget your own toiletries.
The chance to make new friends and meet like-minded people - Large Outdoors is all about making outdoor adventures sociable.
Pre-event support from the Large Outdoors team - give us a shout if there’s any advice or information you need and check out our Blog for useful articles too.
Not Included:
Travel to and from the meeting location.
Evening meals - we’ll likely do a mixture of eating at local restaurants and pubs, or making reservations for the group to dine at the hotel accommodation.
Any extra (i.e. not mentioned above in ‘Included’) excursions or activities that you may partake in which incur a cost.
Bottled water - tap water and is available, so please ensure you bring sufficient water bottles or carriers to fill up and take out with you.
Alcoholic drinks - the hotel accommodation has a licensed bar if you wish to purchase alcohol (although we’ll certainly have chance to stock up on souvenirs and visit local shops/pubs/distilleries).
Any food, drinks or goods you choose to purchase at any shops, restaurant, pubs or cafés visited.
Travel/activity insurance - we recommend having insurance to cover, at a minimum: cancellation and curtailment; medical and emergency expenses (including repatriation); personal accident; injury and death.
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Please see our Residential (Walking) Kit List.
The compulsory items are selected for your safety, which is of paramount importance to us at Large Outdoors. Each participant should be carrying the items listed.
Please note: although the walks on our Adventure & Explore experiences are generally classed as more leisurely options, you will need walking boots. There will be short steep sections and rocky/boggy/slippery ground to navigate, so it’s important you have suitable footwear.
There may be opportunities for some wild swimming/dipping during the course of this trip, so please feel free to bring your swimwear and/or wetsuit.
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• What level of fitness is needed?
This trip is rated as Leisurely Plus, with various walks on offer. Click here to see Large Outdoors’ Experience Levels.Our Adventure & Explore experiences are all about discovering the best each area has to offer. They are designed to be great fun for all, with more leisurely walks interspersed with visits to historical and cultural sites, off-the-beaten-track cafés, wildlife-watching, and much more.
• Can I attend on my own?
Absolutely. The majority of our participants are solo travellers and adventurers. Plenty of fun, laughter and numerous long-term friendships (and a few marriages!) have begun on Large Outdoors experiences since 2008, so there’s no need to feel worried about your first experience, or indeed trying a new type of outdoor activity, with us.• I am currently on a specific diet / have an allergy - can you cater for me?
Unfortunately, we are generally unable to cater for a wide variety of diets or food preferences due to the nature and cost of our catered trips and/or the use of shared kitchens. However, we can offer vegetarian meals, vegan meals, provide meals with gluten* free ingredients, and/or provide dairy* free meals - these options can be selected when booking. *Please see our general FAQs for more information about dietary options.This particular experience offers a little more flexibility catering wise, as evening meals are taken at local restaurants or our hotel, so please contact us if you’d like to check whether it is suitable for your dietary needs.
• What transport is provided during this experience?
We offer transport and a Pickup service (see Meeting Location & Time section above) from Glasgow, with all ferry tickets included. This is one of Large Outdoors’ Car Free Experiences.• Can I bring my dog?
Dogs are not allowed on this experience, except for trained assistance dogs. If you wish to bring your trained assistance dog, please let us know in advance of booking so we can discuss the itinerary and any activity/equipment/accommodation, and of course additional safety requirements or considerations that may be necessary. -
Look at a map of the UK and you’ll see a great set of islands, shaped like a curved shield, protecting Scotland from the North Atlantic. These are the Outer Hebrides, a vast array of hundreds of isles ranged with hills, beaches, cliffs, and over 7500 freshwater lakes.
You’ll find Gaelic spoken as the main language in many communities. There’s a fascinating history to uncover - with heritage centres and sites to visit. There’s also the chance to see wildlife wherever you look, whether soaring in the skies or basking in/around the sea.
The views from the hills are breathtaking, over to the Atlantic on one side, or East to the Isle of Skye and the Scottish mainland far in the distance. The land is perfect for walkers to explore, and there are some excellent trails.
Beyond the outdoor adventures, there are great cafes and art/craft shops so you can discover the cosier and more indulging side to the Outer Hebrides too.
This map is provided for guidance regarding the general location. For detailed meeting information, please refer to the 'Meeting Time & Location' section.