Date
Cost
Availability
Deposit
Single Supp
| 22 May - 01 Jun 2022
£2995.00
5 Spaces
£500.00
£350.00
Book Now
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| Leaders | Stuart Housden OBE and one of our team |
| Day 1 | Meet up in Inverness for overnight stay. - 1 night Premier Inn |
| Day 2 | Travel down the Great Glen and across Skye, before catching ferry to Lochmaddy and making the short journey to our hotel.
5 nights at Templeview Hotel |
| Days 3-6 | Birdwatching, botany and wildlife exploration of North and South Uist and Benbecula in search of Corncrake, waders, seabirds and raptors. |
| Days 7-9 | Take ferry to Harris and Lewis birding these two very different islands. We shall also take a half day boat trip to the Shiant Isles and visit Callanish Standing Stones and Dun Carloway Broch.
3 nights Hotel Hebrides in Tarbert |
| Day 10 | Travel back to Inverness.
1 night Premier Inn |
| Day 11 | Depart after breakfast. |
| Weather | Though usually quite dry, these islands can experience all the seasons during one trip and can be windy (5°-20°C). |
| Walking | Coastal walks on uneven terrain of up to three miles - walking boots recommended, but trainers or even sandals suitable on some occasions. Collapsible/telescopic walking poles could be useful for this trip. |
| Boat Trip | Our boat trip to the Shiant Isles lasts around 4 hours. |
| Meals | All included from dinner on Day 1 to breakfast on Day 11. |
| Insects | Biting insects unlikely to be a problem. |
| Accom | Double, twin and single rooms all ensuite. |
| Group | 11 |
This holiday has been designed by Stuart, who spent 23 years as
Director of RSPB Scotland. His extensive knowledge of these islands
and understanding of the conservation stories here, is exceptional.
| * We visit North and South Uist, Benbecula, Berneray, Harris and Lewis
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| * A chartered boat to the Shiants, 80,000 Puffins with close viewing of seabirds
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| * Corncrake and Red-necked Phalarope - excellent chance of these elusive birds
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| * Peak time for skua and wader migration with Long-tailed and Pomarine possible
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| * Otters, three species of diver, Hen Harrier and Golden and White-tailed Eagles
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| * Beautiful machair flora, including the endemic Hebridean Orchid
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| * Standing stones of Callanish and other historic sites
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| Days 1-2 | We overnight in Inverness, to give us
an early start for our journey through
the Great Glen and across the Isle of Skye to
Uig and the ferry to Lochmaddy on North Uist.
Arctic Tern, Puffin, Guillemot, Razorbill, Kittiwake,
Gannet, Great and Arctic Skuas, Manx Shearwater
and with luck even cetaceans are possible from
the ferry. Arriving on North Uist the bustle
of modern life seems far behind us as we head
to our hotel.
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| Days 3-6 | Stuart has visited these islands many
times in his role with RSPB Scotland
and we are thrilled to have him lead our
Wild Hebrides trip - his expert knowledge and
experience of the islands and their conservation
issues adding enormously to the holiday.
Our exploration will start in the south with shallow lochs, rocky headlands, dunes and our
first machair - a beautiful habitat with stunning
flora including the endemic Hebridean Orchid,
with purple flowers and heavily blotched purple
leaves. The wealth of flowers may attract Moss
Carder and Great Yellow Bumble Bee, a rare
species confined to the very north and west
of Scotland.
Migration is still in full swing and late parties
of Whimbrel or Black-tailed Godwits enroute
to Iceland can drop in anywhere, while tidal
strands have summer plumaged Sanderling and
Turnstones. At ‘stinky bay’, with rotting seaweed
on the foreshore, many waders occur and
divers and seaduck are sometimes just offshore.
We shall scan for Red-necked Phalarope at a reliable
site, while keeping an eye open for Hen Harrier and Golden Eagle, with Otter possible whenever
we are on the coast.
The RSPB Reserve at Balranald provides a chance
of Corncrake calling from the iris beds and we’ll
work on getting good views. Twite feed, Skylark sing
overhead, Corn Bunting still give their jangling song
and summer plumage waders are on the beach.
Sea-watching from Aird an Runair is renowned
but weather dependent, so north-westerlies may
bring passage skuas, including rare Pomarine and
Long-tailed. Breeding waders are everywhere
including Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Snipe, Ringed
Plover and Dunlin. We shall search for Purple
Sandpipers and other rarities on the headlands
and beaches.
We shall visit remote areas of dunes and machair
where Arctic and Little Terns nest on sandy fields,
waders display overhead and we have a chance of
finding Twite, Corn Bunting and wild Rock Doves.
Optional early morning walks will be offered on
some days to experience this special location.
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| Days 7-9 | We head, via Berneray, to the ferry across
to Harris with its rugged and forbidding
mountains. A healthy population of Golden Eagle
means we’ll keep our eyes peeled wherever
we travel. We’ll visit Rodel and its beautiful 15th
century church built for the chiefs of Clan Macleod.
It is well preserved, with fine statues and we’ll check
the area for migrants, while the machair at Northton
can be alive with waders and has nesting Little Terns.
This is one of the last areas for Corncrake on Harris
and they often call from crofters’ gardens!
We shall enjoy an exclusive boat trip to the
Shiant Isles, eight miles off Harris in the middle
of the Minch. This truly spectacular experience
will be an adventure to remember! The islands
support over 100,000 pairs of seabirds, including
10% of all the UK’s Puffins! We shall work hard
to get good views of the seabirds and may see
Manx Shearwaters, seals and perhaps dolphins.
There were six White-tailed Eagle present in 2021!
We shall get stunningly close to rafts of Puffins
and other auks allowing fantastic photography
opportunities.
Harris is conjoined to Lewis, but the habitat is very
different and we’ll drive up through moorland
to the Standing Stones of Callanish - world famous
and a stunning example of a circle and cruciform
arrangement, with almost 50 standing stones.
If time permits we may visit Dun Carloway, one
of the best iron age brochs in Scotland
and Loch na Muilne RSPB Reserve nearby. On
our final full day we shall explore the mountains
and moorlands in search of eagles and more, with
a visit to the Butt of Lewis.
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| Days 10-11 | Today we say goodbye to these
wonderful islands, but if our ferry
schedule allows we shall visit Tiumpan Head, east
of Stornoway to scan for cetaceans and sebirds
before making our way back across the Minch, then
on to Inverness, birding as we go, for our last night
together before going our separate ways.
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Just some of what we hope to see..
| Corncrake | Whimbrel | Puffin |
| Red-necked Phalarope | Rock Dove | Twite |
| Golden Eagle | Arctic Skua | Hebridean Orchid |
| Hen Harrier | Great Skua | Otter |
| Merlin | Pomarine Skua | Golden Plover |
| Short-eared Owl | Long-tailed Skua | Red-throated Diver |
| White-tailed Eagle | Manx Shearwater | Little Tern |
| Great Northern Diver | Black Guillemot | Arctic Tern |
| Black-throated Diver | | |
With its guarantee of a good night’s sleep, a reputation for excellent customer service and a good restaurant, the Premier Inn is the ideal place to spend our first and last evening. Located at the edge of Torvean Golf Course, this contemporary hotel is a 1-minute walk from the Caledonian Canal. In-room amenities feature free WiFi, pillow-top mattresses and en suite bathrooms with showers, as well as tea and coffee-making facilities, TVs and desks.
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Temple View is a delightful family hotel, highly praised for food service and comfort with spectacular views out to the sea and the machair grassland. It was built as a family home in 1900, became a guest house in the thirties and has recently been tastefully extended to provide a delightful hotel of quality.
All rooms are ensuite, have tea and coffee making facilities, direct dial telephone, hairdryer and colour television. The rooms to the front have extensive views of small islands towards the large tidal island of Baleshare and the 13th Century ruin of Trinity Temple, from which the Hotel gets its name. The rooms to the rear have views of moorland and distant hills towards the east of the island. The restaurant specialises in local produce whenever possible and there is a small bar. The sun lounge provides an ideal retreat after dinner where you can enjoy the sunset over the sea lochs and the Temple.
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Hotel Hebrides offers, contemporary bedrooms which offer a high standard of quality combined with top notch technology. Every bedroom at the hotel is unique, laden with delightful considerate touches such as a range of luxury Highland Soap products, top quality pocket sprung mattresses and sumptuous thick bath sheets and robes for your added comfort. There is free wifi in every room, gourmet fully stocked mini-bars and freeview TV. The restaurant overlooks the harbour, offering a creative modern menu, including top organic produce and light and healthy options. The Pierhouse Restaurant has held an Eat Scotland Silver Award for 2 consecutive years.
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