Group Trip to Lewis & Harris by Fiona McCowan LRPS

Group Trip to Lewis & Harris by Fiona McCowan LRPS

The Outer Hebrides. Located on the edge of Europe. Exposed to the Atlantic wind and waves. A place I have always wanted to visit.

Evening Waves, Bagh Stenigidh, Harris © Carole Mortimer

Lewis and Harris is one island, but thought of as different islands as each has its own distinctive landscape. This dramatic landscape steals your heart. It includes a striking mix of moorland, peat bogs, hills, sandy beaches, dunes, rocky coasts, cliffs, sea lochs, inland lochs and lochans. I fell in love with the stunning views, spectacular sandy beaches and the lochans.

Wellyboot Rock, Bagh Stenigidh, Harris © Tim Parish LRPS

Tim Parish led our trip. Tim’s knowledge of and passion for his adopted home was obvious as he drove our small group of four. We travelled from the northern most point on Lewis, the lighthouse at the Butt of Lewis (the windiest place on the coast of the UK), to the southernmost point on Harris, near the 16 th century church of St Clement’s in Rodel and all points in between!

Our inauspicious start at Traigh Ghioradail in the pouring rain was followed by a week of long days in mainly good weather (for Scotland). It was reminiscent of the Crowded House song ‘Four seasons in one day’, which meant numerous opportunities to photograph rainbows.

Callanish, Lewis© Fiona McCowan LRPS

Our trip was split, with three nights in Lewis and four nights in Harris. From Lewis I will particularly remember the rainbow appearing for our dawn shoot at the ancient standing stones at Callanish (where the inner stone ring dates from about 2900BC); the stunning deserted beach of Traigh Uige and the distant view at sunset from the cliffs above the restored Blackhouses at Gearrannan.

Traigh Uige, Lewis © Peggy McKenzie

Traigh Mheilein & Caolas Scarp, Harris © Jeff Worsnop LRPS

On Harris, we had an adventurous day out to Traigh Mhelein, overlooking the Isle of Scarp and the turquoise waters of the Kyle of Scarp. A thirteen mile drive along a single-track road to Hushinish was followed by a vertiginous trek to the beach. The blue sky, sunshine, white sands and azure water fooled me into thinking I was in the Caribbean but a quick paddle in the sea soon put paid to that idea!

from the Golden Road, Harris © Carole Mortimer

Other memories from Harris include the iconic beach at Luskentyre; the beach side graveyards; the patterns made by the neglected lazybeds (parallel banks of ridge and furrow); our dawn shoot on Scalpay with views over to Skye in the soft morning light and the numerous abandoned houses.

On one morning, we had a later start giving our little group the opportunity to explore the village of Tarbert. Our futile search for a main street resulted instead in a visit to the café in the Harris distillery. I can personally recommend their Gaelic coffee and scones.

Currently (2018) the distillery is only producing Harris gin, which they recommend serving with a slice of pink grapefruit. Their ‘Hearach' Single Malt was planned for release in 2019. Perhaps another good reason to return to the beautiful Outer Hebrides?

Hebridean colours © Fiona McCowan, LRPS

Manais, Harris © Peggy McKenzie

Rainbow over Dalmore graveyard, Lewis © Carole Mortimer

Traigh Mhangurstadh, Harris© Jeff Worsnop LRPS

ICM from Bagh Steinigidh, Harris © Jeff Worsnop LRPS

With many thanks to Tim and my excellent companions for the week, Carole, Peggy and Jeff.