Outer Hebrides Guide
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| Outer Hebrides - Outer Hebrides Guide |
The Outer Hebrides - or Long Island as they are also known - consist of a narrow 130-mile long chain of islands, lying 40 miles off the northwest coast of the Scottish mainland. This visitor guide to Outer Herbides in Scotland offer you information on the area which includes accommodation and hotels in Outer Herbides, visitor attractions and how to get to Outer Herbides.
Outer Hebrides | Accommodation | General Information | Lewis (Leodhas | Harris (Na Hearadh) | North Uist | Berneray |Benbecula | South Uist | Barra | St Kilda | Outer Hebrides orienting yourself | Things To Do In Outer Hebrides |Travelling In Outer Hebrides | Getting Around Outer Hebrides | Hotels in Outer Hebrides |
Outer Hebrides Guide
Relentlessly battered by fierce Atlantic winds, the islands can seem a hostile environment and an unappealing proposition, particularly if you happen to be stuck there on a wet Sunday without your own means of transport. Much of the interior is bleak peat bog, rocks and endless tiny lochs, and the long, straggling crofting communities only add to the feeling of desolation. But there are also miles of superb beaches, wild mountain scenery, numerous archaeological treasures and long hours of summer daylight in which to appreciate it all.
Despite the frequency of transport connections with the mainland, the Outer Hebrides remain remote in every sense. Unlike Skye and the Inner Hebrides, tourism is of far less importance to the local economy. In many ways, the islands are the last bastion of the old Highland life. Though newer industries such as fish farming have been introduced, the traditional occupations of crofting, fishing and weaving still dominate, and outside Stornoway on Lewis (the only decent-sized town in the islands) life is very much a traditional one, revolving around the seasons and the tides. Almost every islander has more than one occupation, so don't be surprised if the landlady of your guesthouse also weaves Harris Tweed, or if her husband drives the Postbus as well as doing a bit of fishing on the side. This creates a network of relationships where everyone knows everyone else.
