Hebrides Vacations, Some Important Tips
No commentsWith tourism to the remoter parts of the United Kingdom on the increase there is little wonder that the group of islands, off the west coast of Scotland, known as the Inner Hebrides and Outer Hebrides, are becoming an increasingly popular vacation destination. If you are planning a Hebridean vacation then it is rather important that you understand some of the things which make this region unique but could, ultimately, cause problems if you do not understand them. This article takes a look at the Hebrides and some of the important aspects of some of the islands.
The Inner Hebrides are those islands in the group which are found grouped together rather close to the Scottish mainland. The largest, and most populated, island is the Isle of Skye which is also the most popular place to visit. At one time it was necessary to travel across to Skye by ferry but the recent building of a bridge means that the island is freely accessible and, in many ways, now part of the mainland.
The Inner Hebrides are extremely well known for their outstanding beauty and this is the main reason why people visit this area of Scotland. While the scenery is incredible the islands also offer superb opportunities for sports. Cycling in the Hebrides offers unique challenges and the range of mountains, on Skye, known as the Cuillins, attract numerous hill walkers and mountaineers. If you wish to spend a vacation in this region you need to understand how changeable the weather can be. The weather can suddenly change from a hot sunny afternoon to a chilly, cold and wet day and back again in a short time. It is therefore vitally important that you have suitable clothing and equipment for all weathers.
The Outer Hebrides are found a little further out to the west across the Minch (an infamous stretch of sea water) which can be crossed by air or by ferry. The outer isles consist of more than two hundred islands of which only a small number are actually inhabited. From the north to the south the main islands are as follows; the Isle of Lewis, the Isle of Harris, North and South Uist. The smaller inhabited islands include Barra and Eriskay to the south, Benbecula, Scalpay and several more, and most of which are worth visiting.
Most people visit the Outer Hebrides to enjoy the most amazing scenery which is somewhat different to the inner islands. While the bulk of Lewis consists of moorland the coast is astounding and it would appear that the further south you travel the more the west coasts of the islands appear to consist of breathtaking shell sand beaches. Cycling is again a popular sport as is walking and hill walking. Fishing and hunting are also popular and there are a number of excellent golf courses. Surfing is becoming incredibly popular and other sports such as wind surfing and sand surfing are in the increase.
The accommodation available in the Hebrides is amongst the finest in the United Kingdom. Although the hotel accommodation is relatively expensive more affordable bed and breakfast is available from a multitude of guest houses and B&B’s all offering unbeatable hospitality. Unfortunately the Hebrides are so popular as a vacation destination that such places are often fully booked and you will notice that many display “No Vacancies” signs. To avoid any such problems is is strongly advised that you book your accommodation well before your vacation.
The native language of the Hebrides is Gaelic and, over the last few years, there have been moves to rename places in Gaelic. Happily most signposts have an English translation below but it can be rather confusing at times. You will be happy to hear that the vast majority of Hebrideans have English as their second (or first) language so communication should not be a problem. If you hear people speaking in the Gaelic do not assume that they do not understand English as most speak it extremely well and understand it better.
Another aspect of the Hebrides that you may not be aware is that some areas are deeply religious and practice a strict Sunday Sabbath observance. Although this is not as apparent as it once was it is still very common to find that most places are closed on Sundays. This will be extremely important to those staying in self catering accommodation as you will need to make sure that you have enough food and supplies for the weekend.
Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008 at 1:16 am and is filed under Vacation. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
