|
Highlights
A unique chance to explore some of the best walks on both Harris and Lewis, plus an optional day trip to the World Heritage Site of St. Kilda. This is a relaxed holiday with a mixture of longer and shorter days. We will not be rushing - the islands are much too beautiful for that! There will be plenty of time to watch the wildlife, take in the views and - if the mood takes us - to sample some of the excellent coffee shops on the island. An outline itinerary for the holiday is given below. However, this will be kept flexible, as the weather may dictate changes - especially to the timing of the boat trip to St. Kilda. Note that if the weather makes the St. Kilda trip impossible, this will be replaced by an alternative day walk on Harris and Lewis. |
2025 Dates:
Sat 21st - Fri 27th June 5 places left Sat 19th - Fri 25th July 8 places left How long: 6 nights, 5 days walking Grade: Moderate (see our Grading Information page for more details on how we grade our tours) Start / Finish: Inverness Price: £1,995 plus £310 for St. Kilda trip Single supplement: £160 ***£50 discount for returning clients!*** |
Tour Details
(please note that this schedule may be subject to change depending on weather conditions during the trip).
Included meals are shown as follows: B - breakfast; D - dinner
DAY 1 - ARRIVE IN STORNOWAY (D)
We will depart Inverness train station at 2.30pm then drive to Ullapool, stopping off enroute at the spectacular Corrieshalloch Gorge. We will then catch the evening ferry to Stornoway (the sailing takes approximately 2.5 hours), dining on the boat and arriving at Stornoway at 9.30pm. You will then be dropped off at your B&B in Stornoway.
DAY 2 - HARRIS COAST TO COAST (B, D)
A wonderful start to the holiday on this ancient route where we will traverse South Harris twice in one day! This is a day of tremendous contrasts, starting on the intricate, rocky shores of the Bays of Harris before following part of the new Outer Hebrides Way long distance path over to the spectacular sandy beaches amd turquoise seas of Seilebost on the island's west coast.
DAY 3 - ST. KILDA (B, D)
On the second full day of the holiday we will be off (weather permitting!) on a sensational day trip by boat to the remote island archipelago of St. Kilda. These famous islands are Britain's only dual World Heritage Site, nominated for both their outstanding cultural and archaeological remains and their sensational sea bird colonies. A visit to St. Kilda really is an awe-inspiring and unforgettable experience. Thousands of gannets soar above you as the boat approaches the sensational rocky spires of its three main islands - Boreray, Soay and Hiort. Once ashore, the ruins of the old township on Hiort are an astonishing sight, and the wildlife and archaeology make for a truly fascinating day trip.
The boat trip takes 3.5 hours each way. You will be collected at 6.30am and we will not get back to Stornoway for our evening meal until about 7.20pm. It is undeniably a long day...but for many people a trip to St. Kilda ranks as one of the most memorable experiences of their lives. If you are interested to find out more about the day trip and see the boat you will be sailing on visit our colleagues at Seatrek: www.seatrek.co.uk
If you prefer not to take the boat trip to St. Kilda you are welcome to spend the day exploring Stornoway and the wonderful wooded parkland that surrounds Lews Castle.
DAY 4 - CALLANISH, CARLOWAY & NESS (B, D)
In the morning we will visit Lewis's two spectacular archaeological sites - the famous Callanish Stones and Carloway Broch, a magnificent 2,000 year old iron age fort. In the afternoon we travel to the northern most tip of the Hebrides, to the township of Ness and the dramatic Butt of Lewis lighthouse. We will visit the old fishing harbour at Port of Ness and walk along the tops of the sea cliffs on this wild section of coastline. This is a hotspot for corncrakes, so we will be listening out for their characteristic croaks amongst the township's croft fields.
DAY 5 - TOLSTA (B, D)
Packing an astonishing amount into a small area, this walk will take us along an airy cliff top walk, complete with sea stacks and rock arches, before visiting two of Lewis’s finest beaches.
DAY 6 - HUISINISH & CRAVADALE (B, D)
This wonderful and varied low level hike is one of the best in Scotland. Starting at the beautiful sandy beach at Huisinis, we begin with a short, rocky climb up and over the shoulder of a small hill, before descending to visit the stunning beach of Traigh Mheillin. From here you will have unparalleled views out to the nearby island of Scarp. After walking the length of the beach we will climb the tiny hill Mheilein (a mighty 77m / 252ft!) which will provide amazing views of sea, beaches, islands and mountains. Finally we head down to the shores of beautiful freshwater Loch na Cleabhaig before another short, steep climb takes us back to the path that we used on the way out.
Accommodation: Lewis B&B
DAY 7 - DEPART (B)
We will spend the morning exploring Stornoway, with its excellent museum and the fine woodland trails around Lews Castle, before catching the afternoon ferry to Ullapool and arriving back in Inverness by 6pm.
(please note that this schedule may be subject to change depending on weather conditions during the trip).
Included meals are shown as follows: B - breakfast; D - dinner
DAY 1 - ARRIVE IN STORNOWAY (D)
We will depart Inverness train station at 2.30pm then drive to Ullapool, stopping off enroute at the spectacular Corrieshalloch Gorge. We will then catch the evening ferry to Stornoway (the sailing takes approximately 2.5 hours), dining on the boat and arriving at Stornoway at 9.30pm. You will then be dropped off at your B&B in Stornoway.
DAY 2 - HARRIS COAST TO COAST (B, D)
A wonderful start to the holiday on this ancient route where we will traverse South Harris twice in one day! This is a day of tremendous contrasts, starting on the intricate, rocky shores of the Bays of Harris before following part of the new Outer Hebrides Way long distance path over to the spectacular sandy beaches amd turquoise seas of Seilebost on the island's west coast.
DAY 3 - ST. KILDA (B, D)
On the second full day of the holiday we will be off (weather permitting!) on a sensational day trip by boat to the remote island archipelago of St. Kilda. These famous islands are Britain's only dual World Heritage Site, nominated for both their outstanding cultural and archaeological remains and their sensational sea bird colonies. A visit to St. Kilda really is an awe-inspiring and unforgettable experience. Thousands of gannets soar above you as the boat approaches the sensational rocky spires of its three main islands - Boreray, Soay and Hiort. Once ashore, the ruins of the old township on Hiort are an astonishing sight, and the wildlife and archaeology make for a truly fascinating day trip.
The boat trip takes 3.5 hours each way. You will be collected at 6.30am and we will not get back to Stornoway for our evening meal until about 7.20pm. It is undeniably a long day...but for many people a trip to St. Kilda ranks as one of the most memorable experiences of their lives. If you are interested to find out more about the day trip and see the boat you will be sailing on visit our colleagues at Seatrek: www.seatrek.co.uk
If you prefer not to take the boat trip to St. Kilda you are welcome to spend the day exploring Stornoway and the wonderful wooded parkland that surrounds Lews Castle.
DAY 4 - CALLANISH, CARLOWAY & NESS (B, D)
In the morning we will visit Lewis's two spectacular archaeological sites - the famous Callanish Stones and Carloway Broch, a magnificent 2,000 year old iron age fort. In the afternoon we travel to the northern most tip of the Hebrides, to the township of Ness and the dramatic Butt of Lewis lighthouse. We will visit the old fishing harbour at Port of Ness and walk along the tops of the sea cliffs on this wild section of coastline. This is a hotspot for corncrakes, so we will be listening out for their characteristic croaks amongst the township's croft fields.
DAY 5 - TOLSTA (B, D)
Packing an astonishing amount into a small area, this walk will take us along an airy cliff top walk, complete with sea stacks and rock arches, before visiting two of Lewis’s finest beaches.
DAY 6 - HUISINISH & CRAVADALE (B, D)
This wonderful and varied low level hike is one of the best in Scotland. Starting at the beautiful sandy beach at Huisinis, we begin with a short, rocky climb up and over the shoulder of a small hill, before descending to visit the stunning beach of Traigh Mheillin. From here you will have unparalleled views out to the nearby island of Scarp. After walking the length of the beach we will climb the tiny hill Mheilein (a mighty 77m / 252ft!) which will provide amazing views of sea, beaches, islands and mountains. Finally we head down to the shores of beautiful freshwater Loch na Cleabhaig before another short, steep climb takes us back to the path that we used on the way out.
Accommodation: Lewis B&B
DAY 7 - DEPART (B)
We will spend the morning exploring Stornoway, with its excellent museum and the fine woodland trails around Lews Castle, before catching the afternoon ferry to Ullapool and arriving back in Inverness by 6pm.
The holiday starts and ends in Inverness. Your guide will meet you at the entrance to Inverness railway station at 2.30pm where you will join the rest of the group for the drive to Skye.
Inverness is easily accessible by plane, train and bus.
Flights
The following airlines offer direct flights to Inverness:
www.loganair.co.uk - Manchester, Birmingham, Belfast, Exeter, Glasgow, Newquay, Southampton.
www.easyjet.com - London Gatwick, London Luton, Bristol, Geneva.
www.britishairways.com - London Heathrow.
www.aerlingus.com - Dublin.
Trains
Inverness can be reached by train from Edinburgh, Glasgow and England. Travellers coming from London and the south of England can take advantage of the overnight Caledonian Sleeper service. For more information on train services see the following websites:
www.scotrail.co.uk
www.nationalrail.co.uk
www.thetrainline.com
www.sleeper.scot
Please note that all train tickets should be purchased in advance of travel. We recommend that you do this as soon as you book your holiday as advance tickets are always considerably cheaper than ones bought at the last minute.
Coaches
The following operator offers coach services from Glasgow and Edinburgh to Inverness:
www.citylink.co.uk
Please note that all coach tickets must be purchased in advance of travel. We recommend that you do this as soon as you book your holiday as coaches can get booked up. Advance tickets can also be considerably cheaper than ones bought at the last minute.
Cars
Driving to Inverness by car is straightforward - it is simply a case of heading for Perth then taking the A9 north. Approximate journey times (not including stops, road works or delays) are as follows:
Edinburgh: 3 hours
Glasgow: 3.5 hours
Newcastle: 5.5 hours
Manchester: 6.5 hours
Birmingham: 7.5 hours
Bristol: 8.5 hours
London: 9.5 hours
For secure parking in Inverness we recommend the Highland Council run Rose Street multi storey car park. This is staffed until 10pm each night and is fully covered by CCTV. The cost for a week's parking here is about £57.
Flying Direct to Stornoway
If you prefer to make your own way to Stornoway and meet us there at the start of the holiday, you can fly direct from Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness with www.loganair.co.uk.
Inverness is easily accessible by plane, train and bus.
Flights
The following airlines offer direct flights to Inverness:
www.loganair.co.uk - Manchester, Birmingham, Belfast, Exeter, Glasgow, Newquay, Southampton.
www.easyjet.com - London Gatwick, London Luton, Bristol, Geneva.
www.britishairways.com - London Heathrow.
www.aerlingus.com - Dublin.
Trains
Inverness can be reached by train from Edinburgh, Glasgow and England. Travellers coming from London and the south of England can take advantage of the overnight Caledonian Sleeper service. For more information on train services see the following websites:
www.scotrail.co.uk
www.nationalrail.co.uk
www.thetrainline.com
www.sleeper.scot
Please note that all train tickets should be purchased in advance of travel. We recommend that you do this as soon as you book your holiday as advance tickets are always considerably cheaper than ones bought at the last minute.
Coaches
The following operator offers coach services from Glasgow and Edinburgh to Inverness:
www.citylink.co.uk
Please note that all coach tickets must be purchased in advance of travel. We recommend that you do this as soon as you book your holiday as coaches can get booked up. Advance tickets can also be considerably cheaper than ones bought at the last minute.
Cars
Driving to Inverness by car is straightforward - it is simply a case of heading for Perth then taking the A9 north. Approximate journey times (not including stops, road works or delays) are as follows:
Edinburgh: 3 hours
Glasgow: 3.5 hours
Newcastle: 5.5 hours
Manchester: 6.5 hours
Birmingham: 7.5 hours
Bristol: 8.5 hours
London: 9.5 hours
For secure parking in Inverness we recommend the Highland Council run Rose Street multi storey car park. This is staffed until 10pm each night and is fully covered by CCTV. The cost for a week's parking here is about £57.
Flying Direct to Stornoway
If you prefer to make your own way to Stornoway and meet us there at the start of the holiday, you can fly direct from Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness with www.loganair.co.uk.
What's Included: 6 nights accommodation in comfortable island guest houses*, 5 days walking. Full Scottish or continental breakfasts and evening meals. Packed lunches. All transport during the holiday, boat trip to St. Kilda (if this option is selected), and the services of a experienced guide.
What's Not Included: Food & drinks at any cafes we may visit. Entrance to any visitor attractions. Alcoholic drinks. Restaurant tips. Travel insurance.
St. Kilda: If you wish to go on the St. Kilda day trip you must commit to this when you book your holiday. The boat operators can only take a maximum of 12 people per trip so it is important to book early if you want to secure your place. There is an additional charge of £295 per person for the St. Kilda trip.
Please note that the deposit for this holiday is non-refundable as we have to pay a non-refundable deposit to the boat operators for the St. Kilda trip. If the St. Kilda day trip is cancelled due to bad weather then your £295 payment will, of course, be refunded.
* We will be staying in comfortable guest houses in Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis, the attractive little capital of the Outer Hebrides. All rooms will have ensuite or private bathrooms. Single occupancy rooms are available at an additional cost of £160.
We may have to split the party up between several guest houses. However, we will be dining together each evening in local restaurants so there will be plenty of opportunities for socialising with the rest of the group.
What's Not Included: Food & drinks at any cafes we may visit. Entrance to any visitor attractions. Alcoholic drinks. Restaurant tips. Travel insurance.
St. Kilda: If you wish to go on the St. Kilda day trip you must commit to this when you book your holiday. The boat operators can only take a maximum of 12 people per trip so it is important to book early if you want to secure your place. There is an additional charge of £295 per person for the St. Kilda trip.
Please note that the deposit for this holiday is non-refundable as we have to pay a non-refundable deposit to the boat operators for the St. Kilda trip. If the St. Kilda day trip is cancelled due to bad weather then your £295 payment will, of course, be refunded.
* We will be staying in comfortable guest houses in Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis, the attractive little capital of the Outer Hebrides. All rooms will have ensuite or private bathrooms. Single occupancy rooms are available at an additional cost of £160.
We may have to split the party up between several guest houses. However, we will be dining together each evening in local restaurants so there will be plenty of opportunities for socialising with the rest of the group.
Grade: Moderate. This holiday goes at a gentle pace, with plenty of time to stop, take pictures, soak up the atmosphere and watch the wildlife. However, it is still a walking holiday, so you will need to be able to cope with a reasonable amount of hiking each day. As a guide, you should be able to manage small uphill sections, be comfortable walking for 5 hours and 7 - 10 miles or so each day, and be confident walking away from paths - for example over rough, grassy hillsides. We try to keep to easy ground as much as possible on these walks, but there will be some areas where the going can be a little rough and quite wet underfoot, so good hiking boots are essential. We don't tackle any hills on these walks but there are usually some modest uphill sections each day.
On Hiorta, the main island of St. Kilda, we will be doing a climb of approximately 280m (900ft) on a rough surfaced road. This is steep but relatively straightforward and provides great views of the village and the neighbouring island of Soay. If you do not like the idea of the climb you are welcome to spend the time ashore exploring the fascinating remains of the old village.
For more information about how we grade our holidays please refer to our Grading Information page.
On Hiorta, the main island of St. Kilda, we will be doing a climb of approximately 280m (900ft) on a rough surfaced road. This is steep but relatively straightforward and provides great views of the village and the neighbouring island of Soay. If you do not like the idea of the climb you are welcome to spend the time ashore exploring the fascinating remains of the old village.
For more information about how we grade our holidays please refer to our Grading Information page.
The following reviews are taken from the Hidden Hebrides page on TripAdvisor: For reviews of our other holidays click here.
T.Q. (Richmond, England)
The whole holiday was absolutely marvellous - well-planned, with an exceptional tour-guide (Emma) who was delightfully friendly and extremely knowledgeable, very good accommodation, and the scenery on the walks was beautiful. I would be delighted to take the same holiday again.
D.G. (Middlesex, England)
My wife and I visited Lewis and Harris with Hidden Hebrides in May 2019. This company used local people from the area. Their local knowledge and enthusiasm made our holiday so much more enjoyable.The accommodation was excellent as were the evening meals in local restaurants. We enjoyed the holiday so much that the week after we came back we booked another holiday with Hidden Hebrides to visit the Southern Hebrides in 2020. We wholeheartedly recommend this company.
G.G. (London)
A brilliant holiday! The scenery was stunning, the walks varied. We saw highlights of Harris and Lewis as well as the historic part of St Kilda. Our guide was with us every day. She was warm and thoughtful but also showed a depth of knowledge about the islands that only an enthusiastic native could have mustered. This was a visit we will never forget.
J.K. (Kansas, USA)
This walking tour was the highlight of our trip to Scotland. We loved our fellow walkers and our guide, Emma, who knew es on a Croft in Harris. They got this right, from the small group size, to the pace of the day, the accommodations in Stornoway, the meals at night and the scenic walks. I can’t oraise this experience enough, and hope to return one day to do another part of the islands.
D.S. (Devon, UK)
This is the second walking holiday that we have taken and the first in the Scottish Isles. We chose the tour mainly because of the informative website and the excellent trip advisor reviews. The holiday did not disappoint in anyway. The organisation, the accommodation, the food and the exploration of the Isles were all excellent. Mick is clearly passionate about his endeavours and this conveys itself to all who walk with him. In comparison to our earlier holiday we walked less than we expected and spent more time looking, talking and wandering. The Isles are beautiful and we were blessed with some excellent sunny days. Could anything have improved the holiday? One of the eating house was not as good as the others and we were sad not to be in the main accommodation but placed out of the main town so that we had to be picked up and driven in and out for breakfast. This made it more difficult to take an evening walk in the town. These are small things however. Do try Hidden Hebrides - you will enjoy exploring these remote and unique isles.
J.G. (Edinburgh, UK)
A 6 day walking holiday on Lewis and Harris with a visit to St Kilda. Excellent trip from start to finish. Mick’s organisation and communication was excellent with every detail taken care of.
Our guide for the week was Emma who was warm, friendly and passionate about the islands. Fantastic walks and wonderful scenery including the most beautiful beaches with turquoise water and white sand to rival any Caribbean island. Emma grew up on Lewis and throughout the week had many interesting anecdotes giving us an insight into life on Lewis/Harris past and present. We were lucky enough to have excellent weather and very calm waters for our trip to St Kilda which has to be the highlight of the holiday. An amazing place which is hard to describe. Fascinating to see and imagine how hard life must have been here.
Bed and bed breakfast accommodation was a very high standard as were the breakfasts provided each morning. We ate out in a different restaurant every evening and each was excellent with a great choice of food.
I travelled alone and the group for this holiday consisted of 5 others. A lovely group of people easy to get along with. Keen walkers of similar ability.
I would thoroughly recommend Hidden Hebrides. Beautiful islands, small group size, excellent organisation and a fantastic guide made for a relaxed and stress free holiday.
D.O. (Washington, USA)
We spent two weeks with Jon and staff -- we thoroughly enjoyed our walking tours of Lewis & Harris and also of Skye. Accomodations are first rate, as is the selections of restaurants and food provided. The walks are well-planned and adjusted to the needs of the group and each individual, which we very much appreciated. Compared to other group tours we have been on in Scotland, this far exceeded what we were expecting. We'll definitely return for more tours with Hidden Hebrides!
D.B. (Adelaide, Australia)
I spent 28 August to 9th September doing 2 weeks of walking with Hidden Hebrides. As it was my first visit here (whilst my husband was playing golf elsewhere in Scotland!), I was looking for an interesting, safe whilst challenging, and informational experience.
Right from initial emails, Mick has been absolutely terrific. He suggested which trips might suit best when I said what I was looking for.
Starting with being picked up at Stornoway airport ( my choice of travel), meeting my fellow travellers, eating at different places each night, the highlight was truly the fabulous walks we went on. Mick was the guide on Harris and Lewis and was very forthcoming sharing his incredible knowledge of the environment including the soil, flora, and bird life. We also talked a lot about history as well as life as it is today on Lewis and Harris.
The second week was led by John. Again a great week - I'm amazed we got to see and experience so much of Skye with diverse walks, the odd sightseeing drive as we drove to our walking destinations and the occasional visit to a cultural attraction.
Again the company was great, we ate well and John did an excellent job of catering for diverse needs. We all enjoyed his sense of humour.
I would highly recommend Hidden Hebrides to help you get the most out of a stay on the fantastic islands.
J.W. (Fife, UK)
I had a wonderful week in July on the Harris, Lewis and St Kilda walking holiday with Hidden Hebrides. The organisation was excellent throughout with superb B&B accommodation, good food each evening in a variety of restaurants and all transport provided in the mini bus, always skilfully driven by our guide.
The beauty of the islands and the abundance of birds, flora and fauna that we saw were truly amazing and made all the more interesting and enjoyable by the enthusiasm and knowledge of our superb guide Emma. The walks were chosen to give variety but also to include any special requests by members of the group and we all enjoyed a visit to the Black House village and Callanish one wet afternoon.
This was my first experience of a guided walking holiday but now I am already planning another - with Hidden Hebrides of course!
J.R. (Staffordshire, UK)
I've been lucky enough to spend a glorious week walking around Lewis, Harris and St Kilda with Hidden Hebrides. Breathtaking countryside. This was a well organised walking holiday with good company guided by Emma, who was well informed, energetic and very helpful. I'll be seriously considering trying another tour next year. Thank you Emma and Mick
B.F. (Fife, UK)
This was my first visit to the Outer Hebrides but will not be my last. I highly recommend the Lewis, Harris and St Kilda holiday to walkers who enjoy stunning scenery and bird life, and have an interest in Scottish cultural history. I went with a friend but would have been equally comfortable going solo as this was a friendly and welcoming group. All the logistics were taken care of, from meeting us from the ferry to incorporating special requests, right down to the flavour of crisps in pack lunches. Our bed and breakfast accommodation was perfect (thanks Ann) and eating out in local restaurants every evening was very enjoyable. Enormous thanks to our amazing guide Emma whose enthusiasm, warmth, local knowledge and appreciation of nature made every day a pleasure. We were exceptionally lucky in getting to St Kilda which ranks as one of my top experiences ever. Gannets galore, scary skuas, comical puffins, whales, dolphins -- what a range of wildlife. Fortunately midges did not figure on that list. Anti sea-sickness medication recommended though -- the archipelago is a long way out into the Atlantic.
All our days were full and active, so be prepared to walk whatever the weather. And now I I must decide which Hidden Hebrides holiday to book next ....
J.F. (Worcestershire, UK)
A wonderful introduction to a unique part of the world, it's hard to believe that you are still in the British Isles. The walks gave us time to look and truely appreciate our surrounding. This coupled with Emma's knowledge, enthusiasm and boundless energy means I will be turning to Hidden Hebrides for another visit sooner rather than later.
T.Q. (Richmond, England)
The whole holiday was absolutely marvellous - well-planned, with an exceptional tour-guide (Emma) who was delightfully friendly and extremely knowledgeable, very good accommodation, and the scenery on the walks was beautiful. I would be delighted to take the same holiday again.
D.G. (Middlesex, England)
My wife and I visited Lewis and Harris with Hidden Hebrides in May 2019. This company used local people from the area. Their local knowledge and enthusiasm made our holiday so much more enjoyable.The accommodation was excellent as were the evening meals in local restaurants. We enjoyed the holiday so much that the week after we came back we booked another holiday with Hidden Hebrides to visit the Southern Hebrides in 2020. We wholeheartedly recommend this company.
G.G. (London)
A brilliant holiday! The scenery was stunning, the walks varied. We saw highlights of Harris and Lewis as well as the historic part of St Kilda. Our guide was with us every day. She was warm and thoughtful but also showed a depth of knowledge about the islands that only an enthusiastic native could have mustered. This was a visit we will never forget.
J.K. (Kansas, USA)
This walking tour was the highlight of our trip to Scotland. We loved our fellow walkers and our guide, Emma, who knew es on a Croft in Harris. They got this right, from the small group size, to the pace of the day, the accommodations in Stornoway, the meals at night and the scenic walks. I can’t oraise this experience enough, and hope to return one day to do another part of the islands.
D.S. (Devon, UK)
This is the second walking holiday that we have taken and the first in the Scottish Isles. We chose the tour mainly because of the informative website and the excellent trip advisor reviews. The holiday did not disappoint in anyway. The organisation, the accommodation, the food and the exploration of the Isles were all excellent. Mick is clearly passionate about his endeavours and this conveys itself to all who walk with him. In comparison to our earlier holiday we walked less than we expected and spent more time looking, talking and wandering. The Isles are beautiful and we were blessed with some excellent sunny days. Could anything have improved the holiday? One of the eating house was not as good as the others and we were sad not to be in the main accommodation but placed out of the main town so that we had to be picked up and driven in and out for breakfast. This made it more difficult to take an evening walk in the town. These are small things however. Do try Hidden Hebrides - you will enjoy exploring these remote and unique isles.
J.G. (Edinburgh, UK)
A 6 day walking holiday on Lewis and Harris with a visit to St Kilda. Excellent trip from start to finish. Mick’s organisation and communication was excellent with every detail taken care of.
Our guide for the week was Emma who was warm, friendly and passionate about the islands. Fantastic walks and wonderful scenery including the most beautiful beaches with turquoise water and white sand to rival any Caribbean island. Emma grew up on Lewis and throughout the week had many interesting anecdotes giving us an insight into life on Lewis/Harris past and present. We were lucky enough to have excellent weather and very calm waters for our trip to St Kilda which has to be the highlight of the holiday. An amazing place which is hard to describe. Fascinating to see and imagine how hard life must have been here.
Bed and bed breakfast accommodation was a very high standard as were the breakfasts provided each morning. We ate out in a different restaurant every evening and each was excellent with a great choice of food.
I travelled alone and the group for this holiday consisted of 5 others. A lovely group of people easy to get along with. Keen walkers of similar ability.
I would thoroughly recommend Hidden Hebrides. Beautiful islands, small group size, excellent organisation and a fantastic guide made for a relaxed and stress free holiday.
D.O. (Washington, USA)
We spent two weeks with Jon and staff -- we thoroughly enjoyed our walking tours of Lewis & Harris and also of Skye. Accomodations are first rate, as is the selections of restaurants and food provided. The walks are well-planned and adjusted to the needs of the group and each individual, which we very much appreciated. Compared to other group tours we have been on in Scotland, this far exceeded what we were expecting. We'll definitely return for more tours with Hidden Hebrides!
D.B. (Adelaide, Australia)
I spent 28 August to 9th September doing 2 weeks of walking with Hidden Hebrides. As it was my first visit here (whilst my husband was playing golf elsewhere in Scotland!), I was looking for an interesting, safe whilst challenging, and informational experience.
Right from initial emails, Mick has been absolutely terrific. He suggested which trips might suit best when I said what I was looking for.
Starting with being picked up at Stornoway airport ( my choice of travel), meeting my fellow travellers, eating at different places each night, the highlight was truly the fabulous walks we went on. Mick was the guide on Harris and Lewis and was very forthcoming sharing his incredible knowledge of the environment including the soil, flora, and bird life. We also talked a lot about history as well as life as it is today on Lewis and Harris.
The second week was led by John. Again a great week - I'm amazed we got to see and experience so much of Skye with diverse walks, the odd sightseeing drive as we drove to our walking destinations and the occasional visit to a cultural attraction.
Again the company was great, we ate well and John did an excellent job of catering for diverse needs. We all enjoyed his sense of humour.
I would highly recommend Hidden Hebrides to help you get the most out of a stay on the fantastic islands.
J.W. (Fife, UK)
I had a wonderful week in July on the Harris, Lewis and St Kilda walking holiday with Hidden Hebrides. The organisation was excellent throughout with superb B&B accommodation, good food each evening in a variety of restaurants and all transport provided in the mini bus, always skilfully driven by our guide.
The beauty of the islands and the abundance of birds, flora and fauna that we saw were truly amazing and made all the more interesting and enjoyable by the enthusiasm and knowledge of our superb guide Emma. The walks were chosen to give variety but also to include any special requests by members of the group and we all enjoyed a visit to the Black House village and Callanish one wet afternoon.
This was my first experience of a guided walking holiday but now I am already planning another - with Hidden Hebrides of course!
J.R. (Staffordshire, UK)
I've been lucky enough to spend a glorious week walking around Lewis, Harris and St Kilda with Hidden Hebrides. Breathtaking countryside. This was a well organised walking holiday with good company guided by Emma, who was well informed, energetic and very helpful. I'll be seriously considering trying another tour next year. Thank you Emma and Mick
B.F. (Fife, UK)
This was my first visit to the Outer Hebrides but will not be my last. I highly recommend the Lewis, Harris and St Kilda holiday to walkers who enjoy stunning scenery and bird life, and have an interest in Scottish cultural history. I went with a friend but would have been equally comfortable going solo as this was a friendly and welcoming group. All the logistics were taken care of, from meeting us from the ferry to incorporating special requests, right down to the flavour of crisps in pack lunches. Our bed and breakfast accommodation was perfect (thanks Ann) and eating out in local restaurants every evening was very enjoyable. Enormous thanks to our amazing guide Emma whose enthusiasm, warmth, local knowledge and appreciation of nature made every day a pleasure. We were exceptionally lucky in getting to St Kilda which ranks as one of my top experiences ever. Gannets galore, scary skuas, comical puffins, whales, dolphins -- what a range of wildlife. Fortunately midges did not figure on that list. Anti sea-sickness medication recommended though -- the archipelago is a long way out into the Atlantic.
All our days were full and active, so be prepared to walk whatever the weather. And now I I must decide which Hidden Hebrides holiday to book next ....
J.F. (Worcestershire, UK)
A wonderful introduction to a unique part of the world, it's hard to believe that you are still in the British Isles. The walks gave us time to look and truely appreciate our surrounding. This coupled with Emma's knowledge, enthusiasm and boundless energy means I will be turning to Hidden Hebrides for another visit sooner rather than later.