The Hebrides Isles are a group of islands located off the Scottish West coast.  The islands of the Inner & Outer Hebrides have been inhabited since the Mesolithic period and throughout history the language and culture has been powerfully influenced by various races and today the culture of the Hebrides is a blend of Norse, Celtic, Scottish and English influences. The majority of folk speak in the Gaelic language and although some speak English, it is most likely their second language. Not too many years ago visits to the Hebrides were only for the rich folk and those people who had plenty of time. In modern times it is incredibly to get to the Hebrides, it is possible to get there by car and ferry or even take a flight to a choice of places on the islands. Sadly you can not get all of the way by rail but you can travel by train to the coast and then travel by bus for the rest of the trip. Sometimes the only problem that can arise is sorting out accommodation especially if  you are looking for accommodation for groups on Harris which is frequently booked well in advance.

One of the most common reasons  for visiting the Hebrides is that the islands landscape and culture are curiously unique.  Dotted along the west coast of the Isle of Harris you will discover some of the most stunningly beautiful golden sandy beaches in all of Scotland, and many people believe the U.K. Every now and again you will discover a standing stone on the Isle of Harris but it is on the Isle of Lewis that you will find the finest standing stones at Callanish not far from Stornoway the only town in the Western Isles. The standing stones at Calanais is said to be second to only Stonehenge in England.

Deciding whether to stay on the Isles of Harris or Lewis is often a difficult decision and more and more people are deciding to spend a little time on both. Bed & breakfast on Lewis is often more plentiful than Isle of Harris accommodation, to avoid any problems make sure you book early.

Bed & breakfast accommodation in Stornoway is is not too much of a problem to find but again to be certain ensure you book early. All accommodation in the Western Isles/Outer Hebrides is of a very high standard and the hospitality is legendary and the people helpful and friendly.

Besides the Isle of Lewis and the Isle of Harris there are several other inhabited islands that are easy to visit. The most popular are the Uists, Barra and Eriskay and you can catch a ferry which runs from North Uist to Harris at Leverburgh, a small village on South Harris.

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This entry was posted on Monday, April 19th, 2010 at 3:41 pm and is filed under General. 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.