The Independent's journalism receives support from our readers. Purchases made through links on our site may generate commission.
My Family's Extraordinary Journey to a Remote Scottish Island That Mirrors the Maldives
The Isle of Harris, nestled within the Outer Hebrides archipelago, presents a remarkable duality of landscapes, featuring both breathtaking beaches and surreal, otherworldly terrain. US Travel Editor Ted Thornhill, accompanied by his family, discovers this destination triumphs in all weather conditions, offering an unforgettable escape.
An Unexpected Paradise in Scotland's Outer Reaches
This magnificent arc of golden sand seems entirely misplaced. It belongs in the South Pacific, adorning a palm-fringed tropical haven. Yet, astonishingly, it resides on a remote Scottish island, eliciting sheer delight from myself, my partner, and our young daughter. Our joy stems not only from encountering one of the most exquisite beaches we have ever witnessed but also from its near-total seclusion.
Welcome to our family holiday on the Isle of Harris, one of the six principal islands forming the Outer Hebrides chain, alongside Lewis, North Uist, South Uist, Benbecula, and Barra. Our adventure commenced with train and road journeys showcasing cinematic vistas, included a hike up one of Britain's most picturesque hills on the Isle of Skye, and culminated in a ferry crossing through a strait teeming with playful dolphins.
Prior to departing our London home, I harboured doubts about this October half-term expedition. Would a voyage to the very edge of the UK map captivate an eight-year-old accustomed to navigating the capital via toy shop locations? The resounding answer, fortunately, proved affirmative, even amidst occasional bouts of tempestuous weather. I am convinced this holiday forged indelible core memories.
The Dreamlike Rail Journey North
The inaugural segment of our trip transported us from London Euston to Fort William aboard the Caledonian Sleeper, undeniably ranking among the world's premier rail journeys. As the train departed at 9.15pm into a chilly, ink-black Thursday night, my daughter and I nestled comfortably within a well-appointed Classic Room.
We managed several hours of restful sleep, awakening to a majestic procession of Highland mountains and glacier-sculpted glens. The train rhythmically traversed Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, crossing the roadless, peat-bog wilderness of Rannoch Moor before arriving at Fort William station. Here, we exchanged rail tracks for some of Britain's most awe-inspiring driving routes towards an interim stop on the Isle of Skye.
Before embarking in a conveniently stationed Renault Clio from Enterprise car hire, we prudently acquired gloves and waterproof attire. Whispers suggest Scotland's West Coast receives abundant rainfall.
Thrilling Road Trip Through Mountainous Splendour
The drive to Skye offers an experience to relish, following the A82 and A87 roads that weave through a rich tapestry of mountainous grandeur. Departing Fort William, the imposing silhouette of Ben Nevis, Britain's loftiest peak at 4,413 feet, recedes in the rear-view mirror. The route skirts the fjord-like Loch Lochy before turning westward onto the A87.
We then cruise alongside the distinctly Scotland-shaped Loch Garry, pausing to admire a Highland banquet of expansive moorland and brooding summits. Perhaps the most dramatic pre-Skye spectacle unfolds during the descent through Glen Shiel, where the road is enveloped by a dozen soaring peaks, including the formidable Sgùrr Fhuaran.
Before leaving the mainland, we explore the 13th-century Eilean Donan Castle, perched on a small islet adjacent to the A87. Marketed as "Scotland's most romantic castle," it also gained fame through appearances in films like Highlander and The World Is Not Enough.
The Enchanting Isle of Skye Casts Its Spell
Minutes later, we rumble across the arched bridge at Kyle of Lochalsh onto the Misty Isle, arriving at our pink-hued harbourside rental in Portree, Skye's "capital," amid darkness and torrential rain. The following day, however, the island's magic unveiled itself spectacularly. A radiant rainbow arched over one of its most iconic landmarks, the Old Man of Storr, as we approached.
We visited this dramatic basalt spire north of Portree before catching an evening ferry to our Outer Hebrides base. This geological rock star boasts a sensational supporting cast, including the Trotternish Ridge to the south, the adjacent Needle Rock, and the towering Storr mountain directly above. Our ascent encountered four seasons within one hour, shifting from sunshine to driving rain and sideways hail, with progress frequently halted by the irresistible urge to photograph the staggering landscape.
To the east, foaming waves framed the islands of Rona and Raasay, while foreboding mainland peaks rose beyond, with the Storr ensemble lending the scene a distinct prehistoric atmosphere. An astonishing concentration of spectacle exists within such a compact area.
En route to the ferry port at Uig, we marvelled at another geological showstopper, the Quiraing, located twelve miles distant at the northern tip of the Trotternish Ridge. Here, the land appears sculpted by giant hands into an extraordinary series of undulating formations.
Venturing to the Edge of the Map
In the diminutive town of Uig, we boarded a Caledonian MacBrayne ferry to traverse The Little Minch sea strait towards Tarbert on Harris, an island where one feels almost closer to Iceland than London. Our conveyance to the UK's perimeter was the car ferry MV Hebrides, cosy internally with a café, though externally shrouded in pitch darkness.
While the viewless arrival felt somewhat anticlimactic, navigation proved straightforward, given Harris's uncomplicated road network. Disembarking to reach our accommodation on South Harris's west coast, I immediately sensed the island's blissful isolation. During the twenty-five-minute drive, our sole companions were a solitary van and a dozen sheep resting on the grassy verges.
Our home for the next four nights was a stone-built croft house standing alone in the Borve Valley, part of the intriguingly scattered Borve Lodge Estate portfolio. Neighbouring properties include The Broch, a refurbished Iron Age tower, and the Rock House, furnished with driftwood-carved items. Laxdale Cottage offers a secluded inland bothy by a small loch. Our accommodation, Claddach House, sleeps six in farmhouse-chic comfort.
We adored the Cape Cod-esque panelled walls and the kitchen with its substantial island and woodburning stove. The living room enticed with a trio of plush, inviting sofas, while the bedrooms, comprising two doubles and a twin, boasted boutique hotel-quality beds. The location, revealed at dawn, proved exceptionally special. "Claddach" translates to "shore" in Gaelic, an apt designation.
Directly opposite, across a swathe of machair grassland, lies the secluded Borve Beach, invisible from the road. Striding across to it, I stood transfixed. Eddies formed by the confluence of a small river and mighty Atlantic waves swirled over pristine sands, while beyond rested the uninhabited island of Taransay, owned by the Borve Estate, recognisable as the location for the BBC's Castaway series.
Eager to explore the rugged wilderness and connect with the islands' soul, we first detoured west to one of the UK's most extraordinary ancient sites: the mystical Calanais Standing Stones. These megaliths, arranged in a cross formation approximately 5,000 years ago for purposes still shrouded in mystery, are locally known as Na Fir Brighe, or The False Men. Legend suggests they are giants petrified for refusing Christianity, while academics propose they functioned as an astronomical observatory. Although touching the stones is prohibited, our daughter Emma delighted in circling them as the wind danced through her hair.
Britain's Most Breathtaking Beaches
Under prevailing blue skies the following morning, we headed for Luskentyre, eager to ascertain if it justified its reputation as not only Harris's and the Outer Hebrides' flagship beach but also one of the world's finest. The concise verdict: it unequivocally does. Access is via a single-track road, with the beach tantalisingly concealed behind dunes we promptly ascended.
Moments later, an outrageous sweep of golden sand, almost entirely deserted, was unveiled, eliciting both thrill and surreal disbelief. Were this beach teleported to a tropical locale, it would undoubtedly be lined with luxury resorts. We ran forward, laughing incredulously at having this vast sandy expanse to ourselves. We enjoyed a picnic, kicked a football, and periodically paused to gaze at the backdrop of perfectly rounded mountains that appeared sketched by a cartoonist.
Does Luskentyre face meaningful competition? Absolutely. For instance, Scarista beach, further south near the Isle of Harris golf course, also qualifies as world-class. Similarly hidden from view and entirely un-signposted, the path to this paradise is located beside a red postbox. After clambering over stiles, acknowledging the resident sheep, and crossing the dunes, you enter a realm of flour-soft sand. We experienced this stretch entirely alone as the sun set, feeling like genuine castaways.
A Landscape From Another World
South Harris truly embodies an island of two halves. While the west coast boasts postcard-perfect beaches, the east coast presents a rocky, lunar-like landscape dotted with tiny lochs. Its appearance is so profoundly extraterrestrial that Stanley Kubrick utilised aerial footage of this terrain to represent Jupiter's surface in a dream sequence from 2001: A Space Odyssey.
We emulated this aerial perspective at ground level, stopping in the tiny coastal village of Leverburgh at the island's southern tip, where life refreshingly simplifies. Emma posted loch-side postcards into a letterbox near a self-service petrol pump with instructions to "pay at the machine in the wee shed to the left," while we gazed across at North Uist, the next major island in the chain.
Exploring Harris's "Jupiter" location involved traversing a ribbon of tarmac called The Golden Road, which meanders along the entire east coast. Its name originates from the exorbitant per-mile construction cost in 1897 and subsequent 1940 upgrade, though it also aptly describes the driving experience itself.
Five miles from Leverburgh lies the minuscule village of Finsbay, where we discovered the wonderful Mission House art gallery. Operated by photographer Beka Globe and her husband Nickolai, an expert ceramicist, it houses a treasure trove of their exquisite work. Residing above the gallery, they recounted escaping city life two decades prior to establish a home here, a decision they have never regretted. Observing the pristine bay beyond their garden and a family of seals resting on nearby rocks, their contentment is wholly understandable.
Homeward Bound With Lasting Impressions
The return journey home bestowed further delights. We watched wide-eyed in wonder as dozens of dolphins leaped around our morning ferry crossing to Uig. We hiked to the enchanting mini waterfall lagoons known as the Fairy Pools, nestled in the shadow of the Alpine-esque Cuillin mountains. The trip was punctuated with a night at the charming Eilean Iarmain Hotel on the tranquil shores of Skye's Sound of Sleat.
Despite returning to Fort William for the sleeper journey amidst a downpour, our enthusiasm for Britain's fringes remained undampened. Come rain, shine, or sideways hail, we solemnly vowed to return.
Ted visited the Isle of Harris as a guest of Visit Scotland. A weekly stay at Claddach House commences from £1,095.
