Carefully Selected Scottish Holiday Homes in Beautiful Locations
North Harris (Ceann a Tuath na Hearadh)
The A859 north to Stornoway takes you over a boulder-strewn saddle between mighty Sgaoth Aird (1829ft) and An Cliseam or the Clisham (2619ft), the highest peak in the Western Isles. This bitter terrain, littered with debris left behind by retreating glaciers, offers but the barest of vegetation, with an occasional cluster of crofters' houses sitting in the shadow of a host of pointed peaks, anywhere between 1000ft and 2500ft high. These bulging, pyramidal mountains reach their climax around the dramatic shores of the fjord-like Loch Seaforth. If you're planning on walking in North Harris, and can afford it, consider using the spectacular Ardvourlie Castle (tel 01859/502307; £110-150; April-Oct), ten miles north of Tarbert by the shores of Loch Seaforth, as a launch pad. A cheaper, but equally idyllic spot is the GHHT hostel (no phone; open all year) in the lonely coastal hamlet of Reinigeadal (Rhenigdale). To reach the hostel without your own transport, walk east five miles from Tarbert along the road to Caolas Scalpaigh (Kyles Scalpay). After another mile or so, watch for the sign marking the start of the path which threads its way through the peaks of the craggy promontory that lies trapped between Loch Seaforth and East Loch Tarbert. It's a magnificent hike, with superb views out along the coast and over the mountains, but you'll need to be properly equipped, and should allow three hours for the one-way trip.
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