Journey of the Hebridean Way 2021
In case anyone has not heard of the Hebridean Way it is a long-distance trek through the beautiful Scottish Western Islands. “185-mile (297km) route, crossing 10 islands in the archipelago”. From Vatersay & Barra all the way up to The Isle of Lewis. I’ve said so many times on the podcast and here that long-distance walking has been one of the most healing and therapeutic journeys of my life.
Walking and wild camping for over a week really allows you to plug into the groove of nature (if that makes sense). You enter a rhythm and freedom that is hard to put into words. Waking up in a tent with alllll of the sounds of nature, walking all day, eating by the fire (if we have a great spot), and then sleeping outside again. It’s so magical.
It feels like you connect with yourself, the people you hike with, the friends you meet along the way, and the landscape on a much deeper level than hiking for a day. Once you have your hiking gear, wild camping removes the financial barrier, and also allows you to connect to nature in a whole new way- or allows you to connect in the way we humans use to do.
Last year, I did my thesis on hiking and connection. Like most research, I found that hiking evokes that same feeling in most people. A sense of connection with yourself, the environment/landscape you hike through, the people you hike with, and the strangers and locals you meet along the way.
Traveling to the start of the Hebridean Way & camping at Vatersay🌞
First picture leaving Oban, then a wee bit of the ferry journey to Barra. We seen dolphins but I didn’t capture them but how beautiful are the birds and then arriving at Vatersay the BEAUTIFUL starting point on the way. We camped at Vatersay. The bay is beautiful and the first time I’ve seen Oystercatchers since Orkney.
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Highlights so far the beautiful Vatersay bay, the lovely people we met and the sense of calm I felt stepping off the ferry into Barra.
Day 1 of hiking the Hebridean way
We got slightly lost and had to backtrack a wee bit so we ended up doing close to 17 miles up the beautiful, rugged Barra moorland and round to the ferry port into Eriskay. Where we decided to touch up our tent. —————— Highlights the smell and sound of the ocean, the feeling of reaching the top of the highest hill with our big heavy bags on and the feeling of taking our boots off 🌞
Day 2 of the Hebridean way🌞
Wow, Eriskay is absolutely beautiful. Eriskay lies between South Uist and Barra and is connected to South Uist by a causeway. —————— We got the early ferry over from Barra this morning. It was a lovely crossing; warm, there was no rain, and we seen a huggggge seal colony 🦭 all cozy lying on rocks. The route was a lot easier than the first day, we spent most of the day on soft grass, trail, and sand by the sea. —————— Highlights from today walking along the most beautiful beach ever, lovely chats, finding a soft flat camping ground, taking our boots off, and getting inside the cozy sleeping bag.
Day 3 of the Hebridean way 🌾
We set off early this morning from the beautiful long coast at Frobost, through Howmore, and finished for the day near Loch carnan; around 15 and a half miles for the day. —————— Highlights walking along the beautiful beach this morning, helping a wee lamb over the fence back to his wee family, the sunshine, meeting a lovely old man, pitching our tents by the Loch, and taking our boots off after a long day of walking.
Day 4 of the Hebridean Way
We walked through moorland for most of the route this morning, from our beautiful camp spot (picture2), then gravel and some road. —————— We had a wee bit of a shorter day today; around 15 miles including a wee trip to the shops (Co-op feels like heaven today), which means we could pitch up a wee bit earlier and rest our wee feet and enjoy being on Benbecula. —————— Highlights from today: a warm cup of tea from the pocket rocket, the sun coming out after the rain, the beautiful view of the hills through the moorland, and taking our boots off as always.
Day 5 of the Hebridean way
We are 66miles, although wee detours add us up to 75+. Today we experienced ALL the seasons which really shows in these pictures. —————— This morning we walked by the shore with torrential rain for the first 4 miles, then the route took us up Ruabhal hill, down through miles of moorland then we crossed the causeway into North Uist woohoo 🎉 —————— Highlights of the day: the rest we had after a big section, the warmth of the sun after the craze rain, the view from the top of Ruabhal, our beautiful camping spot tonight.
Day 6 for the Hebridean Way 🌞
We passed the halfway mark woohoo and we had our first meal indoors in the most amazing wee oasis; Langass Lodge Hotel lodge. —————— Today was wet and tiring but the end felt like such an achievement. —————— We had soggy feet even with the best attempts to dry them overnight. However, the challenge was washed away by the first and most AMAZING restaurant stop of the way! A full plate of lovely food gave us the boost we needed to make it to Loch Maddy. Highlights of the day: waving to wee lambs, the standing stones, the beautiful food at the Langass Lodge Hotel, the rain stopping, banana bread, and taking our boots off.
Day 7 of the Hebridean Way 🌻
We are over 89miles into the way; around 106+ counting wee detours. —————— Today was challenging but it was made soooo much easier by the beautiful views and the rain stopping. PS we camped in a sheep farm by accident last night, yep, by accident, and had a wild night full of crazee sounds. —————— We started the morning off in LochMaddy (Loch nam Madadh), we went over the moorland to climb the edge of Blathaisbhal then went on to climb Beinn Mhór, skirting the edge of Bealach ha Beinne, then down to our final causeway taking us from North Uist to Berneray. We then took the last island ferry of the route to the Isle of Harris. You can feel the beauty of Harris as soon as you are off the ferry with the surrounding mountains and lochs. Big day ahead tomorrow. —————— Highlights of the day: the morning sunshine, the beautiful view from the top of Bein Mhor, the ferry crossing to Harris, homemade cranberry and orange flapjack, and taking our boots off. —————— Lowlights: sore feet, dry lips, and a wee fall in the moorland.
Day 8 of the Hebridean Way 🌊
It’s hard to capture and put into words the breathtaking beauty of Harris! —————— Today was by far my favorite part of the way so far. I think I will be forever impacted by the landscape on Harris. ————— It was our longest day, we started off in Leverburgh this morning; with a walkover moorland up Gleann Horsa-cleit and Gleann Uachdrach coming down the hill onto the first of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen; Tràigh Scarasta. We followed on through Horgabost and then upon to Coffin Route and then up Bealach Eórabhat which took us to what felt like “middle earth”. Finishing the day off in Lackalee (Leac a’ Li) meaning the slabs of the slope. —————— We are staying at our first campsite in a long time tonight and although I LOVE wild camping. I am so excited that we get to wash our clothes and have a shower. Plus when we arrived, the campsite owner told us that there will be local musicians playing at the campsite tonight!! How amazing. —————— Highlights of the day: the first sight of the magical Harris’s beaches, the sound of the sea, the happy faces of people enjoying the sun, making my own wee trail mix, arriving at the campsite, getting to wash our clothes, and taking our boots off. Lickisto Blackhouse Camping —————— Lowlights: the challenging parts of the route were sore on my feet, oooooh and the midges finally arrived on our trip and are swarming the outside of the tent as I write this message.
Day 9 of the Hebridean Way ☀️
Our second-day hiking on the Isle of Harris has been a dream. Up with yesterday, with my favourite day. —————— We finally caught up with the only other hiker we met @o.sudlow and the sun has been scorching. —————— We took it a wee bit easier today; Likisto to Tarbert. (As we have to camp in Tarbert to catch the last shop of the route tomorrow). 13 miles through the beautiful, stoney, middle-earth feeling Harris. —————— We are currently in the @hotelhebrides. My second meal of the trip and it was BEAUTIFUL. Food tastes soooo different after days of hiking. —————— Highlights of the day: we got to wash our clothes at the campsite, trying fresh white berries from a wee bush, the beautiful sun, the lovely terrain of today’s route, trying Harris gin, lovely chats and taking our boots off. —————— No lowlights from today apart from maybe aches feet.
Day 10 of the Hebridean Way🏕
We made it to the Isle of Lewis woohoo. 131 miles done (plus 20 an extra ish for wee detours) 25 miles to go!! —————— We started off in Tarbert this morning; stocked up in the last shop until Stornoway and even got a lovely wee cup of coffee before we set off through beautiful mountains and glens. The terrain was one of my favourites (some terrain has been really rough on your feet). —————— After around 10miles we reached the Harris and Lewis border (tiny wee bridge). The route got a wee bit tougher as it was a lot of road and gravel paths. It was made easier by the mountainous views at the summit of Griamacleit. —————— It took us a wee while to find a camp spot but we have found a wee somewhat sheltered hub for our three tents. —————— Highlights from today the beautiful mountains, the lovely wee sheep we seen (picture two), fizzy flavoured water, lovely chats and taking our boots off. —————— Lowlights: achy sore feet from the terrain, cold hands & Reynolds.
Day 11 of the Hebridean Way 🌾
Lewis, land of the midge —————— See the wee video for details of our midge morning. What a day so far. Our wee feet are feeling it after a tough moorland with “turfgrass” to walk on. We found a lovely wee surprise cafe on the route and reenergized. —————— We are currently on the side of the road having a wee break after 17 miles today. We are planning to push through the last 9 and a half miles to the finish at Stornoway, Lews Castle to prevent getting caught in the rain tomorrow.
We made it. 11 days. We completed 156 miles+ of the Hebridean Way 🌞
We did a double day yesterday. 27 miles, 61699 steps to reach the finish at Lews Castle at around 9.30 pm last night. —————— The last 10 miles were touggggggh. Our feet were so sore, and the last stretch was all along the road. Plus we couldn’t take any rest as we are in the land of midge and midges would just swarm us any time we stopped. —————— We tried to repeat the mantra from our friend Orin “take a cement pill and harden up” but we ran out of cement pills and in moments were close to just keeling over. —————— What a wonderful and painful journey. —————— I have definitely developed a deep connection with all the western isles, made wonderful new friends and will never take flat soft ground and cold water for granted ever again.
Exploring Lewis; Made it to the middle of the Callanish Stones; what a dream. 🗿✨
I made a real connection with standing stones when I lived on Orkney. So much so that Alison helped me design the most beautiful tattoo with four different standing stones in Scotland. —————— Ring of Brodgar, Stones of Stenness (my favourite) both on Orkney, Machrie Moor on the Isle of Arran & finally the Callanish on Lewis. I had been in the middle of every stone circle apart from the Callanish. But I had a weird connection which made me include them in the band. —————— Visiting them today has truly been a highlight of the trip. I am for sure a top dweeb when I comes to anything Celtic, Rituals, Mythology, Folklore, Stories & Energy. It was lovely to learn a wee bit more about the history too. ——————
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