By 2001 the population of North Uist was only 1,271. Travellers choosing to go hiking in the Outer Hebrides can choose from a wide range of walking routes in the Western Isles – each of which offers its own insight in the isles. [15] Barra is 58.75 square kilometres (23 sq mi) in extent and has a rugged interior, surrounded by machair and extensive beaches.[16][17]. Outer Hebrides Holidays and an Outdoor Adventure on the Islands. [104] Islands such as Fuaigh Mòr were completely cleared of their populations and even today the subject is recalled with bitterness and resentment in some areas. Their spread posed a threat to the eggs of ground-nesting wading birds. [77], The individual island and place names in the Outer Hebrides have mixed Gaelic and Norse origins. [148] The Lewis Pipe Band was founded in 1904 and the Lewis and Harris Piping Society in 1977. This may have brought peace to the islands, but in the following century it came at a terrible price. With 59.3% of Gaelic speakers or a total of 15,723 speakers, this made the Outer Hebrides the most strongly coherent Gaelic speaking area in Scotland. The route was launched in March 2016 by the cyclist Mark Beaumont, who completed it in just 24 hours! The national scenic areas are defined so as to identify areas of exceptional scenery and to ensure its protection from inappropriate development,[18] and are considered to represent the type of scenic beauty "popularly associated with Scotland and for which it is renowned". The Highland Clearances of the 19th century had a devastating effect on many communities and it is only in recent years that population levels have ceased to decline. You should be able to sail to the outer Hebrides and for Bara, Mingulay and for those in the know Parabay. The archipelago is exposed to wind and tide, and lighthouses are sited as an aid to navigation at locations from Barra Head in the south to the Butt of Lewis in the north. [30] Mingulay is an important breeding ground for razorbills, with 9,514 pairs, 6.3% of the European population. [87] The Scottish acceptance of Magnus III as King of the Isles came after the Norwegian king had conquered Orkney, the Hebrides and the Isle of Man in a swift campaign earlier the same year, directed against the local Norwegian leaders of the various islands‘ petty kingdoms. Na h-Eileanan an Iar (Scottish Parliament constituency), Na h-Eileanan an Iar (UK Parliament constituency), South Lewis, Harris and North Uist National Scenic Area, Local Government (Gaelic Names) (Scotland) Act 1997, constitutional position of the Western Isles, Constitutional status of Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles, List of Category A listed buildings in the Western Isles, List of rulers of the Kingdom of the Isles, "Map of Scotland in Scots - Guide and gazetteer", "Standard Area Measurements (2016) for Administrative Areas in the United Kingdom", "Population Estimates for UK, England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, Mid-2019", "Botanical survey of Scottish freshwater lochs", "Countryside and Landscape in Scotland - National Scenic Areas", "Western Isles Transitional Programme Strategy", "Higher plant species: 1833 Slender naiad", "Campaign to stop the slaughter of over 5000 Hedgehogs on the Island of Uist", "Western Isles Biodiversity: Biodiversity Audit - Main report", "2011 Census: First Results on Population and Household Estimates for Scotland - Release 1C (Part Two)", "Factfile - Population of Outer Hebrides", [https://web.archive.org/web/20150923205035/http://www.cne-siar.gov.uk/factfile/documents/OHFactCards2012.pdf Archived, "Scotland's 2011 census: Island living on the rise", "Scotland's Census 2001 Statistics for Inhabited Islands", "Crìonadh mòr sa Ghàidhlig anns na h-Eileanan", "Oral Questions to the Minister of Foreign Affairs", "The last outpost of Empire: Rockall and the Cold War", Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland, "AD 200 — Valtos: brochs and wheelhouses", "From The Outer Hebrides to Cape Breton - Part II", "Review of Educational Provision and the Comhairle's Future Strategy for the Schools Estate: Daliburgh School, Isle of South Uist", "Census 2001 Scotland: Gaelic speakers by council area", "2011 Census: Key Results on Population, Ethnicity, Identity, Language, Religion, Health, Housing and Accommodation in Scotland - Release 2A", "Annie Jane: Bagh Siar, Vatersay, Atlantic", "Fertility and Development in the Outer Hebrides; The Confounding Effcets of Religion", "Sunday ferry for Harris opposed by Lord's Day society", "Ainmean-àite le buidheachas do dh' Iain Mac an Tailleir / Place-names collected by Iain Mac an Tailleir", 2001 Census Results for the Outer Hebrides, Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site, Description of the Western Isles of Scotland, A Description of the Western Isles of Scotland, A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Outer_Hebrides&oldid=1000721034, Articles containing Scottish Gaelic-language text, CS1 Scottish Gaelic-language sources (gd), Articles containing Old Norse-language text, Articles containing Ancient Greek (to 1453)-language text, Articles containing Middle Irish (900-1200)-language text, Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz area identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, skerry; often refers to a rock or rocks that lie submerged at high tide. Although the island forms one continuous unit, it is usually referred to as two separate islands. There is an additional spare day scheduled into the trip to give us a better opportunity to complete the scheduled swims. Christianity has deep roots in the Western Isles, but owing mainly to the different allegiances of the clans in the past, the people in the northern islands (Lewis, Harris, North Uist) have historically been predominantly Presbyterian, and those of the southern islands (Benbecula, South Uist, Barra) predominantly Roman Catholic. Although it was in use until the 1930s, its existence was largely forgotten until 2005 and it is now being restored to Morris's original design. The Hebridean Way Cycling Route is a 185-mile (297km) route, crossing 10 islands in the archipelago. Day 1 - An early start from Inverness to the coastal village of Ullapool where we board the ferry for a 2½ hour journey across the Minch to the Isle of Lewis and its main town of Stornoway (my native town). With the implementation of the Treaty of Union in 1707 the Hebrides became part of the new Kingdom of Great Britain, but the clans' loyalties to a distant monarch were not strong. Others have played a part in Scottish history. [10] Of Loch Sgadabhagh on North Uist it has been said that "there is probably no other loch in Britain which approaches Loch Scadavay in irregularity and complexity of outline. Thompson (1968) p. 41. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. There are 53 Sites of Special Scientific Interest of which the largest are Loch an Duin, North Uist (151 square kilometres (37,000 acres)) and North Harris (127 square kilometres (31,000 acres)). [71][72] Breeze also suggests that Dumna might be Lewis and Harris, the largest island of the Outer Hebrides although he conflates this single island with the name "Long Island". About 3,000 people, mainly young men, left the island. The fire gushed out of the houses". (eds) (2002), Ballin Smith, Beverley; Taylor, Simon; Williams, Gareth (eds) (2007), Hanson, William S. "The Roman Presence: Brief Interludes", in Edwards, Kevin J. Fabulous choice! Page topic: "The outer hebrides EXPLORE 2020-2021 - visitscotland.com". MacMahon, Peter and Walker, Helen (18 May 2007) "Winds of change sweep Scots town halls". [147] Fèis Bharraigh began in 1981 with the aim of developing the practice and study of the Gaelic language, literature, music, drama and culture on the islands of Barra and Vatersay. This trip has a maximum group size of 12. In this section you can find Outer Hebrides travel information for both independent and group travellers – with advice on travel to the Western Isles, travelling around the Outer Hebrides or booking Scottish Island package holidays here. [72] Pliny probably took his information from Pytheas of Massilia who visited Britain sometime between 322 and 285 BC. Filed in Uncategorized. Vatersay is a little island off Barra, with a population of just 90 people. in Ballin Smith. The Outer Hebrides has some of the finest walking experiences in Europe. The terrains of the two areas contrast sharply. [13] Lewis is comparatively flat, and largely consists of treeless moors of blanket peat. We offer a choice of 3-night, 6-night and 10 … The Western Isles Overland Route is a linked bus / ferry service the length of the Outer Hebrides through Barra, the Uists and Harris and across Lewis to Stornoway, and M-Sa it's possible to go the whole way in one day. We offer a choice of 3-night, 6-night and 10-night cruise itineraries as well as private charters. [8], The largest islands are deeply indented by arms of the sea such as Loch Ròg, Loch Seaforth and Loch nam Madadh. We have reviews of the best places to see in Outer Hebrides. The average annual rainfall in Lewis is 1,100 millimetres (43 in) and sunshine hours range from 1,100 to 1,200 per year. A journey through Lewis and Harris, the wild heart of Scotland's Outer Hebrides The Scottish island of Lewis and Harris, in the Outer Hebrides, is home to an unfathomable number of shades of blue, which extend from the sea to the sky. What is the world’s largest archipelago? Length: 10+ day(s) Price from: £4480pp. In the 1970s several Scottish performers, including the Average White Band and Rod Stewart (who was born in London to a Scottish family), had to relocate to the United States to experience wide-reaching success. June 1, 2010. However, parliamentary approval notwithstanding, plans in the 1890s to lay a railway connection to Ullapool were unable to obtain sufficient funding. So, you've decided to discover the enchanting Outer Hebrides. In addition to the major North Ford (Oitir Mhòr) and South Ford causeways that connect North Uist to Benbecula via the northern of the Grimsays, and another causeway from Benbecula to South Uist, several other islands are linked by smaller causeways or bridges. It is not clear from the text which of MacKenzie's five books quoted in the bibliography spanning the years 1903–52 the quote is taken from. [48], Smaller isles and skerries and other island groups pepper the North Atlantic surrounding the main islands. In addition to the Outer Hebrides, they form basement deposits on the Scottish mainland west of the Moine Thrust and on the islands of Coll and Tiree. (pdf) Lonely Planet. These princelings nominally owed allegiance to the Norwegian crown, although in practice the latter's control was fairly limited. [37] The largest settlement in the Outer Hebrides is Stornoway on Lewis,[38][39] which has a population of about 8,100.[40]. Updates? Calvay in the Sound of Barra provided the inspiration for Compton Mackenzie's novel Whisky Galore after the SS Politician ran aground there with a cargo of single malt in 1941. In the 3rd century, stone houses came into use which were shaped like "Jelly Babies". The larger and more northerly portion is Lewis; Harris is in the south. [130], The Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act was enacted by the Scottish Parliament in 2005 to provide continuing support for the language. [103] For example, Colonel Gordon of Cluny, owner of Barra, South Uist and Benbecula, evicted thousands of islanders using trickery and cruelty and even offered to sell Barra to the government as a penal colony. [19] The three NSA within the Outer Hebrides are: Much of the archipelago is a protected habitat, including both the islands and the surrounding waters. This 6th century stele shows a flower, V-rod and lunar crescent to which has been added a later and somewhat crude cross. The sunniest days in Outer Hebrides are in May which has the most hours of sunshine per day with an average of 6.7 hours of sunshine per day, making it a quite sunny month with some cloud cover. The Shiant Islands and St Kilda are formed from much later tertiary basalt and basalt and gabbros respectively. The Outer Hebrides - also known as the Western Isles - are a 130-mile long island chain on the northwestern fringe of the UK. [91], As the Norse era drew to a close the Norse-speaking princes were gradually replaced by Gaelic-speaking clan chiefs including the MacLeods of Lewis and Harris, the MacDonalds of the Uists and MacNeil of Barra. Each holds its own individual charm and rich history. Last year’s challenge attracted over 300 people from across the islands. Nowhere else offers such a rich combination of attractions: stunning beaches, abundant wildlife, turquoise seascapes, flower rich machair, imposing mountains, outstanding archaeology and, of course, the islands’ unique Gaelic culture.. The coastline is deeply indented, and the many rivers abound with salmon, trout, and wild fowl. Slàinte mhath. This is the tale of our mini adventure to the Outer Hebrides in our 6m coach built motorhome. Some of the larger islands have development trusts that support the local economy and, in striking contrast to the 19th and 20th century domination by absentee landlords, more than two thirds of the Western Isles population now lives on community-owned estates. [90] Although their contribution to the islands can still be found in personal and placenames, the archaeological record of the Norse period is very limited. [124][125] Since then, the islands have formed one of the 32 unitary council areas that now cover the whole country, with the council officially known by its Gaelic name, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar under the terms of the Local Government (Gaelic Names) (Scotland) Act 1997. Weather in Outer Hebrides Temperature. [87] Thompson (1968) provides a more literal translation: "Fire played in the fig-trees of Liodhus; it mounted up to heaven.