On this tour to the wild and unspoilt island of Lewis and Harris, we aim to experience the best of Hebridean wildlife amongst beautiful historic landscapes. Eagles, hen harriers, seabirds, dolphins and otters will be in our sights.
Seldom visited, yet home to some of the highest densities of eagles and otters in Europe and great opportunities to see upland breeding birds, seabirds and cetaceans, Lewis and Harris really has it all.
At this time, Lewis’s fertile machair grasslands are full of life with flowers and breeding redshanks, lapwings, ringed plovers and corn buntings posing on roadside fence posts, while its peatlands are the haunt of golden plovers, dunlins and graceful hen harriers. On a few remote pools, the rare red-necked phalarope still nests along with nationally important numbers of beautiful red-throated diver.
On the higher hills and valleys we will be in eagle territory, golden eagles occur at some of their highest densities in Europe here and white-tailed eagles, merlins and red deer are widespread. The miles of rugged coastline are perfect for otters which hunt according to the tides here, and both grey and common seals are abundant. To the east of Lewis is the Minch, Britain’s best stretch of water for watching whales and dolphins. We hope to explore these waters, where the rare Risso’s dolphin and the thousands of puffins on the isolated Shiant Isles will be among our targets.
Accompanied by expert naturalist David Lambie and visiting some of the finest sites for birds of prey in Britain, our unique tour gives you the chance to experience all that is so special about this beautiful island.
Typical Itinerary
Day1: Meet at Inverness, transfer to Stornoway
We meet David at Inverness and transfer to Ullapool for our ferry crossing to Stornoway.
Travelling through the North Minch we have our first opportunity to spot some of the area's wildlife with various seabirds likely and with luck even some cetacean sightings. On arrival in Stornoway, we transfer to our hotel to drop bags and then explore some of the local area.
Today we visit the Callanish Stones, a mysterious Neolithic era assemblage of standing stones overlooking the sheltered Loch Roag on the west coast, an area also frequented by otters.
One of the characteristic features of this part of the island are the peat bogs, and we drive through some extensive area of blanket bog today in search of its rare birdlife including red-throated and black-throated divers, greenshank, dunlin, hen harrier and golden eagle.
Day3: Harris & Luskentyre Sands
Today we start early as we set off for a day exploring Harris to the south. In contrast to Lewis’s peat moorlands, Harris has a very different character and here we spend time explore dramatic eagle glens where both golden and white-tailed eagles soar over the wild landscape. A visit to the coast here offers stunning white sand beaches stretching off into the distance, a beautiful landscape to soak up.
Day4: Tiumpan Head & Tolsta
Today we visit two spectacular settings for sea watching at Tiumpan Head Lighthouse and Tolsta that provides the perfect vantage point for a spot of sea watching. Here we get an understanding of the Minch and understand its importance for wildlife whilst scanning for cetaceans and seabirds. There are also excellent habitats for white-tailed eagle, Arctic skua and otters in these areas, and we spend time looking for these charismatic species too.
Today we explore the far north of Lewis, firstly taking in the wonderful Loch a'Mhuilinn, where we hope to find one of Britain’s rarest breeding birds, the striking red-necked phalarope. The reserve is home to eight other species of breeding wader and the surrounding moorlands are rich in acidic bog plants including sundews. We then continue on to the Butt of Ness Lighthouse to enjoy the panoramic views and nesting seabirds on the cliffs below. This evening we aim to visit a local site where we hope to hear and if lucky see the wonderful corncrake.
Day6: The Shiant Islands & South-east Lewis
This morning we take a boat out of Stornoway harbour into the cetacean-rich waters of the Minch where we hope to encounter some dolphins including common, bottlenose or Risso’s, and if we're lucky possibly a minke whale. We aim to visit the remote Shiant Islands, an internationally important breeding site for seabirds, with around 10 per cent of the UK puffins.
In the afternoon, we head to the south-east of Lewis to visit some remote areas where we have great opportunities to see both golden and white-tailed eagles as well as other upland birdlife that includes black-throated diver, merlin, twite and red grouse.
Day7: Return to Ullapool
Our final morning and a last chance for some local otter watching, before we head back to Ullapool by ferry and on to Inverness where we disembark and say our farewells.
Please note: The above itinerary indicates our planned day-by-day activities, but please be aware that the exact itinerary each day will be discussed on a daily basis and may need to change slightly based on recent sightings and local conditions. We will strive to follow this itinerary as much as possible.
Grading: Easy to moderate. With the emphasis on watching wildlife, any walking is always at a slow to moderate pace. There will be some walks which will involve uneven, sometimes boggy terrain. Some walks will also involve some gentle inclines.
Key info
Duration and price excluding international flights: 7 daysfrom £2,155 pp
David was brought up in the Highlands, and aged 14 climbed to his first eagle nest with renowned Scottish naturalist Lea McNally.
An avid collector of Seton Gordon books, David’s passion for wildlife has been integral to his career in conservation, forestry and land management and running his own ecology company, he and his team cover the Highlands and Islands monitoring raptors, upland species and with a particular interest in woodland grouse, has been involved with capercaillie research and monitoring for over 30 years.
This past ten years has seen him working on the Isle of Skye and the Western Isles which has allowed him to immerse himself in the special atmosphere of these iconic Scottish islands.
Off the west coast of mainland Scotland lie the Outer Hebrides, a fascinating archipelago of interconnected Atlantic islands. Each of the main islands have a unique feel, however, the rugged beauty is attributed to all. Home to minke whale, Risso's dolphin, hen harrier, golden eagle and corncrake it's a wildlife haven.
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Lying not far offshore from Lewis in the north-west of Scotland, the Shiant’s are one of the most exciting and remote seabird islands in Britain. These rugged little islands offer not only a fantastic seabird experience but are also steeped in history and offer sensational scenery.
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Where: Outer Hebrides
Ideal for viewing: Atlantic puffin, black guillemot, razorbill, black-legged kittiwake, minke whale
Located on the edge of Stornoway, the friendly Cabarfeidh Hotel offers a comfortable accommodation option for exploring the wildlife of Lewis. With en suite rooms and its Cleaver restaurant serving a range of typical Scottish dishes, the hotel makes for a great base.
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