Magnificent sea stacks, mystical stones and alluring beaches make a heady mix for Deputy editor Paul Critcher on a Hebridean escape
Duration
Eight nights
When
June 2023
Why?
To hike the majestic landscapes found on these remote islands
To paraphrase The Proclaimers: “I would drive 500 miles, And I would drive 500 more”. Yep, the Outer Hebrides are certainly a long way from most people in the UK, and from my base in south-east England I was looking at a round trip of some 1200 miles just to get to and from the ferry terminals on the mainland. Gulp!
Fortunately, I had a cunning plan. We could combine a visit to relatives in Glasgow by car with a hiking adventure in the Hebrides, by using Swift Go’s motorhome rental service from the company’s Livingston depot. That meant we could also try out a different motorhome, a Swift Edge 476, which would be able to accommodate four of us - my wife Carmelina and I, along with her cousin Olivia and partner Sean, whom we planned to pick up from Edinburgh.
So, on to Livingston and after a comprehensive briefing (see Swift Go panel) we took delivery of the keys and were let loose on Scottish roads. Fast-forward several hours and we arrived at the tranquil Ardmair Point Caravan & Camping Park just outside Ullapool, from where we would be catching the ferry to Stornoway in Lewis on the Outer Hebrides the following morning. This attractive site has pitches all around a headland that juts out into the sea – be sure to ask for a sea-front pitch for unspoilt views across to Isle Martin. We enjoyed a bracing paddle at Ardmair beach before dining outside; a very pleasant experience, even when punctuated by the need to slap away the midges and reapply the Smidge (see Midges panel)!
We were up early for the CalMac ferry, which was an adventure in itself. From the viewing platform, two of us (sadly the other two were in the shop) saw leaping dolphins, a porpoise, a minke whale and multitude of gannets, guillemots and other seabirds. A local Hebridean who was also onboard told us it was the calmest sea crossing she’d taken in 25 years.
Stone me! First off the boat and we chose to give Stornoway a miss in favour of a visit to the Callanish (Calanais) Standing Stones, on the way to our campsite. The first thing to get to grips with was the single-lane roads – with a vehicle some 7.32 metres long, I was relieved that there were plenty of passing places, all of which were indicated by prominent signs. The only inconvenience
