Scotland

I have actually lost count of the amount of times I have been asked (in personal or via email) what is the best time of the year to visit the Outer Hebrides (Western Isles) and I really do have to admit that though many assume it to be the height of the tourist season many choose to visit the islands at various other times instead. Let me explain a couple of the reasons why I would consider this to be a very wise decision.

When I first visited the Isle of Harris in 1981 (or 82) I had little choice over the dates as I was helping somebody to relocate there during the school summer holidays (it was a teacher moving up). I had had an interest in the islands, especially St Kilda, for many years but had not had the means to get there before then. Of course I did a few tourist type things, visited a couple of the spectacular Harris beaches, saw the standing stones at Callanish, the broch down the road etc. etc. and enjoyed myself thoroughly.

The next summer I visited again but this time I chose the summer months as I was studying and I could not really get to the islands at any other time. While many people have the same problem it was not until a couple of years later that I visited during the winter and all I can say is WOW. Now I am always willing to accept that most folk enjoy lovely hot sunny days but the islands take on a wholly different atmosphere during the winter months. Yes it can get windy but I was not blown away by the wind, I was blown away by the spectacular sight of snow covered mountains, a deep blue sea and a most wonderful light, the type of light that inspired artists of the Scottish Colourists and the Glasgow Boys, all I can say is it is unique and most wonderful.

I have several photographs of an Isle of Harris self catering cottage nicely decorated with a fresh dusting of light snow. I could have stayed there all day taking shots of this timeless place but it was getting late and very, very cold. Here’s another aspect of winter that is wonderful, getting in after a nice long walk, and sitting down opposite a lovely peat fire is something which can only really be fully appreaciated in the Hebrides.

Now here’s a strange thing, visiting once during the Christmas holidays I was surprised at how mild it was. In fact snow does not appear on the ground very often (though it remains on the tops of the mountains throughout winter) and the temperature rarely falls below zero. I feel the cold badly so I appreciate a mild climate but in the first few weeks in January I found that it was actually warm enough to walk about wearing only a light t-shirt (and trousers of course!). Not only was it rather warm but the sun really does cut through in the winter and sometimes the sun seems far more powerful in the winter than in the summer.

There are many other reasons to visit the Hebrides out of season. One of the most important to me is that you get to see the islands without the masses of tourists driving about holding up traffic as they slow to take in the view (they should pull over!). At times it feels as though you have stepped back in time, especially if you can smell the sweet smoke of a peat fire and there are no power cables in sight.

So if you are thinking of taking a vacation in the Outer Hebrides/Western Isles and plan to stay in a self catering house on the Isle of Harris, why not investigate visiting at a different time of year than you usually do?