HymerVan Posted May 29, 2016 Share Posted May 29, 2016 Planning a trip to the Hebrides in June/July using a Hopscotch ticket South to North. We have a 5.4 metre campervan with ability to wild camp. Any recommendations for :-- Places to go Things to see Wild camping spots Things to be aware of Good campsites etc. etc. would be much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulletguy Posted May 29, 2016 Share Posted May 29, 2016 HymerVan - 2016-05-29 12:01 PM Planning a trip to the Hebrides in June/July using a Hopscotch ticket South to North. We have a 5.4 metre campervan with ability to wild camp. I did the same nine years ago but in reverse.....north to south. You van length is ideal and you will be able to go everywhere with that, even the tiny single track roads won't be a problem. Barra i absolutely loved and it proved a real wrench to leave. Go to the little Cafe at the Harbour and ask if Neil is still around. Neil was (hopefully still with us) one of Barra's characters. He often walked around with two lovely border collie dogs. Neil is instantly recognisable as he has a glass eye which he loved having fun with in the local Pub with island visitors. When they weren't looking he'd whip it out and drop it in their beer! I first met Neil at the Harbour side where i was waiting for a boat trip. It was around 8.30am......and Neil was rather drunk! So i persuade him to let me buy him a coffee and chatted to him. He's a lovely chap, very friendly and not the abusive type of drinker at all but does have a weakness for the booze. Please give him my wishes if he's still there as i often think about him and his lovely dogs. The boat trip i took was to Mingulay, an uninhabited island off Barra. It's a days trip but well worth going. The scenery is stunning and you will see all kinds of wildlife. The Puffins are very easy to get close up to photograph and if you venture across the island to the other side you may be fortunate enough to find nesting Golden Eagle just as there was when i went. But be very aware of two things....the cliff edge there is high up, quite sheer, and anyone who goes over certainly won't be coming back! The other is the trek across the island. The other to watch out for are the Skua birds (locals call them bonkie or something) and they are crazily mad totally fearless of humans. They dive bomb you at great speed and come within inches. It's really quite scary. Don't miss Vatersay where the remains of a Catalina crashed in 1944 killing all nine crew. It's been left there since as a memorial and visitors are trusted to freely walk around. http://www.501places.com/2013/07/catalina-on-vatersay/ Unfortunately since i was at Barra, as far as i know, overnight camping up by the airport overlooking the "runway" (the beach!), is no longer allowed but it's still worth the jaunt there just to watch a plane land or take off on the beach. The Airport Cafe also does good meals. I wasn't much fussed about North and South Uist i'm afraid. I found it rather dull by comparison to other parts i'd visited. Harris is nice and whilst there, you might consider a boat trip to St Kilda, uninhabited since 1930 it is now a World Heritage site. At £190 the trip isn't cheap...but it is 40 miles out in the Atlantic so is a full day. It's also weather permitting too so can be cancelled by the boat skipper at the last minute if he's not happy with the forecast as happened in my case. You have to look on it as a "once in a lifetime" trip but unfortunately it wasn't to be. Maybe i will try again! Use one of the local skippers if you go. Easily found anywhere around Harris. http://www.kilda.org.uk/ http://www.kildacruises.co.uk/ Once over to Lewis look for the B887 road to Hushinish. The scenery along here is amazing and is a "must see" drive. It's a 12 mile long tiny B road and the twisting road passes first the remains of an old whaling station, then a tiny school which sadly has now closed but when i was there had just five pupils! Further on you come to Amhuinnsuidhe Castle, a very impressive building which now caters as a B&B to the wealthy! http://www.amhuinnsuidhe.com/ But the jewel in the crown is right at the end.....Hushinish. With just four houses it's so remote and so isolated you wouldn't think anyone actually lives there! The deserted beach is stunning and the crystal clear azure seas just lapping over the sand is almost tropical. Appearances are deceptive though. You will see many colours of the seas around the island like this.....BUT the water is damned cold!! There is a small carpark there and nobody will bat an eye if you overnight though i'd discourage it if more than one van is present. The B887 road is a dead end......so you get to enjoy the scenery all the way back too!! But please do it as it really is a worthwhile drive. I could go on but i'm writing a book here! In short wild camping isn't a problem on the Hebrides, particularly with a van your size as you are pleasantly discreet. Even parking up at a roadside will be fine. There are now a few campsites dotted around. Enjoy your trip!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian81 Posted May 29, 2016 Share Posted May 29, 2016 Currently working our way up the islands. Wild camping no problem. No real point to hopscotch tickets -with RET and lower ferry prices you dont save money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve928 Posted May 29, 2016 Share Posted May 29, 2016 Bulletguy - 2016-05-29 2:13 PM Once over to Lewis look for the B887 road to Hushinish. The scenery along here is amazing and is a "must see" drive. Agree, it's a classic. Here we are on the Husinish road a couple of weeks back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arthur49 Posted May 29, 2016 Share Posted May 29, 2016 Luskentyre Beach, Isle of Harris is a must see. Its stunning. However nowhere to stop overnight. There are (or were) signs forbidding overnighting and its important to respect the locals. https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=luskentyre+beach+harris&espv=2&tbm=isch&imgil=lRAxzHLUqPB_-M%253A%253BvS_2ow9NvqT7ZM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fcreativelunatics.com%25252Fluskentyre-beach-uk%25252F&source=iu&pf=m&fir=lRAxzHLUqPB_-M%253A%252CvS_2ow9NvqT7ZM%252C_&usg=__H0U-awdPTKkhpe4rO7Eua3FuH6Q%3D&biw=1366&bih=681&ved=0ahUKEwi4oqKi_P_MAhXsKMAKHczKAHwQyjcIYQ&ei=hjxLV7jHE-zRgAbMlYPgBw#imgrc=lRAxzHLUqPB_-M%3A And four years ago no overnighting allowed at Barra Airport but worth a visit to see the Glasgow plane come in and depart For a good chance to see Golden Eagles try 57.609557, -7.374290 on Committee Road North Uist. Small parking area. Sit there, keep quiet, have a cuppa, and keep your eyes open. Last time we were there one flew over with a juvenile. (And we've always see Hen Harriers here) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candapack Posted May 29, 2016 Share Posted May 29, 2016 Steve928 - 2016-05-29 7:46 PM Bulletguy - 2016-05-29 2:13 PM Once over to Lewis look for the B887 road to Hushinish. The scenery along here is amazing and is a "must see" drive. Agree, it's a classic. Here we are on the Husinish road a couple of weeks back. Your van looks the same size as ours, possibly a bit longer. Did you have any problems driving, or getting on and off ferries? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve928 Posted May 29, 2016 Share Posted May 29, 2016 arthur49 - 2016-05-29 8:10 PM Luskentyre Beach, Isle of Harris is a must see. Its stunning. However nowhere to stop overnight. There are (or were) signs forbidding overnighting and its important to respect the locals. Although there are no overnight spots right at the beach, the West Harris Trust have set up 6 motorhome parking spots around Luskentyre with a £5 overnight charge. We used them on 2 occasions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arthur49 Posted May 29, 2016 Share Posted May 29, 2016 Steve928 - 2016-05-29 9:01 PM arthur49 - 2016-05-29 8:10 PM Luskentyre Beach, Isle of Harris is a must see. Its stunning. However nowhere to stop overnight. There are (or were) signs forbidding overnighting and its important to respect the locals. Although there are no overnight spots right at the beach, the West Harris Trust have set up 6 motorhome parking spots around Luskentyre with a £5 overnight charge. We used them on 2 occasions. That is good news, Defo worth a night stop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve928 Posted May 29, 2016 Share Posted May 29, 2016 candapack - 2016-05-29 8:11 PM Your van looks the same size as ours, possibly a bit longer. Did you have any problems driving, or getting on and off ferries? No, the driving is easy. Single track with passing places is just the best and completely stress-free. Only when we were leaving Harris did we encounter a ferry problem; we were waiting for the ferry to offload and a van exactly the same as ours grounded on the ramp. The driver did the right thing though and just refused to budge until the problem was sorted. With half a boat load of vehicles stuck behind him it didn't take them long to re-jig the ramp to give clearance. I realised though that I'd booked the return crossing at the bottom of a spring tide - muppetry of the highest order as the ramp will be at its steepest. The best idea is to get a tide app and ensure that all your crossings are in the top half of the tide when the ramp will be almost flat. I'll be doing that in the future.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candapack Posted May 29, 2016 Share Posted May 29, 2016 Steve928 - 2016-05-29 9:10 PM candapack - 2016-05-29 8:11 PM Your van looks the same size as ours, possibly a bit longer. Did you have any problems driving, or getting on and off ferries? No, the driving is easy. Single track with passing places is just the best and completely stress-free. . Completely agree re single track, much better to drive than what can be quite narrow 2 lane roads. (In a car or MH, maybe a bit trickier when tugging) Good tip about the tide app. Going to Skye on Thursday till Monday, this thread tempting me to then take the ferry from Uig to Tarbert or Lochmaddy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HymerVan Posted May 29, 2016 Author Share Posted May 29, 2016 candapack - 2016-05-29 8:11 PM Steve928 - 2016-05-29 7:46 PM Bulletguy - 2016-05-29 2:13 PM Once over to Lewis look for the B887 road to Hushinish. The scenery along here is amazing and is a "must see" drive. Agree, it's a classic. Here we are on the Husinish road a couple of weeks back. Your van looks the same size as ours, possibly a bit longer. Did you have any problems driving, or getting on and off ferries? No problem on larger ferries Its 5.4 metres with very little rear overhang so should be OK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted May 30, 2016 Share Posted May 30, 2016 My trip report from last year, here: http://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/Outer-Hebrides-Trip-Report/38877/ ..may be of some use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HymerVan Posted May 30, 2016 Author Share Posted May 30, 2016 ian81 - 2016-05-29 6:14 PM Currently working our way up the islands. Wild camping no problem. No real point to hopscotch tickets -with RET and lower ferry prices you dont save money. You are spot on with cost of hopscotch tickets. The cost for the four hops purchased separately is £198.70 compared with £198 for the package. Package doesn't give you any booking priority or other benefits either. Thanks for all contributions so far absolutely great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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