Scottish islands

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Six day break over New Year, have never been to any of the islands. Would they be awful at that time of year? Always wanted to fly to Barra, but once there is there anything to do? Orkneys? Shetland? Anyone got anything to recommend any of them in the depths of winter??

 

[platinumsage]

Shetland have just voted to move towards independence from Scotland, so it might be your last chance to go there without first obtaining a visa in person from their embassy in Mayfair.

 

[marty21]

I went to Barra in the 80s on a school trip, saw the plane land on the beach flying there would have been preferable to the 10 hour ferry from Oban, which was a vomitfest . It is a beautiful island, as is the way smaller Vatersay nearby.

 

[Poot]

I know that at the start of the covid outbreak some people on small Hebriddean islands were not thrilled that visitors were arriving from the mainland because an outbreak would have been fatal to the mainly elderly population. Might be worth bearing in mind.

On the other hand, if you have a cosy cottage and you don't go to the pub it could be magical. Maybe take some board games...

 

[killer b]

I went to shetland in February once - it was pretty windswept but handsome. There was people out hiking, but not many. I was working and didn't really get the chance to check out what fun stuff there was to do, but as far as I could tell hunkering down in the pub seemed to be very popular...

 

[kebabking]

Daylight would be pretty short - 6 hours maybe. Beaches are fantastic, and if you're very happy dragging your kids around stone circles like Calanaish, neolithic villages like Maes How, and burial mounds, and then retreating indoors for the evening with a peat fire, a glass of something, then it would be a fantastic getaway.

Just as Edinburgh is a different country/culture from London, the northern and western islands are very different to Edinburgh. Far more in common with Norway than Glasgow...

We're going up for a week or so at Easter in 2022 - it'll be stuff that the kids will remember their whole lives.

 

[maomao]

Shetland have just voted to move towards independence from Scotland, so it might be your last chance to go there without first obtaining a visa in person from their embassy in Mayfair.

This has been slightly misreported according The National:

FACT CHECK: Do Shetland Islands really want to break away from Scotland?

CLAIM

www.thenational.scot

This suggests that the vote to examine options for self-determination was less a strategic move towards autonomy and more a protest against the squeeze on local authority budgets and lingering resentment at alleged centralisation by Holyrood. The preamble to the motion reads: “We believe that Shetland has the wherewithal to have a positive future. However, in recent times we have seen more and more decision making being centralised and public funding being consistently reduced. We are concerned that this ongoing situation is seriously threatening the prosperity, and even basic sustainability, of Shetland as a community.”

 

[Supine]

Barra is a very different place to Orkney and Shetland. Long way apart.

The west coast islands would be cool. A few pints in Tobermory would be nice in winter.

 

[Rebelda]

You should definitely try to be there for this



Or this



I dream of a job on any one of the Arans or in the highlands and islands. So do some scouting for me while you're there yeah?

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Up Helly Aa is cancelled until 2022 due to lurgy

 

[Rebelda]

Ugh of course it is. Sorry.

 

[LDC]

Been to Skye a fair bit, but only one trip to the other islands that way. Went to Skye then got the ferry to Lewis and Harris, had some time there, then drove to North and South Uist and then got the ferry to Oban. Took about 2 weeks in total. Went in May and the weather was, erm... mixed to say the least. But in the good moments it's stunning, a really incredible place.

I'd expect the weather to be harsh that time of year, but you might still get good days, and the bleakness and windswept isolation of it has its own beauty I think. Get a cottage, have lie-ins, short walks in the brutal weather, cold swims, whiskey, then home for a fire and dinner would be my suggestion for what to do. As has been said beaches are incredible. Lots might also be shut that time of year, so I'd check that too.

E2A: Like Rebelda keep a look out for a job for me, and if you see a nice croft for sale buy it please.

 

[neonwilderness]

Stunning landscapes on the western isles, but I can’t imagine the weather is going to be up to much in the middle of winter

Lewis and Harris have been on my todo list for a while. I did Mull and Iona a couple of years ago which was nice, apart from all the massive camper vans on single track roads

 

[Superdupastupor]

Rum (Not sure it has accommodations any more, better check)
Mull (busier, buisnessyner, but truly lovely)
Islay (Whisky)

Orkney is lovely in winter sun

 

[weltweit]

I've been camping on Skye as a teen in bad weather with a dog that vomited in the tent on our sleeping bags.

Not many trees on Skye.

 

[geminisnake]

Up Helly Aa is cancelled until 2022 due to lurgy

Tbh atm I think you'd be lucky to get a booking at that time of year in 22 but you're trade iirc so maybe know some shortcuts?
6 hrs daylight is MAX on a GOOD day, you go that far north it will be cold and windy, possibly also wet, like battering painful rain.

Arran or Bute might be better, but it depends on what you are looking for. Bute is lovely, Arran seemed ok but only spent a day there

 

[planetgeli]

I've been camping and driving around the upper reaches of the mainland and Skye in August and it was a beautiful two weeks.

I cannot imagine going around new year. Rain, possible snow and ice, darkness, bleak.

Scotland is stunning. But only if you can see it.

 

[Plumdaff]

I've spent NYE on Arran a couple of times as I have a very good friend who is from there. Your main problem would be weather stopping the ferry, otherwise I'd heartily recommend.

 

[Sasaferrato]

I went to Barra in the 80s on a school trip, saw the plane land on the beach flying there would have been preferable to the 10 hour ferry from Oban, which was a vomitfest . It is a beautiful island, as is the way smaller Vatersay nearby.

I did most of my growing up in the Outre Hebrides, firstly on North Uist, then on Harris.

My father was the Divisional Road Surveyor. His beat was Harris down to Barra.

He spent a week every month 'down the islands' (North Uist, Benbecula, South Uist, Barra, Eriskay and Vatersay.) In the school holidays I went with him. I've flown from Benbecula to Barra.

Back in the day, there was no causeway to Vatersay, and that there is one now came about in a curious and tragic way. The Dept of Agriculture circulated good bulls round the Islands, to improve stock quality. Normally, the bull swam from Barra to Vatersay, but one unfortunate creature drowned. The causeway was built shortly afterwards. The sea right down the archipelago is shallow, hence the causeways between North Uist - Benbecula - South Uist.

There is talk of a causeway between Harris and North Uist. That would be fabulous, all the way from the Butt of Lewis down to the tip of South Uist.

 

[Celyn]

Barra is a very different place to Orkney and Shetland. Long way apart.

Yes!

The west coast islands would be cool. A few pints in Tobermory would be nice in winter.

Nice in summer too. Although I suppose the notion of having a pint or two of mulled ale in Mull is fun.

 

[pogofish]

If you go to Orkney or Shetland around Hogmanay, prepare for horizontal, heavy rain and biting, biting wind that just does not give-up.

With luck, you will be away home before the Teuchit Storms hit and it gets really bad.

Also, you must have a pattie, or better still a double pattie, esp with chips and good beer - everywhere that sells them claims their individual recipie is best, so you can have fun finding out..!

 

[weepiper]

Yeah. Weather around New Year in the islands can be really seriously foul. That storm in which the family from Benbecula was washed away a few years ago was the first week of January I think.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

So, Barbados is then.

 

[not-bono-ever]

just done a week in the Uists. they are great but late august isn't late december. not exactly many pubs in Uist either. like one on the north side.food is criminal and expensive - seafood is too expensive for the locals , as it is all for export - but you dont go there for the cuisine. Nor do they do have the vista of Skye- but Skye is tourist hell these days anyway. Barbados might be a better option and you might even meet Sir Cliff. Leave it for the summer and do some wild camping.

 

[JimW]

Orkney seemed to have too much to fit in on our short visit while we were staying relatively close on mainland, though suppose you'd need to like history and prehistory.
Been to many of the western isles and agree Mull is lovely but that was.pubs and walking mostly.

 

[heinous seamus]

Tighnachulish has an excellent Hogmanay reputation.

 

[marty21]

I did most of my growing up in the Outre Hebrides, firstly on North Uist, then on Harris.

My father was the Divisional Road Surveyor. His beat was Harris down to Barra.

He spent a week every month 'down the islands' (North Uist, Benbecula, South Uist, Barra, Eriskay and Vatersay.) In the school holidays I went with him. I've flown from Benbecula to Barra.

Back in the day, there was no causeway to Vatersay, and that there is one now came about in a curious and tragic way. The Dept of Agriculture circulated good bulls round the Islands, to improve stock quality. Normally, the bull swam from Barra to Vatersay, but one unfortunate creature drowned. The causeway was built shortly afterwards. The sea right down the archipelago is shallow, hence the causeways between North Uist - Benbecula - South Uist.

There is talk of a causeway between Harris and North Uist. That would be fabulous, all the way from the Butt of Lewis down to the tip of South Uist.

I didn't know about the causeway to Vatersay , makes sense. It's basically an island farm isn't it? When the school group I was with went there in 1982 (had my 17th birthday on it) There were supposed to be 50 people living there, they all successfully avoided us we temporarily increased the population by about 50% too.

 

[A380]

Orkney Mainland is nice and quite like other bits of northern Scotland. I loved Westray which is one of the Orkney islands. And the archeology is great.

Shetland is also awesome and seemed as different from the rest of Scotland is Scotland is from Wales say.

I really like them, not sure if I’d go over Christmas when it’s only going to be properly light for 7 or so hours...