Russ's Birthday Trip — Harris & Lewis

Dates: Fri 20th – Mon 23rd March 2026

Party: TBC

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Transport

Outbound Ferry — Sat 21st March

Route: Uig → Tarbert (Harris)
Depart: 09:40 → Arrive: 11:20 (1h 40m)
Booking: 3 adults + Audi A3, £71.50
Ref: DFP194337189 (provisional — awaiting CalMac confirmation)

Return Ferry — Mon 23rd March

Route: Stornoway → Ullapool
Depart: 14:00 → Arrive: 16:40 (2h 40m)
Booking: 3 adults + Audi A3, £112.50
Ref: DFP194337926 (provisional — awaiting CalMac confirmation)

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Plan

Day 0 — Fri 20th March

09:00 Leave Crewe
Drive: Crewe → Uig area (~380 miles, 7-8h via M6/A74/A82)
~17:00-18:00 Arrive camping spot
Stay: Wild camp near Uig (57.66623, -6.35726) — for early ferry

Day 1 — Sat 21st March

08:30 Leave camp (10 min drive to ferry)
09:40 Ferry: Uig → Tarbert (Harris)
11:20 Arrive Tarbert
~12:00 Drive: Tarbert → Callanish Stones (~35 miles, 50 min)
12:30-14:00 Explore Callanish Stones
~14:30 Drive: Callanish → Mangersta parking (~20 miles, 35 min)
15:00 Check in at Norgroves (no. 3 Mangurstadh)
Walk: parking → Mangersta bothy (0.7 km, ~15 min)
Stay: Mangersta bothy (booked)

Day 2 — Sun 22nd March

Leave Mangersta bothy
Walk: bothy → parking (0.7 km, ~15 min)
Explore / drive north into Lewis
Options: Great Bernera, Little Bernera, beaches, wildlife
Stay: Wild camp (see camping notes below)

Day 3 — Mon 23rd March

Drive to Stornoway (allow time for ferry)
14:00 Ferry: Stornoway → Ullapool
16:40 Arrive Ullapool
Drive: Ullapool → Crewe (~6h)
~23:00 Arrive Crewe

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Places

Crewe (home)

Coordinates: 53.0977, -2.4407

Friday night camping

Coordinates: 57.66623, -6.35726
Near Uig, approx 10 min from ferry terminal

Uig Ferry Terminal

Coordinates: 57.5854, -6.3566
CalMac terminal for Tarbert crossing

Callanish Stones (Calanais)

Coordinates: 58.197541, -6.745145
Neolithic stone circle (~2750 BCE), one of the most impressive prehistoric sites in Britain
Cross-shaped layout with tall central monolith and multiple stone rows
Overlooks Loch Roag with Great Bernera hills as backdrop
Nearby: Callanish II and III stone circles within walking distance
Visitor centre with café — free to visit stones, centre has exhibits
Allow 1-2 hours to explore main site + surroundings

Mangersta bothy

Parking: 58.17235, -7.10157 (what3words ///waitress.sheepish.surreal)
Bothy: 58.17308, -7.09135
Check-in: Call at Norgrove house (no. 3 Mangurstadh — big number 3 on gate) before going to bothy
If Norgroves not in: Check outbuilding next to house (twin turquoise cones, turf roof) for directions

Stornoway Ferry Terminal

Coordinates: 58.2093, -6.3869
CalMac terminal for Ullapool crossing

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Great Bernera & Little Bernera

Great Bernera

Connected to Lewis by bridge — easy to visit
Bosta Beach — stunning white sand beach at end of road, one of the best on Lewis
Iron Age House — replica at Bosta, original was uncovered by 1992 storm (visit May-Sep, Mon-Sat 12-4pm)
Time and Tide Bell — art installation revealed at low tide
Great Bernera Trail — half-day walk from Valasay through Tobson to Bosta (faint/wet paths)
Lewisian Gneiss — beach scattered with some of Earth's oldest rocks (3 billion years old)
Ideal for walking, fishing, birdwatching
Views: From hills above Bosta, see ~40 islands in Loch Roag, possibly Flannan Isles on horizon

Little Bernera

Small uninhabited island (~1 mile × 0.5 mile) opposite north end of Great Bernera
Access: By boat only, no regular service
More for looking at than visiting — visible from Great Bernera

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Wildlife & Nature

Birds of Prey

Golden Eagles — resident in Harris hills; most active mornings/evenings
White-tailed (Sea) Eagles — reintroduced, seen along coasts
North Harris Eagle Observatory — 2km walk up Glen Meavaig from car park on Huisinis road; within golden eagle territory
Hen Harriers — on moorland

Marine Life

Grey and Harbour Seals — common in sea lochs and around coasts
Otters — shy but present in sea lochs; early morning best
Bottlenose and Common Dolphins — offshore
Minke Whales — occasionally seen offshore

Notable Areas

Mangersta coastline — dramatic cliffs, sea stacks; watch for seabirds
Luskentyre & Seilebost — at low tide, vast sand flats attract waders
Loch Roag area — good for seals and otters
North Harris hills — eagle territory, red deer

Tips

Binoculars essential
Early morning best for otters and eagles
Check tide times for Bosta beach and coastal walks

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Other Places Worth Seeing

Beaches (from webpage reference)

Luskentyre — one of the best beaches in Britain, vast white sands, turquoise water
Seilebost — adjacent to Luskentyre, stunning at low tide when sands almost meet
Scarista — long sweep backed by dunes, great views
Reef Beach (Traigh na Beirigh) — west Lewis, hidden gem with wild camping behind
Garry Beach — east coast Lewis, unusual landscape, rock arches at low tide
Huisinis — end of scenic road in North Harris, dramatic bright white beach

Scenic Drives

The Golden Road — east Harris coast, twisting single track through rocky moonscape
Road to Huisinis — 13 miles of scenic single track, challenging but worth it

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Sunday Night Camping

Weather Considerations

Sunday forecast shows winds picking up (35+ km/h from WSW). Consider:

If winds are from west/southwest (as forecast):

East coast Lewis more sheltered — try Garry Beach area or Tolsta
East Harris (Golden Road area) also more sheltered but fewer flat spots

If winds are light:

West coast options near beaches (Reef Beach area has good wild camping behind dunes)
Great Bernera — Bosta area

Backup:

Stornoway area — closer to Monday ferry, campsites available
East side of island generally drier and more sheltered from prevailing winds

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Weather Forecast

*Updated: Wed 18th March 2026*

Lewis/Harris Area (Callanish)

|-----|------|------|------|--------|------------|

| Fri | 20th | 3-14°C | 10 km/h WSW | 1.0mm | Light drizzle AM, clearing |

| Sat | 21st | 7-9°C | 34 km/h WSW | 1.2mm | Light drizzle, breezy |

| Sun | 22nd | 4-9°C | 38 km/h W | 12.5mm | Moderate rain, windy |

Harris (Tarbert area)

|-----|------|------|------|--------|------------|

| Fri | 20th | 7-11°C | 10 km/h WSW | 0.7mm | Light drizzle, mostly dry |

| Sat | 21st | 6-8°C | 35 km/h WSW | 1.2mm | Light drizzle, windy |

| Sun | 22nd | 3-8°C | 41 km/h W | 15.5mm | Heavy rain, very windy |

Summary

Friday: Good driving weather, mild
Saturday: Manageable — breezy with light drizzle, OK for exploring and bothy
Sunday: Deteriorating — heavier rain and strong winds arriving; plan for sheltered camp spot on east side
Camping: Bring good wind-resistant tent setup, consider east coast Sunday night

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Bookings & References

Ferries (Direct Ferries / CalMac)

Outbound: DFP194337189 — Uig → Tarbert, Sat 21 Mar 09:40 (£71.50, provisional)
Return: DFP194337926 — Stornoway → Ullapool, Mon 23 Mar 14:00 (£112.50, provisional)
Confirmation emails to: rbrooks.plh@proton.me

Mangersta bothy (night of 21st March)

Status: ✅ Booked
Contact: Jennifer Fearon (Linda Norgrove Foundation)
Donation: £20/person suggested (donation box in outbuilding or lindanorgrovefoundation.org/donate)
Cancellation: Email to change/cancel

Instructions from booking:

Call at Norgrove house (no. 3 Mangurstadh) BEFORE going to bothy — they want to meet visitors and give directions
Press doorbell a couple of times
If not in: directions in outbuilding (turquoise cones + turf roof)
Use toilet in outbuilding
Bring kindling-size wood (no coal) — chimney can smoke with bigger pieces; leave door open if it smokes
DO NOT tweet or post on social media — they want to preserve the isolation
Clean up well, take all rubbish, bring own towel

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Notes

Beth not travelling (assume pet care needed)
Wild camping gear needed for Fri + Sun nights
Ferry check-in typically 30-45 min before departure
Bring binoculars for wildlife
Check tide times for beach visits (especially Bosta, Garry Beach)