Exploring Scotland's Far Northwest

Autumn has definitely arrived in Scotland and with it, cooler days and stormy weather. Regardless of that, this is always one of my favourite times to explore the country as places begin to get a little quieter. You might think it would be a good time to stick closer to home, but instead I’ve been as far away in the northwest as I could possibly get! 

I was lucky to get the early ferry to the Isle of Harris on a particularly wild day. Almost every other ferry had been cancelled, proving how important it is to have a backup plan if you want to visit the Scottish islands. Fortunately, our boat managed to make the journey, although it was a little too rocky for me to enjoy my normal cooked breakfast from the canteen... 

Harris is usually known for its beautiful sandy beaches, but this definitely wasn’t the weather for the seaside. Instead, we headed somewhere that doesn’t get nearly enough attention – the church of St Clements in Rodel. Found at the far south of Harris, this 500-year-old church doubles as the burial site for some of the MacLeods of Dunvegan. It was built by Alasdair Crotach, the 8th MacLeod chief and first not to be buried on the Isle of Iona. His effigy is a thing of beauty, holding the Great Sword of Dunvegan and surrounded by religious imagery. Standing in the old stone church as the winds howled around the outside was more than a wee bit atmospheric! 

A trip through time on Lewis was to follow, exploring everything from the 5000 year old Calanais Standing Stones and Iron Age brochs to more modern homes like Arnol Blackhouse. Then it was another, much calmer, ferry to Ullapool in the northwest Highlands. 

Now part of the famous NC500 roadtrip, the road leading north was much quieter than I’d expected. There was hardly a soul to be seen as we wound our way past iconic mountains like Suilven and Stac Pollaidh. Eventually, we came to Achnahaird beach to take in the incredible view of the mountains over the sand while a curious seal kept a wary eye on us from the waves! 

There’s a lot more than just scenery in this part of Scotland though, as a trip to Ardvreck Castle proved. Legend says the castle was built by the Devil in return for the hand in marriage of the MacLeod laird’s daughter. When she discovered the deal, she threw herself into the surrounding loch, transforming into a mermaid! 

The rising and falling of the water level in Loch Assynt is explained by her crying, remembering how her father sold her to the Devil. 

Our last stop took a little more effort than the usual leisurely walk from a car park. A rough trek along a gorge, over rocks and through mud, took us to the spectacular Wailing Widow Falls. This enormous waterfall crashes down from Loch Na Gainmhich high above, making for an impressive end to the day, showing that even in its furthest corners, Scotland has some incredible surprises!