Ideas for your days

Out & About

This page brings together a selection of places to go and things to see across Lewis and Harris, along with a few practical pointers. Some guests plan full days out; others choose one or two nearby walks or beaches and leave plenty of time to simply be. When you’re staying with us, we’re always happy to help – suggesting a walk, talking through options, or seeing what might suit the weather and the moment – so days unfold easily and end back here, with time to slow down and relax.

Wildlife & the Natural Environment

There are breath-taking views around every turn with land and seascapes to inspire you. In the summer, the unique machair near the shore is carpet of wildflowers. And if you keep your eye open, and are patient and lucky, you will see white tailed & golden eagles, corncrakes, oyster catchers (in fact more than 320 species of bird have been recorded on the Outer Hebrides), otter, seals, basking sharks, minkie whales, dolphins…

Beautiful, unspoilt, empty beaches

We are spoilt in Uig, with both glorious sandy beaches and dramatic stone coves. There is the vast Uig Sands, the wild swimmer’s paradise and white sands of Reef, the roaring surf and sea stacks at Mangersta, surfers delight at Cliff beach and the many other hidden secret gems; you will be spoilt for choice. And the best bit is…hardly anyone else will be there!

Rich History

The archaeology of the islands is fascinating: Brochs and stone circles, including the Bronze Age Callanish Stones; 12th Century walrus ivory Viking chessmen; cold war spy intrigue; traditional crofting blackhouses occupied as recently as 1976…Lewis has an unrivalled wealth of history and culture to explore.

Exciting Recreation

See the islands from a different perspective: wild swim in crystal clear waters, kayak out to the islands, cycle along the coast, climb the hills, walk coastline, fish the lochs and surf the waves? There is freedom to adventure in abundance.

Arts, Crafts & Music

When you think of the Hebrides, you think of Harris Tweed and you can go to see where it is still woven in people’s sheds on traditional looms. There is a wonderful variety of local artists with small studios inspired by this amazing island. If you are into music, the Hebridean Celtic Festival in July attracts a wonderful range of artists to Lews Castle grounds.

Dark Skies & Aurora

There is almost no light pollution out here so we have really dark skies – in March there is a Dark Skies Festival – amazing blankets of stars and between September and March we regularly see the Aurora Borealis, Northern Lights.

Find Out More

Lambs kissing above Little Loch Roag, Enaclete
Water lilies on a loch
Wooden carving of a Lewis Chesspiece
Waves rolling in at Cliff Beach, Uig in the sunshine
The signpost pointing the way to the beach in Aird Uig

Shop, Eat and Drink

There are only a small number of places locally to eat out, particularly on Sundays, so it’s worth planning ahead.

  • Uig Cafe (Community Centre) is great for a snack lunch locally.  The heart of our community where you can enjoy sandwiches, soups, cakes and chat with some of the locals.  There is also the Uig Museum and Heritage Centre there too.  Uig Cafe
  • Uig Sands Restaurant   Three course lunches and evening meals available with glorious views over Uig Bay.  Booking essential.  Uig Sands
  • The Edge Cafe located at the top of our village on Gallan Head, serving homemade snacks and meals.  Sunday opening during the summer months The Edge Cafe
  • Further Afield Check out the Food & Drink pages on the Visit Outer Hebrides website for cafes and restaurants across the islands – Visit Outer Hebrides

The Uig Community Shop is only a short drive away and is well stocked with everyday essentials and local souvenirs.  There is also fuel, a cash machine, a launderette and Post Office.

There are two supermarkets in Stornoway:

  • Tesco – Open 7 days a week.  Ferry Road Stornoway, HS1 2QY 9JD.
  • Co-op – Open 6 days a week. 8 Macaulay Road, Stornoway HS1 2HU

There is a small grocery store in Tarbert:

  • A Munro, Main Street, Isle of Harris, HS3 3DG

The Visit Outer Hebrides site has a comprehensive list of shops and supermarkets throughout the islands.

Practicalities

Life here runs at a different pace, and it’s worth knowing a few things before you arrive.

You are on the edge of the Atlantic, so places to shop and eat are more spread out, and Sunday observance is still strong – some shops, cafes and petrol stations may be closed.

The weather plays a large part in daily life too, so it’s always worth checking the local forecast before heading out.  Forecast for HS2 9JA

Ferries operate to Stonoway, Tarbert and Leverburgh with Caledonian MacBrayne.

Flights run to Stornoway from Glasgow, Inverness and Edinburgh with Loganair.

Buses are run by the local council, with routes covering much of the island.

Carhire is available from Carhire Hebrides and Stornoway Car Hire.

If you’d like help thinking through travel options, just let us know.

Guest Reviews

  • Fabulous room with stunning views – We could not have been made more Welcome at SEAcroft. Sarah was a brilliant host and she made everyone feel very welcome. She had an immense amount of knowledge about the area and produced photos and information about anything that was asked. We never met the elusive Andrew who hid behind the mysterious door however the food he produced was fantastic. The scallop meal on the last night was just perfect.
    Jane
  • An absolute slice of heaven – My husband and I had a fabulous time at SEAcroft while on sabbatical. Sarah was a fabulous hostess and answered all our questions about the area, crofting, what to do, and where to go. I was so pleased they could accommodate my dairy allergy at the restaurant – thank you so much for that! We spent lots of time hiking the area for all the best views and came home with suntans – in APRIL! We were there just in time for lambing and the lambs were bouncing everywhere. We can’t wait to come back! Thank you for sharing your slice of heaven.
    Tasha

Notes from SEA.

For those who value calm places, good food and unhurried time by the sea. Occasional notes from SEAcroft – never clutter.

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