The Isle of Harris

The Isle of Harris is a remote, sparsely populated, island off the West coast of Scotland (a little further out the the Isle of Skye). Harris is joined to the larger island, the Isle of Lewis, and together they are commonly referred to as the 'Long Island'. The Isle of Harris has a rocky landscape to the North with the Harris hills and the Clisham (highest mountain) and to the South the hills are still rocky but far more rolling. The East coast of Harris is a myriad of small rocky inlets and small sea lochs whereas the West coast(especially on South Harris) has large sandy beaches backed by areas of soft rolling, and highly fertile, sand dunes known as machair.

The town of Tarbert sits at the junction between North and South Harris and acts as the main administration centre for the island and where the main ferry from Uig on the Isle of Skye, docks. Tarbert has not always been the main town of Harris, previously, the small village of Rodel in South Harris was far more important and the natural port was once used far more extensively than today.

While on Harris you should allow time to visit the small village of Rodel at the very South of South Harris. Here you will find the wonderful church of St. Clements (shown right, click to enlarge) where you will find, inside (key from the nearby Rodel Hotel), the ornately decorated grave of Alasdair 'Crotach' Macleod, the 8th Chief of the Macleod of Harris and Dunvegan (the word 'Crotach' literally means 'humpbacked'). St. Clements was originally built in 1520 and is the finest example of a pre-Reformation church in the Outer Hebrides/Western Isles.

Also on South Harris is the little village of Leverburgh, where you will be able to catch a ferry to the Uists, a little further North is Scarista. Both Scarista and Leverburgh can be excellent bases for an Isle of Harris vacation. Within easy reach are some of the finest beaches you are likely to see.

If you wish to discover more about the Isle of Harris visit the Virtual Hebrides where you will find lots of interesting information about Harris and many other areas of the Hebrides.