For a great many years travel to the remote Scottish islands has only been available to the very rich.  During the last few decades transportation links have improved considerably. Because of this the islands are now open to the majority of visitors and islands such as  the Outer Hebrides can now be reached via sea or air. One of the key reasons why tourists travel to islands, such as Harris and the likes, is that, even though tourism is a major industry, they are extensively unspoiled. In the following article I discuss the relatively small village known as Leverburgh on Harris in the Western Isles of Scotland. Leverburgh is the second largest settlement on Harris with the town of Tarbert being the largest.

Most frequently the main attraction of Harris is the great many incredibly beautiful beaches of golden sand which can be found along the west coast. These beaches feature the clearest and cleanest waters in the British Isles. Beaches such as Seilabost, Nisabost, Huishnish and Luskintyre prove the most popular, however you must not expect to see masses wind breaks, sand castles, beach towels and buckets and spades because  it is more than likely to find yourself the only person enjoying the breathtaking views.

The majority of the finest beaches are found on South Harris and all are only a short distance away from Leverburgh. The village has a number of accommodation including Grimisdale Guest House, with superb self catering accommodation not far from the village and several crucial amenities such as a general store, Leverburgh is a great place to base yourself for a touring vacation of the Western Isles.

Spending time in bed and breakfast on Harris is a rewarding experience. The hospitality of Harris is renowned the world over and all providers of accommodation work extremely hard to make sure that all visitors have an excellent vacation. Guest houses and hotels are always incredibly clean with clean bedding and towels and if you are in need of advice staff are always approachable.

The breathtaking landscape of the Western Isles is home to a vast array of plants and wildlife, some of which are extremely rare or unique species. While it is rare to find a naturally growing tree on Harris you will see a small number of plantations in various parts of the Western Isles. A few small forests of pine where cultivated long ago and, thankfully most recent plantations are of native species more suitable to the unique environment and obviously far more picturesque.

Man’s impact upon the Hebridean island of Harris is immense way back in history the island was covered in trees. When man first lived on the islands of the Outer Hebrides, many thousands of years ago, they lived along the coast. making a living by hunting and fishing, and using the trees as fuel, over time they settled inland. Today fishing is still a vital industry and most inhabitants own a croft (a small holding where they grow crops such as potatoes.

Farming the land creates land which is ideal for endangered and rare birds such as the Corncrake. An impressive variety of species of flora and fauna, Golden Eagles are common place and around Leverburgh are numerous superb areas to indulge in a spot of birdwatching. Annually large numbers of birdwatchers arrive on the islands to catch a glimpse of a rare bird. Many people choose to spend some time in Leverburgh and then sail on the ferry over to the Uists to visit such places as the RSPB sanctuary.

If you are planning a vacation on the island please take a look at our listings of Harris hotel accommodation.