Are you mulling over having a holiday in the British Isles? Though virtually all visitors having a vacation in the UK decide to stay in well known destinations like London, other folk would rather stay in places such as Scotland. In the following article I describe the Isle of Harris and the reasons why it is such a great vacation destination.

Even though London may be home to some of the best museums and galleries in the whole of Britain  together with some of the world’s best tourist attractions  the capital of England can not appeal to all types of people.

Some folk prefer vacation which are more sedate and others prefer vacations which feature a little more action such as sporting vacations. Interestingly the island of Harris, in Scotland’s Western Isles (or Outer Hebrides), is ideal for both kinds of visitor.

Similar to a great many others spending the whole of my vacation on the beach is not my thing. Please do not get the wrong idea, at times I really do enjoy relaxing on a sandy beach, and the Isle of Harris definitely has some of the most breathtaking beaches in the United Kingdom of Great Britain, however, I also like to explore a little inland too. I really like to spend time just soaking in the atmosphere of the place, I also like to experience the local food and culture. To be honest each year I enjoy visiting new places and I try very hard trying to discover somewhere or something one hundred percent unique and different. This is the most probable reason why I so thoroughly enjoy visits to the Hebridean island called the Isle of Harris and why I often decide to book Harris self catering houses.

One of the main reasons folk travel to the Isle of Harris is to enjoy the islands culture and landscape. The Harris culture has, through the generations been strongly influenced by the Norse, Celtic, Scottish and English races. Nowadays in general most people speak in the Gaelic language and though many speak English, it is more often their second language. The folk of the Isle of Harris are amongst the friendliest on earth and their hospitality is known throughout the word. The Harris folk are extremely proud of the immensely beautiful Harris countryside and go to some length to keep the island clean and tidy so it is immensely important clean up after yourself.

It is incredibly important to remember that discarded rubbish doesn’t just make the island appear untidy it is also highly dangerous to native wildlife.

Another important thing to learn is that the roads on Harris are drastically different to those experienced on the Scottish mainland single track roads are very common and you will often be forced to used passing places to allow oncoming traffic to pass but also to let traffic from behind to pass. Just keep it in mind that you pull over to the left of the road. If it is a very big vehicle wishing to get past you and the passing place is on your right hand side you may tuck yourself into it to allow the said vehicle pass easily but at all time take care not to end up off the road too much.

I hope that my article above sufficiently interests you in having a vacation on the Isle of Harris. Large numbers of folk the Western Isles decide to stay in two locations. There are a few other islands to visit including North Uist, South Uist and Lewis. Why don’t you think about staying in a Harris self catering house for and then stay in a room in a North Uist hotel or a South Uist hotel for the rest of your vacation?

The Western Isles/Outer Hebrides are an archipelago lying just off the north west coast of Scotland.  The isles of the Inner and Outer Hebrides have been lived on since the Mesolithic period and through their history the culture and language has been greatly influenced by numerous races and today the culture of the Hebrides is a mix of Scottish, English, Norse and Celtic influences. In general most folk speak in the Gaelic language and although some speak English, it is most likely their second language. Not too many years ago visits to the Inner and Outer Hebrides were only for the rich folk and those folk who had plenty of time. Nowadays it is far, far to get to the Outer Hebrides/Western Isles, you can get there by ferry and car or take a flight to various airports on the islands. Sadly you are unable to get all of the way by train although you can catch a train to the coast and then travel by coach for the rest of the journey. Often the only problem that can happen is sorting a place to stay especially if  you are looking for Harris accommodation for groups which is often fully booked up.

One of the main reasons folk visit the Outer Hebrides/Western Isles is that the the culture and landscape of the Isles are dramatically unique.  Dotted all along the south west coast of the Isle of Harris you will discover some of the most stunning beaches in all of Scotland, and many people say the whole of Britain. Here and there you will see a standing stone on Harris however it is on the Isle of Lewis that you will find the most incredible circle of standing stones at Callanish not a great distance from the town of Stornoway the main town in the Outer Hebrides. The stone circle at Callanish is said to be second to only England’s Stonehenge.

Deciding whether to stay on Lewis or Harris is often a difficult decision and more people are choosing to spend a short time on each. Lewis bed and breakfast is often easier to find than Harris accommodation, book early to avoid problems.

Bed & breakfast in Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis is is fairly easy to find but to be safe book early. Virtually all accommodation in the Outer Hebrides is of a high standard and the hospitality is the best you are likely to witness and the folk friendly and helpful.

Besides the Isles of Lewis and Harris there are a few other inhabited isles that are very easy to visit. The most commonly visited are the Uists, Barra and Benbecula and there is a ferry which runs from Harris to North Uist at the South Harris village of Leverburgh.