Wrangling with tent poles within the savage coastal winds of the Outer Hebrides wasn’t how I pictured my first wild tenting journey. My buddy Helen and I believed we have been so intelligent tenting on a raised grassy verge on the seaside (consider the images!) however as quickly as we began establishing, the storm started.
It was all good enjoyable although, laughing with Helen as we grappled with the man ropes making an attempt to peg them down. Cackling at our failure to organize or keep one step forward of the climate state of affairs. At that time we had no thought of the sleepless night time forward of us and unexpectedly completed placing up the tent. We have been each keen to go again into Barra island’s major village of Castlebay for an Indian meal at Kisimul Restaurant, by the fortress, to heat us up.
The final time we’d be heat for no less than 12 hours it turned out.
We spent that night time contained in the two-metre excessive tent – far too excessive for wild tenting in a Scottish storm – desperately attempting to get heat in our separate pods. The fly sheet of the ‘unexpectedly’ erected tent was now flapping the place we hadn’t pegged it, neither of us had put the highest on so it was leaking, and what tent pegs there have been, have been slowly being ripped from the smooth floor by the coastal gale.
Have you ever ever laid awake at night time debating the likelihood of being blown away by gale drive winds?
I’ve.
At one level in the course of the night time I received as much as attempt to repair the tent pegs in higher than they have been, to cease the flapping. I simply appeared in despair on the tent, we’d finished a horrible job.
The 2 us have been unable to sleep, deliriously laughing on the state of our actuality compared to what we’d imagined.
There was no different alternative than to simply wait, and attempt to sleep. Our tent erecting efforts have been no match for the winds of the Western Isles of Scotland.
Visiting the Outer Hebrides
We’d come to the Outer Hebrides in between lockdowns in September, in determined search of journey. After being caught at house for months and summer season virtually coming to an finish, my buddy and I wanted to get out and do one thing new. The Outer Hebrides appeared like an excellent reply due to the remoteness, the relative closeness, but the actual fact we nonetheless received to go on a ferry and actually really feel like we have been travelling.
It was all final minute, with me planning our ferries and itinerary just some days earlier than.
We travelled over from Oban to Castlebay – a four-hour ferry journey identified to be a bit tough. Straightforward I believed – I can try this!
Cue two of the 4 hours of me sitting on the decrease deck barely capable of transfer for worry of being sick. That crossing is not for the faint hearted, or stomached.
From Barra we highway tripped north to Eriskay on the Isle of South Uist, and up the size of the island to North Uist to journey the size of that too. From the north of the island, in Berneray, we crossed over to Leverburgh on the Isle of Harris. Right here we drove as much as Stornoway – the capital of Lewis and Harris – and again down once more to Tarbert for our ultimate night time to get the ferry again throughout to Uig, on Skye, only a bridge away from the mainland. Our Outer Hebrides highway journey route was bold and could be over 350 miles of driving in lower than every week.
An journey!
We’d deliberate to wild camp as a lot as potential, to maintain it low-cost, however with the storms being so unhealthy even the locals have been speaking about it, wild tenting on the Outer Hebrides proved tougher than we imagined.
Seashores within the Outer Hebrides
It was the images of the seashores within the Outer Hebrides I noticed on Instagram that drew me in. White sands, rugged coasts and azure waters… in Scotland!
There are over 100 islands within the Outer Hebrides, solely 15 of them are inhabited, with virtually half one million folks. There’s house up right here, and that’s what we’d come for.
Candy, contemporary house.
The opposite major attraction, past the seashores and house, is the truth that wild tenting is authorized in Scotland, not like in England. And with campsites and resorts in England full to capability over the summer season, tenting within the Outer Hebrides appeared like the right socially distanced exercise for 2 adventure-starved journey lovers.
Outer Hebrides highway journey
Driving up by way of the Hebrides was wonderful. We crossed from island to island by ferry – the late summer season views and hues have been simply improbable. With a lot shoreline, empty roads and the well-known Outer Hebridean machair (the grassy plains) vibrant in color, it was a good looking time to be there. The few sights there are on the islands have been closed, and so our full consideration was given to the pure magnificence specified by entrance of us.
Highlights of our journey included the seaside airport runway at Barra – the one one on the earth the place scheduled flights use a tidal seaside because the runway. It’s enjoyable to go and watch the aircraft are available, with all the opposite aircraft spotters. Additionally, Traigh a Bhaigh Seaside on Varetsay off Barra was a feast for the eyes – admittedly as a result of it coincided with one of the best climate we had all week.
Our day on Lewis included mountain climbing, exploring the seashores, having fun with the Round Scenic Route (which included the spectacular Reef Seaside), going to see the Callanish Stones, studying in regards to the chess items of Lewis, and having fun with the Previous Village – a duplicate of how the homes right here was. Properly, the short look we had across the exterior, as that too, wasn’t open.
In Harris we spent our day exploring Seilebost Seaside, Luskentyre Seaside, strolling to the Eilean Glas Lighthouse on the Island of Scalpay, purchasing in Tarbert, wishing we may go within the Harris Distillery, and customarily having a stunning time with the liberty of our wheels.
Wild tenting on Benbecula
After the failure of that first night time of untamed tenting we tried once more in Cula Bay on Benbecula, South Uist. Once more, on a seaside, once more, on a grassy verge. Will we be taught?
A woman strolling her canine took pity on us. Spherical two of us wrestling with the poles within the coastal wind and for some motive pondering this could have a special final result. Not so.
She knew we’d fail. She knew earlier than we did.
“In the event you can’t get that factor up, my home is the one with the blue door down there” – she chirped as she went previous.
So form, however there was no method Helen and I have been admitting defeat so quickly, and so publicly.
As darkness fell, and all we had round us was wind and the sound of the ocean, and the frustration in ourselves slightly than a tent, Helen slept within the automotive and I purchased my one-man tent out for a really uncomfortable night time of tossing and turning.
We put it right down to a studying alternative for each of us.
Lesson in wild tenting
Regardless of the chilly, and the dearth of sleep, and what inevitably resulted in damaged tent poles – waking up on the seashores was so releasing. The enjoyable of ‘sleeping’ the place we selected, slightly than the place we booked and paid was liberating.
It’s simple to see how and why wild tenting is so well-liked, and addictive.
Wild tenting is the good solution to preserve your distance from different folks, and to benefit from the solace that comes from tenting exterior wherever you need. We barely noticed a soul throughout our journey within the evenings. Anybody who was ‘wild tenting’ was doing it in a campervan or motorhome and so they weren’t popping out.
Over a couple of pink wines sat on the picnic mat that night, with the sound of the ocean lashing within the background, we agreed that this explicit journey wasn’t made for wild tenting, and we’d come again once we have been higher outfitted.
Tomorrow, we search for a B&B. Someday, we’ll attempt once more.
Recommendation for wild tenting and driving within the Outer Hebrides
Wild tenting in Scotland is completely authorized, however there are guidelines to maintain it enjoyable and open to all. In the event you’re feeling impressed by my wild tenting journey and need to give it a go within the Outer Hebrides, ensure that to comply with the Scotland wild tenting guidelines to maintain it free and open for all.
The primary guidelines are:
- You received’t keep longer than three nights in a single place.
- You’ll go away the spot how you discover it (or higher!).
- No fires.
- Respect animals, nature and different folks.
High suggestions for wild tenting
That you must be ready for wild tenting within the Outer Hebrides. Let me take you thru a couple of classes realized the onerous method, so that you don’t make the identical errors!
– Whenever you select a spot to camp, search for some kind of shelter. No less than from one path. However, don’t camp between two excessive factors because the wind will funnel by way of to you. That contemporary coastal air can grow to be a howling gale in a short time!
– Getting the tent up is one factor, however getting the pegs to remain within the floor is one other. A lot of Scotland is both boggy, or dry – so you will have bother with the tent pegs. I’d advocate getting some storm pegs for additional resilience.
– Don’t camp subsequent to a stream, or any physique of water, as little brooks can simply flip into torrents. You do NOT need to get up to a river in your tent.
– Don’t transfer rocks or dig ditches to make your tenting spot higher. That’s not how wild tenting in Scotland works. And don’t camp close to folks’s properties, or inside view from their home – they received’t prefer it.
– My tent was too excessive, too onerous to place up, and there was an excessive amount of material to deal with within the wind. Relating to selecting a tent, go small, fundamental and as minimal as potential.
– It doesn’t matter what the time of years, anticipate the nights to be chilly and pack additional heat to your tent and sleeping bag.
– Arrive in good time to your spot, so you may have the time to select an actual spot earlier than dusk.
High suggestions for driving
– Don’t fear in regards to the islands’ highway situations. The roads have been amazingly effectively stored and different motorists have been very courteous – we didn’t have an issue.
– That you must adhere to the rule of passing locations and pull over if the passing place is in your aspect of the highway.
– Let different drivers go, as they may be on their solution to work when you’re chugging alongside admiring the view.
– Preserve your petrol topped up because it might be a while between stops.
– Obtain your maps to your telephone earlier than you begin as you may not have telephone reception to your journey. Any cafe or restaurant we requested was completely satisfied to offer out their Wi-Fi code with a purchase order so we have been okay.
– Spend some cash regionally slightly than taking your individual meals or utilizing supermarkets. Attempt the fish marketplace for lunch in Oban, decide up some treats from the neighborhood store in Harris, attempt the Hebridean Toffee and eat out to style the native delicacies. It’s tempting to be 100% ready, but it surely’s enjoyable to pattern native produce and actually helps the native communities too.
Packing checklist to your journey
A light-weight tent that’s tremendous simple to pitch, and light-weight.
Take an excellent high quality all season sleeping bag, and an insulated mat too. Possibly some kind of pillow? As much as you whether or not you may be bothered to hold it or not.
You want a solution to get water. I used to be superb with two bottles stored crammed and stored within the automotive however you will get water therapy tablets from Boots simply sufficient.
Tenting range, with a gasoline cartridge.
Take a telephone energy financial institution, and the midge repellant.
You may need to convey a First Assist Package, a restore equipment for the tent, and a few hand sanitising gel too. Be certain that your toiletries are all biodegradable.
Some kind of picnic mat to sit down out at night time. In the event you’re in little mountain climbing tents there’s no house to sit down up.
