Somewhere on the A859 between Tarbert and Leverburgh
Isle of Harris, Outer Hebrides, Scotland
June 26, 2012
When I imagined travelling to Scotland, my mind was filled with images of craggy highlands, mountain tops enshrouded in fog, scotch broom and heather and other regional stereotypes. I did not expect turquoise waters and white sand beaches!
Such are the delights that await you if you travel to the Outer Hebrides. Well, the Western shore of the Isle of Harris in this case.
The drive along the A859 is a windy affair of single track road from Tarbert to Leverburgh. After climbing up the rocky hills from Tarbert; where you can witness peat being 'harvested', you descend to the coast and are greeted with vistas like this. I tried to stop uttering travel brochure cliches such as: "awesome", "breathtaking", "a symphony of colour", etc. but it was a losing battle. I was happy to concede to the amazing Scottish countryside.
When we weren't gazing out at the sea, we were keeping our eyes peeled for sheep. Sheep on the hills, in the ditches, on the shoulder of the road and....in the road. As you can imagine, we sampled various cuts of lamb during our stay in Scotland. Delicious!
I have a feeling there are other pockets in the Hebrides that are equally stunning. I feel fortunate that I was able to experience this one. I never did get in the water, though...Next time!
