In a nutshell

A leap back in time on Bernera, the rocky and wild island connected to Lewis and Harris by a bridge: by bus you reach the ruins of an iron-age village and with your guide you enter the darkness of a period home, perfectly reconstructed. Then you walk on the beach before the turquoise of the Atlantic: white and unspoiled as only the Outer Hebrides know how.

Main stops

Sightseeing bus tour of the islands of Lewis and Harris and Great Bernera: abandoned village of Bostadh, prehistoric fort of Carloway
Reconstruction of an iron-age house: interior visit
Sightseeing walking tour of Bostadh beach

The programme

The northern part of the island of Lewis and Harris is the most remote and wild: you cross it by bus, amid pastures and sea straits, in the direction of Great Bernera, another island, rocky and with a jagged coastline.
Keep your camera on because, at the height of the bridge that connects it to the island of Lewis and Harris, four mysterious stone giants watch over the sea: they are the prehistoric monoliths of Callanish VIII.
The bus reaches the northern tip of Bernera and the spectacular Bostadh bay: in the 1990s, strong storm winds revealed the remains of a Bronze-Age village here.
One of the settlement’s ancient houses has been completely restored: you enter the darkness of the dwelling, broken only by the flames of the crackling fire; the smell of burning peat is pungent and your guide tells you how the ancient inhabitants of these lands lived.
A short distance away are a small cemetery and a prehistoric fort, while the white beach of Bostadh stretches out before you: as you walk, you can’t help but photograph from all angles, right?

Good to know

Wear comfortable shoes and clothing suitable for the experience.
Bring a waterproof windbreaker jacket with you.