The Isle of Harris is a small island in the archipelago known as the Western Isles or Outer Hebrides which are found off the west coast of Scotland in the United Kingdom. The Western Isles consist of over 200 islands with only a few being inhabited. Harris may ring a few bells with some readers as it is the place where the sublime cloth called Harris Tweed is hand woven, ready on man Powered looms, the clattering of which can be heard arrival from small loom sheds dotted colse to the island.
At one time the main hamlet on the Isle of Harris was Rodel which can be found close to the most southerly tip of Harris. It was here that the ferry from Skye would arrive and leave but that was long ago and seeing colse to the harbour now you would find it hard to believe that it could ever have been busy. The main conjecture for visiting Rodel today is the visit the staggering St Clement's Church. Built in the 1520's, and heavily restored in 1873 by the Countess of Dunmore, St Clement's is the final resting place of Alexander MacLeod (chief) who is best known as 'Alasdair Crotach). His wall tomb is the main internal highLight which has a life size effigy with a canopy/arch of curious sculpted reliefs. Additional sculptures appear on the surface walls.
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Today the main hamlet on the Isle of Harris is Tarbert which can be found at the narrow isthmus where North Harris becomes South Harris. The primary hamlet was rather small with a singular track main road but today modern houses appear on terraces up one side of the narrow green valley in which the hamlet is situated. The expanding of new road and parking/queuing area important to the ferry terminal has done much to ease congestion but, if you are driving straight through the main road of Tarbert great care should be taken as it can still get rather busy.
Admittedly there are not many traveler attractions on the Isle of Harris but that is exactly why so many citizen visit annually. The unique Hebridean culture and spectacular landscape are sufficiently awe curious that the appearance of modern traveler attractions would destroy the island's charm. Saying that there are a few places to visit that are rather interesting, the already mentioned St Clements is well worth the trip to Rodel and the journey is one of the best road trips in the Western Isles.
North Harris is dominated by the imposing mountains which attract many walkers. Driving colse to North Harris is very interesting. As you turn off the main road to Stornoway you first pass what looks like a tall solitary chimney which was once a whaling station. Additional along the road you begin to get the feeling that you have stumble upon a incommunicable road rather than the group highway, especially as you drive the entrance to Amhuinnsuide Castle (pronounced rather like 'avan-soo-ee'). You may find it strange but the group highway in effect passes the front doorway to the castle and it in effect does feel as though you are driving straight through somebody's front garden.
If you are staying in Tarbert it is well worth taking the fifteen minuscule drive to the Isle of Scalpay, which is now joined to the Isle of Harris by a singular track bridge. This small fishing island once had a citizen of over 800 souls and the North Harbour would often comprise that many fishing boats that you could walk from one side to the other across them. Today the citizen is less than 300 citizen but there are still a small amount of fishing boats to be found in the harbour and moored in discrete places colse to the island. If you feel up to a trek across an open more then a trip to the fist Lighthouse to be built in Scotland, Eilean Glas (erected in 1788) is well rewarded.
South Harris is well known for its numerous glorious beaches. Long tracts of shell sand beaches are backed by lush green land known as machair which at discrete times of the year is richly decorated with an plenty of wildflowers. Driving along the road you will often find the landscape so staggering that you will want to slow down to enjoy it, please don't as it can be a minuscule risky please reconsider other vehicles which may be behind you.
The citizen of the Isle of Harris are some of the friendliest in the world and the area has a astonishing reputation for it's superb hospitality. If you have never visited the Outer Hebrides maybe it is time you took a look at this curious part of the United Kingdom with a view to visiting soon.
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