Edge of the world

Scotland’s Hebrides, islands both stern and sublime, have taught centuries of artists, scientists, poets, and travelers to treasure the wild.


Michael Robson fell in love in 1948—with a place he'd never been.

An illustrated magazine swept the young boy's imagination from the familiar domesticity of his English home to the wild islands that rise in jagged ranks off Scotland's northwest coast. As soon and as often as he could, first on school holidays and later on breaks from work, Robson surrendered to the call of the Hebrides, making long journeys from the mainland by steamer and bus, by small boat and on foot, venturing from the mountains of Skye to the moors and sea lochs of Lewis and Harris and even farther, across miles of ocean to a rocky speck of land where the last permanent settlement had been abandoned a century before.

cut and paste this link for full article:
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2010/01/hebrides/warren-text

We have some great last minute 4 star Skye deals also avaialble on the Isle of Lewis phone now for a great break in the Hebrides!

Feb Prices from £63 a night for a four star apartment based on a 5 night break.

1 night £79
2 nights £150
3 nights £209
4 nights £265
5 nights £315

Picture taken this week from Rigg looking toward the Cuillin Hills.

Bookings are coming in for 2010 breaks. Easter breaks in our Skye apartments are now sold out, we still have our Cairn Dhu apartment in Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis available for an easter break.

Despite only having our Quayside apartment on our books since April 2009 its already nearly booked out for July 2010 with repeat bookings alone!

We do still have plenty of winter / spring breaks available, also summer and Autumn breaks too so if you are thinking about a break in Skye or Lewis now is a good time to book to ensure availability.

Breaks of any length!

We offer short breaks, long breaks one or two weeks or even just one night breaks. Some summer months we do have a limit of two nights.

We also offer a 'package' where we can offer accommodation on Skye and Lewis and can also arrange ferries and transport between the destinations if required. We can also collect and drop you off at any UK airport, ferry or train station. Please ask us for a bespoke quotation


Please phone now to get booked in for a Hebridean break in 2010 Phone now 01478 612851 for latest prices and availabilty or check online.

We wish all our guests, friends and subscribers a very Happy New Year and lok forward to seeing you all soon!

Photo: Loch Fada and the Old Man of Storr, 07/01/2010

A 4 star Hebridean break - the ideal gift...........

If you are having trouble thinking of an orginal gift for friends, family or even a corporate gift why not buy them a break in one of our four star apartments or a voucher of any value towards a break?


WINTER BREAKS

Our winter breaks in Jan -March 2010 start at discounted rates - phone now for best prices.

Choose from 4 star accommodation in Portree, Isle of Skye or accommodation in Stornoway, Isle of Lewis

Alternatively, we can supply a voucher of any value to use at any time towards any break and it can be used in full or towards a break of a higher value for a spring, Easter or summer break, - why not even buy them a Xmas or hogmanay break?

Please call Katie with any voucher requests and we will get them to you in time for Christmas.

Kelly Macnamara takes the train to the Isle of Skye for a very active break

I WAS not happy about the edge of the ridge - a sharp tear in the landscape where the hills step down towards the sea by way of a sheer cliff. Pointy rocks and certain death lay at the bottom.

It was all very well in the brilliant sunshine of a moment ago, but in the smothering fog it became an altogether more daunting prospect.

So I was surprised when the man in my life made a determined move towards it. I, however, started away in the opposite direction.

But I soon found myself alone, lost in the swirling cloud and willing to accept the fact that the edge was in fact our only means of navigation.

Then as quickly as it had descended, the mist thinned, turning first wispy, then vanishing altogether and leaving us blinking out across the vast undulating back of Trotternish Ridge.

A brilliant sun washed gold across moss green hills and the blackened, jagged cliff softened to grey.

I laughed nervously, pretended I hadn't said that thing about certain death, and we walked on.

There's nothing like getting your pulse racing on holiday. Usually I get my thrills by misreading my flight tickets and arriving at an airport as the check-in closes, but for this trip I hadn't left the ground.

We travelled to Scotland from London on the splendid Caledonian Sleeper train, and took a connection to the Isle of Skye.

Boarding late in the evening at Euston, we dropped our bags in our two-bunk cabin and made a beeline for the lounge car. This room lived up to all my 'Murder On The Orient Express' imaginings, with 1970s velveteen wall coverings, a waiter with an inscrutable accent and a pleasing batch of fellow passengers for us to make up stories about.

Later, as we settled down for the night in our cosy little dorm, the train was barrelling through the darkness somewhere in the north of England. I had the impression of a mighty machine, powering relentlessly onwards.

When I awoke we were already in the Highlands, and it was all a little Thomas The Tank Engine as we chugged on towards Fort William, magnificent scenery on either side of us.

For the full story in the Liverpool Echo lease cut and paste this link!

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-life/travel-news/2009/11/17/skye-holiday-by-train-is-a-remarkable-adventure-100252-25185155/

Kelly Macnamara takes the train to the Isle of Skye for a very active break

Kelly Macnamara travelled to the Isle of Skye on the Caledonian Sleeper service, operated by First ScotRail. Tickets range from bargain berths at £19 to around £160, one way. See www.scotrail.co.uk for more details.

Hogmanay on Skye? with Christmas and New year just gone the next approaching time to plan ahead! The Isle of Skye can be beautiful at this time of year quiet, tranquil the ideal chillout break!

Hogmanay itself though can be a diffferent matter, find a ceilidh, inn or pub and party with the locals well into 2011

Alternatively stay in with family or friends in a fabulous 4 star apartment with everything you need - either way it will be memorable, start the new year with a romantic walk or even a climb in the famous Cuillin mountains.

We have some great breaks with apartments sleeping 2-6 people.

A PREHISTORIC burial ground has been discovered on Skye.

Six slab-lined graves and six cremation pits have been unearthed on the excavation site close to Armadale pier on the Sleat peninsula. Experts say it is one of the most significant archaeological finds yet made in the Highlands.


Mary Peteranna said “This is an exciting discovery for Skye and the north-west Highlands, where this type of archaeological site has not been excavated on this level.”

Mrs Peteranna said there was no evidence the land was once a settlement and it appeared to be exclusively used as a burial site.

She said its prominent location was chosen as it would be observed by sea travellers in the Sound of Sleat, while the cist at the centre would have contained a person of importance.

Mrs Peteranna said the discoveries had captured the imagination of islanders, with heritage and history groups being taken on tours.

She is now keen to excavate sections of the hills around Armadale to search for further ancient remains.

“I didn’t think we would find anything here, but it has been a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” she added.


Read more: http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/1467854?UserKey&UserKey=#ixzz0W6IwWYZ6

We have some very good news for those wanting a break on the Isle of Lewis.................

Sunday sailings & half price ferries to Lewis. Getting to and from Lewis has become a whole lot easier because of this.

Not only are there now ferries 7 days a week with the new subsidised costs they are now around half the price they were last year.

Remember there is also an airport in Stornoway (open 7 days a week) and is just 10mins away from the apartment (by car)


FOR DETAILS VISIT www.lewisapartments.co.uk OR FOLLOW THE LINK ON THE HOME PAGE OR LINK PAGE.

- 'Couldnt have asked for a more spectacular apartment & view which to have spent our 10th anniversary - fantastic will be recommending & returning'

- 'Best accommodation in Scotland so far!'

- 'Another fabulous stay'

- Apartment - a home from home, everything spot on, here on business - will be returning with husband & friends - perfect!

- Beautifully furnished apartment

- Fantastic accommodation

- Beautiful setting, had a very relaxing time

- Stunning, thank you so much

- Overwhelming environment, excellent apartment,

- Doesnt get any better than this, fantastic place, wonderful apartment & attention to detail - we hope to return!

- We were exhausted on arrival - it was marvelous to find ourselves in such a special place, great for the sould & mind, amazing apt. too - every little thing taken care of to the last detail, we're so grateful and definately coming back!

- Thanks for such a relaxing stay in a great apt, in a beautiful location.

- The view from all rooms was great, woken by the sun shining and birds humming, a long drive from London in one day but well worth the endeavour!

- Unbeatable!

Following on from Monty Halls great escapes, Martin Clunes is visiting the Islands of Great Britain including the Hebrides in a new series set to start on ITV in early May.

In the three-part series the actor explores hidden Britain – the stunning, wild, curious and culturally diverse islands around our coast, and listens to the fascinating stories of what life is like away from the mainland from the people who live there.

Martin says: “I have always been fascinated by life on remote islands, and wanted to know what it is like to live there, and how the islanders cope with the isolation.

Anyone with an interest in the west coast of Scotland, Applecross and the Isle of Skye will have been glued to their TVs for the last four Sunday nights watching Monty Halls great escapes on BBC2 @ 9pm


The TV show has now gathered a massive following and stars Monty Halls leaving city life behind and rebuilding an old cottage and developing a croft and living off the land.

This combined with Dolphin and Shark spotting on Skye, diving on Skye and climbing the the infamous Inaccessable Pinnacle in the Cuillin mountain range makes compulsive watching.

Tonight is the fourth episode with the fifth and final next week. For anyone that missed any episodes of Monty Halls great TV programme, -they can all be seen on BBC Iplayer