This 8-day walking tour visits the Outer Hebrides. The tour has two bases: Castlebay in Barra and Sollas in North Uist. From these bases, we'll visit Mingulay, Barra, Eriskay, South Uist, Benbecula, North Uist and Berneray. The landscape of the Outer Hebrides includes world-class beaches, beautiful wildflower meadows, and, an abundance of hills, lochs and islands. The islands also have a fascinating history and culture.  Throughout the islands there are opportunities to see wonderful wildflowers, seals, sea eagles and a wide range of wading birds like curlews, turnstones, ringed plovers and lapwings. 

Tour features:

• The tour starts and ends in Glasgow
• Professional guide
• Small group, 4-6 participants
• Attractive, well thought out walking programme, comprising of no more than 6 miles or 4 hrs a day.
• Attractive programme of visits to places of interest:  archaeological sites, cultural sites. Entry fees are included.
• Ferries from Oban to Barra, Barra to Eriskay and North Uist to Uig on Skye.
• Seven nights accommodation in Bed and Breakfast accommodation: three in Castlebay in Barra and four in Sollas in North Uist.
• Packed lunches on walking days.
• Minibus transport 

 The Hebrides are a large group the islands off the West Coast of the Scottish mainland. The inner Hebrides comprise the islands closest to the mainland: Skye, Mull, Islay, Jura, Coll, Tiree, Rum and Eigg. The Outer Hebrides - also referred to as the Western Isles - are further West, separated from the Inner Hebrides by a stretch of sea called the Minch. The main islands comprising the Outer Hebrides are Barra, South Uist, Benbecula, North Uist, and Harris and Lewis. The Outer Hebrides extend over 130 miles and there is a great deal to see and do. For that reason, this tour focuses on the southern group of islands (Barra, South Uist, Benbecula and North Uist) with a day trip to Minguay. 

The geology of the islands is comprised of ancient metamorphic rocks, called Lewisian Gneiss, that's around 3.5 billion years old. Their hardness and impermeability give rise to extensive areas of moorland and lochs; and, together with the erosive power of the Atlantic, create long beaches with fine golden sand. There are also lots of hills, barren and scoured by past glaciations. 

People have lived in the Hebrides since the last glaciers retreated: first Mesolithic hunter-gatherers drawn to the shellfish, hazelnuts and red deer; then Neolithic farmers and pastoralists; before a third migration of Bronze Age people crossed the Minch with the capability to smelt and forge Bronze swords and axe heads. In the Iron Age, the Gaelic language and Celtic Christianity became established. In the medieval Period the Vikings invaded and settled, giving rise to Norse placenames, and a new seafaring capability. The medieval period was also characterized by a prolonged power struggle between the Scottish Crown and the semi-independent Lordship of the Isles, with attendant war and conflict. The rich history and culture of the islands feature largely in the tour, through story-telling and with visits to ancient and historic sites.