Tigharry Schoolhouse is located in the western reaches of North Uist, an island belonging to the spectacular Outer Hebridean archipelago off Scotland’s west coast. Famed for their beauty and wildlife, these islands offer peace, tranquillity, adventure and inspiration.
The west coast of North Uist is home to several historic crofting communities and its shores are blessed with a collection of pristine white-sand bays. Sheep graze on the machair, a riot of wildflowers in the spring and early summer, a rare habitat that attracts a cornucopia of birdlife throughout the year. One of the most westerly points in the British Isles, looking out across the Atlantic on a clear day will reward you with views of the legendary St Kilda archipelago, 40 miles off the shore. On the island’s contrasting east coast heather-clad hills and myriad sea lochs provide a fertile environment for deer, birds of prey and otter.
THE CONNECTED ISLANDS OF THE UISTS
A series of causeways connect all the central islands of the Outer Hebrides and from North Uist you can travel north to Berneray and south to Benbecula, South Uist and on to the tip of Eriskay. Less visited than their neighbours to the north and south, the Uists (as these central islands are collectively known) offer untold natural promise for those who journey to their shores. From beautiful Berneray with its views across the Sound of Harris to the historic sands of Eriskay, landing place of Bonnie Prince Charlie; from the remote, rugged peaks of eastern South Uist to the sweeping white-sand bays of North Uist’s Clachan, Malacleit and Hosta; these are places where for much of the year you are unlikely to meet another soul, where the quiet stillness might only be punctuated by an eagles call, an otters cry or the crashing waves.
Yes, the Uists are islands that reward the explorer; little of their treasure can be seen from the road – beaches remain hidden behind dunes; sea cliffs sheltered by hills; labyrinthine seaways and connected lochs reveal themselves only from the water; a new discovery awaits around every corner and vast skyscapes frame every view.
A STRATEGIC LOCATION
While the attractions of the Uists are both abundant and varied, one of the added benefits of a Schoolhouse stay is the ability to easily access the wonders found on the archipelago’s other islands. Located at the centre of the island chain, ferry crossings connect the Uists south to Barra and north to Harris/Lewis, with four to five sailings a day. This makes for easy day excursions for Schoolhouse guests; should you wish, you could spend one day snorkelling off the coast of Barra and the next touring the beaches of South Harris en-route to the Callanish Standing Stones (something that’s harder to do from other locations in the archipelago!)
For information on getting to the Schoolhouse please see ‘Reaching the Isles’.
For information of day touring, please see ‘See & Do’.
