Next month I have a lovely solo trip planned and I’m excited thinking about it! Scotland is almost easier to get to from Dublin than it is from many parts of England and Wales, and I have been more times than I can actually count. I’ve made visits, some fleeting, to all the Outer Hebrides or Western Isles as they are alternately called, starting since before I was 21. I brought my mother to the Isle of Lewis during her final years, making a two centre holiday with a stay in Inverness looking for Nessie. She was well charmed with the dilapidated old Renault Laguna I hired on Lewis, whose window wouldn’t close on my side, and kind of despised the brand new, never before driven, shiny Audi 4 we picked up in Inverness Airport returning from the island!
I’m hoping for a slightly better island car this time, though I do confess the old battered Laguna was very nice to drive and handled the island’s roads admirably, even if I got soaked by the drizzle coming in on top of me.
I fly from Dublin to Glasgow on an early morning Ryanair flight, leaving plenty of boring time between connection with Loganair to Benbecula. Has to be done as they are separate bookings, and need to pick up luggage from Re-check-in, and trying to manage having breakfast at the airport, going to the “facilities” etc will be a pain as I will be without assistance during this hiatus between flights.
Ad-free short drone video of North Uist
I am thoroughly looking forward to the Loganair flight to Benbecula, which takes one hour, and where in-flight refreshments always include tea or coffee and a Tunnock’s wafer. If cloud cover permits there may be could be some absolutely stunning scenery!
A long vlog; flight to Benbecula
Benbecula is the centre island of a chain of islands connected by causeways, collectively known as Uist. I will be staying on North Uist, at a glamping pod located about 30 minutes drive from the airport.
I’ll be staying 5 nights, allowing leisurely time to explore from Berneray to the north to Eriskay to the south, but it all depends on how I am how far I drive, how much I do. I will focus on enjoying what is around me. The Western Isles are famous for their machair landscape, white beaches, gentle hills, tons of lochs, “black houses”, crofting, Gaelic language and culture, and remote island way of life.
I fly back to Glasgow again with Loganair, where I will spend two nights in possibly the most central hotel in the city, from where I can visit a museum or two. I have been through Glasgow umpteen times, but only once stayed there in an excellent suburban catering college student accommodation when I was 18.
I’ve such fun memories from Uist, from when I was about 18 and travelled with 3 work colleagues. Somehow we managed to be taken as “very modern nuns” when I, among them, was sporting pink short spiky hair and skull earrings. The guest house landlady, whilst serving us our tea, had overheard one of the girls mentioning her commitment to virginity before marriage, which was commonplace back in 1980, but what she mainly heard from my friend was “my commitment to virginity..” and took it that we were travelling g nuns doing great missionary work. 🤣
I have booked assistance with Ryanair & Loganair. The car I booked with Hebrides Car Hire is automatic, the pods are all on one level, the hotel in Glasgow has a suitable shower.
MS Martine: a life with Multiple Sclerosis 