The Perfect Winter Escape!
My partner and I have just returned from a month’s Winter break on Berneray in this fantastic house over the Christmas & New Year period.
From start to finish, communication with Steve was excellent. Super speedy responses, really helpful, kind and thoughtful… Christmas decorations and a welcome basket of goodies awaited us as we stepped inside this beautiful, contemporary, light, airy and cosy warm, clean house.
The photographs of the house do not do it justice. There are fantastic, 360 degree views which make this property just the most comfortable of bird hides from which to spot all manner of birds, including the near daily fly pasts of two White Tailed Eagles! My partner is the birder and absolutely loved the fact that he could run from room to room to watch these magnificent beasts flying across.
The scenery is stunning. Berneray is much flatter than probably the rest of the Outer Hebrides but what it lacks in height it makes up for with the dramatic weather fronts that storm across the island. A constant changing picture of magnificent clouds, colours, rainbows and sunshine. Out of the 30 days we only stayed in about 4 times when the weather was bad but apart from that, we were out every day walking in glorious sunshine, chilly but sunny with what seemed like, the whole island to ourselves!
Our favourite walk from the house was a good 3 hour trek. Turn right out of the gate and head over the machair to the sand dunes of West Beach - 3 miles of pure white sand being licked and washed with the rolling turquoise and blue waves crashing hypnotically onto its shore. Head North then turn right and walk over Beinn Shleibhe for fantastic views of Harris in the distance before dropping down onto East Beach, a curvier beach with more shells to peruse and views over to Skye. Walk past the old thatched Youth Hostel at the Southern end of East Beach (met one of the friendly wardens who was there for Christmas week who invited us in for a welcome cup of tea one day) before walking back inland to Ruisgarry and home to the beautiful house.
We loved the tranquility of the place, the friendliness of the people (not that we saw too many) the huge beaches all to yourself, the wildlife, the big skies, the remoteness and the comfort of a beautiful house with every thing you needed for a break away from all the world’s worries. Priceless! Highly recommend.