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A Holiday at Home on the Isle of Harris

March 26, 2014 By Katie MacLeod 6 Comments

Borve Lodge Estate

Sometimes, all you need is a change.

A change of scenery and an escape from the everyday can be just as rejuvenating as a jaunt abroad.

It was during a recent ‘holiday at home’ on the west coast of the Isle of Harris that I realised the reality of this. I hadn’t gone far – technically I was even on the same island – but pulling on a pair of wellies and getting out into nature, feeling the freedom of being out in the fresh Hebridean air, before flopping into an unfamiliar but exceptionally comfortable king-sized bed at the end of it felt incredibly refreshing.  It felt like a holiday.

The salty sea air and blue skies, combined with the luxury of The Broch at Borve Lodge Estate, where my other half and I stayed for the weekend, provided the perfect setting for a relaxed getaway. Our welly-clad feet crunched, sloshed, and sank into the famous white sands of Luskentyre.

My fiancé got wet as he crossed a deceptively shallow-looking river at Borve beach. We watched clusters of little black birds with long orange beaks meet at the water’s edge; later we learned they were oyster-catchers, and they seemed to pop up at every strip of pure white sand we strolled along.

Highland cows loped around in fields, and more than once, we had a stand-off with an especially stubborn sheep on the single-track road (the sheep in Harris seem to be of a more determined breed than elsewhere). We stopped to admire the pre-sunset scene of calm at Tarbert Harbour, the boats mirrored in the water. Everyone we passed waved, whether we knew them or not.

Sunshine, fresh air, and a few hours outside in nature really is the cure for anything (not to mention an excellent way to work up an appetite – one we satisfied with the delicious eats on offer at Hotel Hebrides in Tarbert).

Here’s my advice: take a break. Travel, as I’ve said before, doesn’t have to be long-term or far-flung.  Get outside. Go camping. Book a night in a fancy hotel in a different area of the city, or drive to the next town for dinner, drinks, and a night away from responsibility and routine. Travel is all about exploring and experiencing everything the world has to offer – even if, as in this case, it’s not that far from your front door.

Luskentyre

Looking out to sea at Borve beach, Isle of Harris

Crossing the river at Borve Beach

Shells on Horgabost beach, Isle of Harris

Borve Beach, and boats at Tarbert Harbour

Mirror image of The Broch

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Have you ever had a ‘holiday at home’, like I did on the Isle of Harris? Do you prefer short breaks close to home, or longer trips further afield? 

Let me know in the comments below, or on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

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Want to read more?

 The Broch at Borve Lodge: A Luxury Hebridean Hideaway

Whisky, Gin, and Scones: A Visit to the Isle of Harris Distillery

Where To Find The Essence of Harris

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Comments

  1. broadsideblog says

    March 29, 2014 at 11:43 am

    Love those bits of blue (?) in the sand. What a gorgeous place!

    Reply
    • Katie MacLeod says

      March 29, 2014 at 3:46 pm

      That beach, Horgabost, was full of tiny little pieces of blue shells. Harris really is one of my favourite places in the world!

      Reply

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I'm Katie, an expat Scot in the States, and the journalist behind Stories My Suitcase Could Tell, the travel blog which inspires you to explore the world. Read More…

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