WILDLIFE
One of the main attractions to Harris and the Outer Hebrides is its wonderful wildlife. These un-spoilt, peaceful and remote islands are home to a wide variety of interesting and beautiful species such as basking sharks, whales, dolphins, seals and otters who hunt alongside fishermen for the plentiful bounty of fish, wild Atlantic salmon, squid and shellfish around the Hebrides which is exported all over the world.
10% of the European population of Scottish common seals live in the sea lochs of the Outer Hebrides: they can be seen sunning themselves on rocks and beaches all around the islands and from cottage if you head East on the Golden Road they “sunbathe” there on the rocks.
The islands are one of the most important areas in the UK for breeding raptors, sea eagles and golden eagles can be seen performing acrobatic aerial courtship displays in early winter and early spring from our garden soaring above the hills and moorland as they nest in neighbouring Isle of Skye .
Wildlife and birdlife along the coastline is just as diverse and fascinating: the Minch has the densest population of otters in North West Europe and they can often be seen swimming amongst the seaweed and scrambling over the rocks
The Harris hills are home to many species including grouse, golden eagles, red deer, rabbits and the Hebridean black faced sheep and for the extreme rock climber a challenge!
LANDSCAPE
From late summer the Harris hills are covered with purple, pink and blue heather. Peat has also served as a lifeline for the Hebrideans through the centuries. Peat cutting takes place in spring, usually the beginning of May, to maximise drying with the summer weather ahead.Taking the peats home to build into a stack is almost a social occasion, although the practice is dying out in favour of the more convenient coal or central/electric heating .
MACHAIR
Machair is a Gaelic word that describes an extensive low-lying fertile plain. Almost half of all Scottish machair occurs in the Outer Hebrides and it is one of the rarest habitat types in Europe. Machair sand has high shell content, sometimes 80 or 90%, and is found only in the north west of Britain and Ireland. In the Hebrides, it is found mainly down the west coast and is most prominent in the Uists, Barra and South Harris.
The machair only a couple of miles from the cottage, is home to rare carpet flowers, such as Irish Lady's tresses, orchids, and yellow rattle. The Hebridean machair is also the last stronghold of the corncrake. Twite, dunlin, redshank, lapwing and ringed plover also thrive on the machair lands.