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The Shiant Isles

To the east of Harris, sitting five miles into the waters of The Minch, are the Shiant Isles, and a popular destination for day trips.

These wild and stunningly beautiful isles are one of the great bird-stations of the northern hemisphere, with some 300,000 seabirds, including puffins, guillemots, razorbills, shags and great skuas, arriving there in the summer to breed. They are one of the most important breeding colonies for seabirds with 10% of the UK's puffins and 7% of the UK's razorbills breed on these islands.

The Shiants were also home to a rare colony of black rats – believed to be the descendents of ships rats that swam ashore here after a wreck. Thankfully they were removed by the Seabird Recovery Project in recent years.

For intrepid travellers who want to stay longer on these wild isles, you can stay in the bothy and you can find out more here.

Highlights

Diversion/Advisory: Section K - Scaladale to Balallan

Diversion - the route around Loch Cuthaig at Balallan is diverted.

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