Highlands and the Outer Hebrides

Heatherlea's famous trip taking in the Cairngorms, North and South Uist and Skye, all in one action packed late summer holiday! Based at our Mountview Hotel in Nethy Bridge for five nights plus a two night stay on the Outer Hebrides.

After a day in the Cairngorms we start our Hebridean adventure by heading out west, utilising the new ferry service from Mallaig, taking an evening cruise across the rich waters of the Minch. This gives us a full day of birding North Uist and Benbecula, an excellent time of year for waders, flocks of passerines, sea mammals and seabirds. We head back east on Wednesday, exploring the back roads of North Uist first; an excellent place for Golden Eagle and White-tailed Eagle amid stunning scenery.

The rest of the week we will target the Scottish specialities around the Cairngorms, ending with a brilliant day's birding on the east coast... a superb adventure, packed full of birds and wildlife!

KEY MOMENTS at our Friday round-up - which will be yours?

• Raptors, including Hen Harrier, Golden and White-tailed Eagle in stunning locations
• Ptarmigan with well grown chicks on Cairngorm
• Manx Shearwater close to the ferry and perhaps Basking Shark, Minke Whale and dolphins as we cross The Minch
• Masses of waders on Hebridean beaches

Day 1: Saturday
Arrival, welcome, dinner and briefing. Don’t forget our courtesy collection service from Aviemore.

Day 2: Sunday - Local birding in Strathspey and Cairngorms
In the woods, we hope to see the last of the summer migrants, possibly including Tree Pipit, Redstart and Spotted Flycatcher. Later we drive to the Cairngorms, where Ptarmigan can be found skulking in the corries. For the rest of the day we explore the birdlife of the moorlands and local lochs, with Golden Eagle, Raven, Slavonian Grebe, Red Grouse and perhaps Short-eared Owl and Black-throated Diver to entertain us.

Day 3: Monday - Nethy to Benbecula (Outer Hebrides)
Today we head west, past Fort William and on to the west coast. We explore the sealochs and stunning sandy beaches near Glenfinnan and Morar, which often hold good numbers of Twite and Wheatear and are good for migrant waders, then catch the late afternoon ferry from Mallaig. The views towards the Small Isles are often superb, and we spend time looking out over the sea for seals, Otter and seabirds.

From Mallaig our ferry passes Skye, heading across the Minch towards the Outer Hebrides. At this time of year much is possible in the warmer waters of the West, and we usually connect with cetaceans, from common Harbour Porpoise, to scarcer Minke Whale or Basking Shark. This is a good time for passage seabirds, with petrels, skuas and shearwaters all likely, perhaps with a rare Sabine's Gull or Great Shearwater to really cap off this exciting voyage. We arrive late evening into Lochboisdale and take the 30 minute transfer to our hotel (where we stay for two nights), enjoying the long summer evening with good chances of our first Short-eared Owl.

Day 4: Tuesday - Benbecula and North Uist
We have a full day to enjoy the delights of the Outer Hebrides in High Summer. We begin by exploring Benbecula, looking at the rich croftland, numerous wetlands and superb beaches for all manner of breeding and migratory birds. Corncrake are still present but very hard to see this late in the season, though there is always a chance! More likely are large numbers of migratory waders on the machair, beaches and mudflats, divers offshore and good numbers of Twite, Linnet and hopefully Corn Bunting in the arable areas. Raptors are likely anywhere with Golden and White-tailed Eagle, Hen Harrier, Merlin and Short-eared Owl all in good numbers now youngsters have fledged.

With so many birds on the move there are chances of a scarce wader such as a Pectoral Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs or White-rumped Sandpiper. Anything is possible and our groups have even seen Snowy Owl and Oriental Turtle Dove on past visits to the Outer Hebrides during this period! Likely mammals include Otter, Grey and Common Seal, Red Deer and cetaceans, as we make the most of the long summer days with extended time in the field.

Day 5: Wednesday - North Uist to Skye and Nethy Bridge
We depart Benbecula and have an hour or so to explore the raptor rich back lanes of North Uist before heading to Lochmaddy to catch our ferry across to Skye. This gives us a second crossing of the Minch, hopefully adding to our seabird and marine mammal tally. We arrive into Skye early afternoon and take the scenic drive down through Scotland's largest and most heralded island. Skye has some of the most iconic scenery in Europe and hopefully the weather will be kind and allow us picture-postcard views.  We head back towards Nethy Bridge, arriving back in time for dinner at the Mountview Hotel.

Day 6: Thursday - Strathspey
After covering a fair distance by land and sea in the past few days, today we look at the wildlife closer to our base in the Cairngorms. We will spend a good amount of time in the pine forests today, looking for Crested Tit, Siskin, Lesser Redpoll and any lingering migrants. Scottish Crossbill are found in the forests and with both Common and Parrot Crossbill also present, separation of these three species can pose a real identification challenge! Raptors soar overhead and Red Squirrel and Red Deer are common too.  We use the afternoon to target any local species we may have missed in the week, perhaps looking again for divers, fishing Osprey or maybe the Dipper and Goosander upstream. A great day!

Day 7: Friday - Moray Coast, Black Isle or Aberdeenshire
Another great coastal experience, we go north to the Moray Coast or east to Aberdeenshire, depending upon the local birding available. Birdlife includes Gannet, gulls, terns and auks on the open seas along with the occasional passing Great or Arctic Skua. Waders on passage might include Little Stint, Turnstone, Bar-tailed Godwit, Knot, Dunlin and Ringed Plover, many in breeding plumage. We shall look for farmland birds too, plus any rarities within reach. A big bird list to end the week!

Day 8: Saturday
Breakfast and departure. Don’t forget our courtesy return service to Aviemore.

This holiday can be combined with:

MAINLAND SCOTLAND
Highland Wildlife in High Summer, Highland Mammals and more, Highland Birding in Late Summer

SCOTTISH ISLAND ADVENTURES

Orkney in High Summer

What's included in your holiday price

• Five nights comfortable accommodation at The Mountview Hotel, VisitScotland rated 3 Star. All rooms are en-suite, with TV and hospitality tray. There is no single supplement, and guests are never expected to share. Single guests may be upgraded to double room accommodation at no extra charge. Two nights accommodation on the Outer Hebrides, all rooms ensuite.
• Full Scottish breakfast, a substantial packed lunch, and a delicious dinner.
• Six full days wildlife watching.
• All ferry costs and estate access fees.
• Guidance from a professional Group Leader
• All transport by comfortable minibus.
• A checklist specifically prepared for your holiday to record your sightings and notes.
• Courtesy bus service to and from transport in Aviemore.

What's not included in your holiday price

• Insurance, drinks and other items of a personal nature.

More holiday information

Accommodation at Mountview Hotel can be seen here. All accommodation is en-suite unless otherwise advised before your booking is confirmed. We stay at a comfortable hotel in the Outer Hebrides for two nights - we have been going there for many years and always enjoy it!
Food There is a choice of evening meal, and vegetarian, vegan and other diets are welcome. Breakfast may be chosen from a full Scottish menu. You don't need flasks for hot drinks.
Walking will be very light, although optional mountain walking for Ptarmigan is strenuous.
Weather Expect a wide variation in weather conditions. Blazing sunshine and rain are equally likely, and you will probably experience a bit of everything. Bring waterproofs, walking boots or shoes and warm clothing.
Biting insects may be encountered in the evenings or around standing water, especially in the west of Scotland, though not as a serious problem.
Group size maximum 7 clients per guide.
Optics Telescopes will be useful, and you should bring binoculars. We have a limited number of top quality Swarovski binoculars, which you may borrow at no charge (subject to availability). A camera would be useful too!

Getting here is easy!

BY CAR Travel north to Perth. Take A9 signposted Inverness to the exit north of Aviemore for the A95. Follow signs northeast through Boat of Garten to Nethy Bridge (ten miles). In Nethy Bridge, drive through the village, over the River Nethy, and you will see our sign 200 metres ahead on the right.

BY RAIL Don't forget our courtesy collection service from Aviemore on Saturdays at 16:30 and 19:30, but please let us know at least 48 hours in advance! The best train to Aviemore is the ‘Highland Chieftain’ on the East Coast Line. This leaves London Kings Cross at 11:00, arriving Aviemore at 19:22. We recommend you connect with this service if possible. Our pickup also works well with the 16:26 arrival from Edinburgh. In general, rail travel via Edinburgh is easier than via Glasgow, where a trip across the city between stations is needed, often followed by a change at Perth. Return trains leave Aviemore at 08:32 (fast train to London – recommended), 09:26. 10:31 and 11:30. However we can only make 2 journeys to Aviemore on Saturday morning, so you may be taken to Aviemore a little earlier.  Rail enquiries: 0845 7484950, www.nationalrail.co.uk

BY AIR Flights to Inverness are becoming available all the time, for latest info call our office. Currently direct flights to Inverness are available from: Belfast, Dublin, Birmingham, Manchester (all Loganair), London Gatwick, London Luton, Bristol (all easyJet) and London Heathrow (British Airways). Guests arriving in Inverness airport can then take a taxi to Nethy Bridge, or take the Airport Flyer bus to Inverness, from there they can take the train to Aviemore where we can collect you. Our courtesy collection service is on Saturdays at 16:30 and 19:30, but please let us know at least 48 hours in advance if you wish to be collected! We will be able to meet the 15:44 and 18:53 trains departing from Inverness that arrive at 16:25 and 19:26 respectively.