I've done the camping thing and the Outer Hebs thing too but I'd be shy of putting both together!!! Even my Khyam Rigidome, modern equivalent here tinyurl.com/ok8la8j which is one of the most wind resistant of family size tents would struggle in an Atlantic storm. Such extreme weather is relatively uncommon at May bank hols but more likely by Scottish or English August BH.
It's backpacker tent territory IMHO.
There are also relatively few proper campgrounds. It also occurs that a week isn't enough time to even touch everything from Barra to Butt. You'd need two weeks at least - though you could fill half a lifetime's holidays if you get the addiction.....
Another approach might be Hostels and Bunkhouses. There are quite a few of these with the Gatliff Trust's establishments at Howmore (Uist), Berneray and Rhenigidale being particular gems. But be warned, they're necessarily rustic hostels in a sense long left behind by YHA England and Wales.
We stayed several years ago at Am Bothan Bunkhouse (Obbe/Leverburgh - S Harris) which was excellent. IIRC it's still in same ownership. Rockview Bunkhouse in Tarbert is OK and my daughter speaks well of the independent hostel in Stornoway and a private place near Plocrapool on the 'Golden Road' (South Harris). There's also an SYHA/Community place at Kershader (East Lewis).
Would self catering work if you limited yourselves to either UIst/Barra or Lewis/Harris? Uist/Barra involves a ferry but it's only a short crossing and runs multiple times per day. The rest of the southern chain are linked by causeways and Lewis Harris are of course conjoined. It's possible to link the two chains as a day trip but the Sound of Harris ferry (a scenic event in it's own right) is expensive and only runs 3/4 times a day.
I can recommend a couple of self catering places on Harris but they're popular and you may have left it too late for a BH booking. The tourist offices in Tarbert and Stornoway will prbably be cluedd up on any late availability. Beware though of places towards west of Lewis - Great Bernera and beyond are a massive treck from Stornoway. Fine down there for a week if you get the weather but if it blows and rains for seven days.......
Another thought is that you mention a ferry that runs only once a day - which suggests an Oban route. They fill up quite quickly at peak. We've left it late in past and been wait listed for the peak time segments of the Ullapool and Uig Tarbert routes - a problem we solved by flexing a day or so or booking one instead of the other.
Any other questions?
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Mon 20 Apr 15 at 08:45
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