Day 1
We depart from our designated pick-up points and head north, stopping en-route for refreshments. We will continue to Ullapool in time to catch the mid-afternoon Caledonian MacBrayne ferry to Stornoway, which takes approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes. On arrival in Lewis we will transfer the short distance to our hotel, the 3-star Cabarfeidh Hotel. Dinner will be served on arrival.

Day 2
This morning after breakfast we skirt round the head of East Loch Roag and cross to the island of Great Berbera, where we visit the Bosta Iron Age Village. These stone structures from the 7th - 8th century were uncovered in Bosta thanks to a period of heavy storms, in much the same way that Skara Brae on Orkney came to light. A replica Iron Age house gives an insight into an ancient way of life here on a particularly beautiful beach. From here we will travel to the west coast of Lewis for a visit to the 5,000 year old Standing Stones of Callanish. Undoubtedly the most remarkable antiquity in the Western Isles, this collection of almost 50 stones forms a well-marked megalithic avenue, comprising 19 monoliths, ending in a circle of 13 stones, with a great cairn at the centre and superb views beyond. Entry to the Visitor Centre is included. We then return to Stornoway, where we will visit the Lewis Loom Centre, where we shall have a guided tour and lecture on the history of Harris Tweed. Dinner will be served at our hotel in the evening.

Day 3
After breakfast this morning we travel south to Harris, which in contrast to the rolling moorland of Lewis is more mountainous and fringed by superb white sandy beaches. Here we visit St Clement’s Church at Rodel, built on top of an earlier structure in the 16th century by Alasdair Crotach, 8th chief of the Macleods of Harris and Dun Bheagan. The church tombs are among the most spectacular in Scotland. We then visit the Genealogy Centre at Northton, a chance to get to know some of the factors which have had an influence on the development of the various Island communities, while for the more serious student there is a vast resource of detailed source information from different parts of the Hebrides. We continue to the ancient standing stone known as Clach Mhic Leoid (MacLeod’s Stone) enjoys a superb situation overlooking the Isle of Taransay, which was the setting for the BBC TV series ‘Castaway’. Dinner will be served at the hotel in the evening.

Day 4
Today after enjoying your full Scottish breakfast, we will have a chance to discover the stunning scenery of Lewis as we take a journey through time from the Bronze and Iron Ages to the days of Norse settlement and the more recent past. Our visits include the exceptionally well-preserved and imposing Carloway Broch, a circular, dry-stone fortified tower, dating back some 2,000 years; the Black Houses at Gearannan, typical of the crofting settlements which until relatively recently were found throughout the Western Isles; the Norse Mill at Shawbost, where barley grain was ground into meal by Viking settlers; and the standing stone Clach an Trushal, at over 6m one of the tallest in Scotland. We return to our hotel for dinner.

Day 5
Sadly today after breakfast we must check out of the hotel. This morning you will have free time to explore Stornoway, the only town in the Western Isles. About 8,000 people live in this bustling town, crowned by Lewis Castle and the lovely wooded Castle grounds. In the early afternoon we will catch the ferry from Stornoway to Ullapool. On arrival in Ullapool we will return to your original pick up point as quickly and comfortably as possible.

• 4 nights dinner, bed and full breakfast at the 3-star Cabarfeidh Hotel in Stornoway. All rooms have private facilities.