04/04/2026
Some days, the deer are closer than you might expect — grazing quietly in the fields beside SEAcroft.
The deer of the Western Isles are thought to be among the most genetically pure red deer in Scotland, and are the largest of our two native species.
In winter especially, they come down from the higher ground — often seen along the road to Aird or moving quietly through the glen.
Their antlers are shed and regrown each year. Young stags begin with simple spikes, developing more branched antlers as they mature — often adding points with each season. A fully grown stag may carry around twelve points, depending on age, health and habitat. In summer, the growing antlers are covered in a soft ‘velvet’, later shed as they harden ahead of the autumn rut.
Red deer are one of the defining wild animals of the Hebrides, and their numbers are carefully managed — which means venison has a natural place on our menu.
We serve a smoked venison sausage to start, served chilled with leaves grown in our polycrub on the croft, and a gently spiced house chutney.
Dine. Stay if you wish.
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