Clovelly Torran Glas - Isle of Harris

06/09/2026

😁👌

05/09/2026

St Kilda Mailboat - from 1877 to today

On 29 August, a small St Kilda mailboat was launched from Hirta, continuing a remarkable tradition that reaches back almost 150 years

The origins of the St Kilda mailboat is said to be traced to John Sands, a journalist who visited the island in 1876 and became stranded there

In 1877 he launched a small wooden boat constructed to carry a message, with an inflated sheep's bladder attached to help keep it afloat

Remarkably, Sands' first mailboat was found at Birsay in Orkney just nine days after leaving St Kilda. The message it carried helped bring assistance to the island when it was needed

Over the years the St Kildans launched St Kilda mailboats at times of need and became a simple but ingenious way of sending messages when there was no regular connection with the outside world

Work parties from the 1950's to 2019 continued the tradition by launching their own mailboats, some of which were found as far as Norway, and others are still at sea...

During this year's Evacuation Expedition with our president, Alasdair MacEachen, a group of twelve visitors enjoyed a memorable day on Hirta, with calm seas, good weather, a circumnavigation of Hirta and Boreray, and the honour of launching the 2026 mailboat was given to David Clugston, a long-standing supporter of St Kilda.

Now another little wooden boat is making its own journey across the Atlantic, carrying a simple message:

🌟St Kilda Mailboat - Please Open 🌟

Where it will eventually wash ashore is a story still waiting to be told. 🌊

02/09/2026

👀👀 As we enter into September there will be a change to our hours.

Next week will be the last we are open for lunch. With a very much loved colleague leaving us, our last lunch will be on Wednesday 9th September.

We will continue to be open in the evenings. 😊

This week:
Thursday 3rd - 12pm-1.30pm // 5-8pm
Friday 4th - 5-8pm

Next week:
Monday 7th - 5-8pm
Tuesday 8th - 12pm-1.30pm // 5-8pm
Wednesday 9th - 12pm-1.30pm // 5-8pm
Thursday 10th - 5-8pm
Friday 11th - 5-8pm

Many thanks for your continued support 💙

31/08/2026

There are places in the Outer Hebrides that make you pause the moment you arrive. Calanais is one of them. ✨

Standing proudly in the landscape, the Calanais Standing Stones are one of Scotland’s most remarkable prehistoric sites. Now, with the newly redeveloped Calanais Visitor Centre, there is even more to discover.

Explore the 5000 year old archaeology, immerse yourself in the stories, and experience the unique connection between landscape, culture and community that makes this place so special.

Planning a visit? Our latest blog has everything you need to know about the new Visitor Centre and making the most of your time at Calanais. 👇

https://bit.ly/4xgHJSp

📷

28/08/2026

28/08/2026

This month commemorates the 96th anniversary of the evacuation of St Kilda - here the St Kildan's are on the pier on Hirta with their belongings ready to load onto the ship.

Katie Gillies is carrying the cist in the forefront of the photo, with George Henderson from the Department of Health to the right of the photo.

22/08/2026

18/08/2026

So… have you ever thought about visiting Harris in November? 🍂🌊

It might not be the first month that springs to mind, but we’ve always thought November in Harris has a magic all of its own ❤️

The island is quieter, the beaches can feel completely deserted and there’s something pretty special about wrapping up, heading out for a long walk and having miles of white sand almost entirely to yourselves 🐾

🌌 Dark Skies & Northern Lights

November brings long, dark evenings and with so little light pollution, Harris is fantastic for stargazing. On a clear night the skies can be incredible — and, if you’re lucky, you might even catch a glimpse of the Aurora Borealis ✨

📷 A brilliant time for photography

We’ve also found November really popular with photographers.

The low winter sun can create some amazing light across the island, with dramatic skies, turquoise seas, white beaches and constantly changing colours. And with far fewer visitors around, it’s quite possible to find yourself standing somewhere spectacular without another person in sight.

And when the Harris weather decides it’s time to head back indoors… that’s where Clovelly Torran Glas really comes into its own 😊

Come back to the warmth, enjoy your own private sauna, settle down with a film in the cinema room, open a bottle of wine 🍷 and simply relax looking out over West Loch Tarbert.

We normally concentrate on full-week stays because of the cost involved with each changeover, but for November only we’ve decided to offer something a little different:

🍂 4 nights – £140 per night
🍂 7 nights – £120 per night 🌙

Clovelly Torran Glas is our 5-Star VisitScotland cottage in West Tarbert, created exclusively for two — and, of course, your dogs are very welcome too 🐶🐾

We’re only a few minutes from Tarbert, so shops, cafés, restaurants and the ferry are all close by, but once you’re back at CTG looking across the loch it feels a world away.

So if you fancy seeing a quieter, wilder and perhaps slightly more magical side of Harris this November, just send us a message or call 📞 07505 933 902

www.harrisholidaylet.co.uk

15/08/2026

A postcard from our archives:

'Washing the tweed. Note the young lady in the tub on the extreme right. She does a sort of dance on the tweed!'

To see more like this visit https://www.harristweed.org/journal/archive/

15/08/2026