Eagle Bay Holiday Homes

Tel: 01851 830491

Luxury self catering accommodation on the Isle of Lewis with stunning sea views

Perched on a rugged stone headland high above the sea, these sophisticated hideaways provide the perfect retreat for couples seeking intimate seclusion.

Rising from the stone ruins of nineteenth century Blackhouses, these beautiful turf-roof cottages were designed by Award-winning architect, Stuart Bagshaw (designer of a Channel Four Grand Designs 'Home of the Year' on the neighbouring Isle of Harris). A commission to create contemporary dwellings in a spectacular, natural setting has created cottages that perfectly blend with their dramatic surroundings.

With exceptional 180 degree views from their cliff side locations, the hills of the Isle of Harris provide the ultimate backdrop to an ever-changing seascape.

Ideally located for wildlife watching, these discreetly placed cottages deliver exclusivity and a relaxed, low-key ambience. Guests can expect a stay of exceptional serenity and a chance to unwind in an unspoilt, natural environment.

Accommodation & Facilities

Architectural originality and imagination are reflected in the strikingly contemporary glass, stone and timber design of the cottages. Barrel-vaulted, high ceilings and exposed, curved beams lend themselves to an airy atmosphere while a muted colour palette, use of natural oak furnishings and beautiful Belgian linen upholstery and fabrics create restful, elegant interiors. Discreetly added amenities, under floor heating throughout and a subtle lighting plan designed by the award-winning team at John Cullen Lighting add to the understated luxury of the cottages.

An open-plan living area provides: an observation lounge with log-burning stove; a kitchen area, thoughtfully equipped by a keen, amateur cook; a dining area with views across Loch Erisort and access via French doors to a stylishly furnished, private terrace carved into the rock.

Each cottage offers a luxuriously proportioned bedroom with blissfully comfortable Super king size bed. Crisp white Egyptian cotton linen, Canadian Goose Down duvets and a pillow menu, will help ensure a supremely restful night's sleep, aided by the fresh sea air.

The ensuite bathroom is furnished with a deep soak double-end bath, walk-in rain shower, double basins and bespoke polar pine sauna.

You may be reluctant to leave your cottage with its interesting and eclectic library of books and films, as well as binoculars, telescope and wildlife identifier books. But should you need to keep in touch with the outside world, a Wi-Fi connection is at your disposal.

For outdoor enthusiasts, bicycles and fishing rods are provided along with beach towels, Thermos flasks, picnic hampers and Ordnance Survey maps.

a rugged, yet beautiful location

Forming an archipelago of over seventy islands, the Outer Hebrides lie some forty miles off the north-west coast of the Scottish mainland. The Islands of Lewis and Harris, the largest in the island chain, while often referred to as individual islands, are linked by a land border incorporating the Isle of Lewis in the north and Harris to the south. In 2014, Lewis and Harris were named as the best island in Europe by international travel site, Tripadvisor.

Eagle Bay Cottages are located on the cliffs overlooking Loch Erisort, a sheltered sea loch on the east coast of the Isle of Lewis. Centrally located on the island, the cottages are within easy reach of many of the islands' attractions. A 20 minute drive takes you to the Callanish Standing Stones, the Harris border is a 30 minute drive away and the Island's town of Stornoway is 15 minutes away.

Plenty to see and do

The Outer Hebrides has its own unique culture and traditions, from peat-cutting to weaving Harris Tweed. The people are renowned for their friendliness and hospitality and the Gaelic language is widely spoken. Traditional Gaelic music is celebrated at the local annual Mod and more contemporary Gaelic music features strongly in the summer Hebridean Celtic Festival. Your visit may also tie in with a village Highland Games or the week-long Hebridean Maritime Festival.

Outdoor activities are many and varied – kayaking, cycling, walking, fishing, sailing and surfing on the Atlantic West Coast. There is also golf with courses on both Lewis and Harris.

Small art galleries and craft workshops are dotted around the Islands, tearooms have sprung up in the most unlikely and remote settings and enticing restaurants serve locally grown organic vegetables, local game and heather grazed lamb and the freshest fish and shellfish.

Centrally located on the Isle of Lewis, the cottages are a 20 minute drive from the Callanish Stones, 15 minutes from the town of Stornoway and a mere 30 minute drive to the Isle of Harris.

With the wide choice of cultural attractions and outdoor activities, you might find yourself in a quandary, so here are a few suggestions:

A private boat charter for two departing from the pier at Keose, a few minutes walk from your cottage, for a sea trip tailored to your individual requirements. Visit the spectacular Shiant Islands or explore the many sea lochs and lagoons of the east coast of the Island. Benefit from skipper, Lewis Mackenzie's unsurpassed, local knowledge of marine and bird life; try your hand at sea angling and Lewis will fillet your catch and pack it in a box for you to take home to your cottage ready for cooking.
www.hebridesfishntrips.co.uk
Visit one of many historical sites such as the sixteenth century St Clements Church in Rodel, built by the eighth Chief MacLeod of Dunvegan and Harris and which contains his elaborately carved tomb; or experience life in the nineteenth century by visiting the Blackhouse in Arnol, built around 1880, a traditional fully-furnished thatched house providing a unique insight into Island life.
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
Join a Golden Eagle Walk led by the North Harris Ranger Scheme and RSPB Scotland. The walks take place every Wednesday from April to September. In 2014 there was a 95% success rate of seeing eagles on these walks.
Book trout or salmon fishing on one of the nearby sporting estates. Fish Hebrides have an excellent website allowing you to book fishings online.
www.fishhebrides.co.uk
On a self-guided walk, take in some important historical sites such as the Iron Age House in Bosta on Great Bernera; the Neolithic Standing Stones at Callanish; the archaeologically interesting Beehive Dwellings near the Lewis- Harris border or Doune Carloway, with one of the best preserved Broch towers in Scotland.
Take a drive through the diverse and scenic landscape of Lewis and Harris and visit some of the most beautiful and remote beaches: Luskentyre beach on Harris, frequently cited as one of the Top Ten Beaches in the World or deserted Uig beach on the west coast of Lewis which found fame as the location for the discovery of the Lewis Chessmen, which featured on the BBC Radio Four series, "A History of the World in 100 Objects."

In your cottage you will find:

A collection of Ordnance Survey maps; a guide to over eighteen interesting walks – from gentle strolls to more strenuous hill climbs – throughout Lewis and Harris;
Picnic baskets and Thermos flasks;
Bicycles;
Fishing rods with a selection of fishing flies;
An 'Island File' containing a number of itineraries for day trips and ideas for making the most of your day out, all based on local knowledge and containing a few well-kept secrets.

Wildlife

Looking south west from the cottages, the Eishken hills form a rugged skyline. Here, the 43,000 acre red deer forest is one of the UK's last wilderness areas and home to 13 pairs of golden eagles.

In a westerly direction, the hills of Harris come into view which include the highest ground in the Outer Hebrides, the Clisham at 799 metres. A favourite with walkers, a return trip to the summit takes around 3 hours. Expect to see mountain hares and golden eagles.

North west takes you into the Soval Estate with its myriad of freshwater lochs and the Laxay river system which has a run of salmon and sea trout making their way back from the sea through Loch Erisort into the river from June to September. Wild brown trout fishing is available on the estate for a modest charge, with fly, spinner or worm fishing permitted.

Just above the cottages to the north, the up-draughts of wind make the cliffs a favourite place for buzzards to hover and you can hear their piercing calls as they survey the landscape from high above.

To the east, Loch Erisort stretches out to the open sea – the North Minch. At over 9 miles long the sea loch is a great place to explore by kayak or boat. A resident population of harbour seals, common porpoises, otters and white tailed sea eagles are joined by a huge variety of migrant summer visitors. Great skuas, fulmars, kittiwakes, puffins, common dolphins, Minke whales, Orcas and basking sharks, can all be encountered towards the mouth of the loch and Arctic Terns, stopping off briefly on their 44,000-mile annual migration, nest on the Islands. Excellent sea angling is available, with pollock and mackerel being the main species caught during the summer months.

Autumn / Winter

Designed as a tranquil retreat, Eagle Bay Cottages have a real hideaway feel which is especially enchanting during the autumn and winter months. The cottages are delightfully cosy and cocoon you in warmth as soon as you step into them. With metre-thick dry stone walls and a turf roof, there is a sense of calm and serenity inside your cottage even as a storm swirls around outside.

Sink into a deeply comfortable sofa in front of a roaring log fire and read a good book or watch the wildlife settle on the sea loch before a vivid autumn sunset. With a sweeping sea view you can remain entranced at the changing light at this time of year. In the winter, venturing outdoors on a crisp, clear night will reward you with a huge dark sky lit up with thousands of twinkly stars. With some of the clearest skies in Europe, even the Milky Way is visible on these nights without the use of a telescope.

For a more active day out, blow away the cobwebs with a refreshing walk along one of the Island's deserted, windswept beaches before returning to your cottage and reclining in a deep-soak rose oil bath.

For a relaxing and restorative holiday, the weary traveller will find their cottage to be a haven of peace and comfort.

Christmas & New Year

For an intimate, romantic Christmas or to celebrate Hogmanay together, the cottages are an idyllic place to escape to. Snuggle up by the old stone fireplace with a glass of mulled wine and watch a great film from the well-stocked library or relax in the bespoke polar pine sauna letting the stress of your everyday life ebb away.

Locally-sourced venison and game from the neighbouring sporting estates can be delivered to your cottage, or for a decadent Christmas Eve supper, try some freshly-caught sweet lobsters and hand-dived scallops supplied by the local fishermen. The Island's Delicatessen stocks a lovely selection of fine wines and gourmet treats and if you would like to start your holiday with a fridge, fully-stocked for your festive break, this can be easily arranged.

A Fir Christmas tree will be decorated in your cottage; vintage champagne will be crisply chilled and a tray set for afternoon tea with home-baked mince pies will await your arrival.

How to get here

Arriving by air:

Frequent, daily direct flights from Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness to Stornoway Airport can tie in with numerous connecting flights from the major UK cities.

Aberdeen (55 mins) www.easternairways.com
Edinburgh (60 mins) www.flybe.com
Glasgow (65 mins) www.ba.com and www.flybe.com
Inverness (40 mins) www.flybe.com

Arriving by sea:

A regular car ferry service operates between Ullapool and Stornoway (2 hours 45mins crossing). From the ferry terminal in Stornoway, Eagle Bay Cottages are a 20 minute drive away.

A ferry service also operates from Uig, Skye to Tarbert in Harris (1 hour 40mins crossing). A 40 minute drive from Tarbert will bring you to the cottages.

Calmac operate the ferry service on both routes. www.calmac.co.uk

Car Hire:

Car hire is available from the airport and the ferry terminals.

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Source: https://eaglebaycottages.co.uk/