Harris (Lewis and Harris)
| Harris | |
 To Cliseam from Abhainn Mharaig, right off the main road to Lewis |
|
| Geographical location | |
 |
|
| Coordinates | 57 ° 56 ′ N , 6 ° 50 ′ W |
| Waters 1 | Atlantic Ocean |
| surface | 401 km² |
 In the south of Harris |
|
Harris , also Isle of Harris ( Scottish Gaelic : Eilean na Hearadh [ ˈɛlən nə ˈhɛɾəɣ ] or ), is the southern region of the Isle of Lewis and Harris in the Outer Hebrides . Harris is in turn divided by the isthmus of Tarbert into a northern and southern part, with the southern part forming the Luskentyre peninsula .
landscape
Harris is not an island, but the southern part of the Lewis and Harris Island, which was given two different names by the inhabitants because of its impassable, separating mountain landscape. Most of the residents live in Lewis , the northern island region.
Harris is sparsely populated, the main town Tarbert (Gaelic: An Tairbeart ) is located on an isthmus where the island only measures about one kilometer in an east-west direction. In addition, there are only a few villages and groups of houses along the coast.
Harris shows the most mountainous landscape of all regions of the islands of the Outer Hebrides. The part north of the isthmus of Tarbert is mountainous and is home to the highest mountain in the archipelago, the 799 meter high Clisham , and the largest fjord (= hole), the approximately 25 kilometers long Loch Seaforth, which is bordered by steep mountains . The also inhabited island of Scalpay can be reached from the southernmost point of this part of the island via a car bridge.
Luskentyre
The Luskentyre peninsula south of the isthmus shows very different sides. Its west coast is home to some of Scotland's most beautiful azure beaches, including Seilebost Beach , and fertile hill and coastal land known as Machair . The east coast is a rugged, rocky and moor landscape shaped by the Ice Ages. On the south coast, at the end of a wide bog valley, is the place Leverburgh (Gaelic: An t-Ob ), from which there is a ferry connection to the southern neighboring islands.
population
The population is predominantly Protestant and today lives partly from agriculture , especially fish and crab farming in the fjords, fish / shellfish fishing as well as tourism and the wool industry . For the latter, the production and marketing of Harris Tweed plays a major role. In addition to English, many residents speak Scottish Gaelic.
Attractions
In addition to the tweed workshops, Harris offers cultural sights in the restored 15th century church of Rodel (Gaelic: Roghadal ) on the southern tip of Harris . The relatively dense settlement of the inhospitable east coast is the result of targeted expulsions - the so-called clearances - of the lower classes of the population from the west coast by large landowners in the 19th century.
traffic
Harris can only be reached indirectly and via the following connections:
- Stornoway on Lewis has a national airport and direct ferry service to mainland Scotland from Ullapool . There are bus routes to Harris from Stornoway.
- Further ferries connect Harris with the neighboring islands and thus enable an arrival, e.g. B. by train to Kyle of Lochalsh , bus transfer via Skye to Uig , there on the ferry to Tarbert. Alternatively, you can take the ferry from Berneray to Leverburgh from the Uist archipelago .
The northern islands are strongly Protestant. Not only are shops, restaurants and pubs closed on Sundays, there are also no buses and few ferries.
Web links
- Maps of Harris , last accessed on August 1, 2013
- https://www.calmac.co.uk/ (timetables and prices)