Cruises to Stornoway, Scotland

Scotland’s coastline is something else, and Uig takes the cake. To see it for yourself, you’ll drive to Miavaig Harbour, board a boat and skim past Riof Beach’s white sands, sea stacks, crags and the uninhabited isles of Siaram and Pabbay Mor. Don’t be surprised if seals pop up to say hello. Highlights include Geodha na Sgarbh’s natural sea arch and the aquamarine stillness of Pabbay Lagoon. Cap it off with a dram of whisky at the harbor, because this is Scotland and that’s how you do things.

If your version of ‘seeing the coastline’ includes speed and sea spray, this is your excursion. Head to the marina, suit up in a lifejacket and board a rigid inflatable boat (RIB) for a fast-paced ‘Seafari’ along some of Scotland’s most rugged, wildlife-filled waters. Expect scenery, seabirds and adrenaline. And yes, you’ll almost certainly get wet. That’s part of the charm.

This one's for the fabric lovers and whiskey romantics. Travel south past lochs and mountain views to Tarbert, where the Harris Distillery serves up critically acclaimed whisky and some very friendly storytelling. You’ll tour the facilities, learn about their ‘nothing-but-the-best’ distilling methods and then sample two pours that’ll make lesser drams feel like tap water. Before you head back, visit the Tweed Shop to feel fabrics that have outlasted most fashion trends by about 100 years.