The Hebridean Society Western Isles Symposium and Summer Event 2009

Friday 24 Sunday 26 July 2009
Provisonal Timetable for the Weekend.....a taster to wet your appetite!

This is the first time the Hebridean Symposium and AGM has taken place in the Hebrides and is an event not to be missed.
Activities will include:
Show of Hebridean sheep
Sheep assessment for the meat market
Sheep assessment for the Pedigree market.
Hebridean sheep and their place in the Biodiversity of the Western Isles Wool products and fashion
Field visits to Uist flocks
Wildlife visits to Banranald Nature reserve and otter watching (weather permitting)
Conference dinner, followed by Ceilidh
Visit to Barra
Optional 2-day extension to Lewis and Harris.
Full booking details and a final timetable will be published shortly.

Planning Your Accommodation
Accomodation is provisionally booked at Langass Lodge Hotel on North Uist - individuals are responsible for making their own bookings. The rooms will be held until 28th Feb 09, and a 5% discount is offered to anyone booking before then and staying from Thursday to Sunday inclusive. (10% if longer). Room numbers are limited, so this is a first come, first served offer. visit the Langrass Lodge Hotel website Welcome to the Welcome to the Langass Lodge Hotel Website or telephone the hotel directly on 01876 580285 to make your booking.

For alternative accommodation options, visit Welcome to the Visit Hebrides Website or telephone 0845 2255121

Planning Your Travelling Arrangements
It would be helpful if anyone intending to come to this event without their own vehicle could contact Cathy Wainwright as soon as possible, and we can then organize car or minibus hire as appropriate. Please e-mail Cathy at dcassie@btinternet.com or phone 01455 553097

There is the option to extend this event to include a visit to Lewis and Harris. If you are interested in this, then the hotel on Lewis that has been identified as a good spot for those extending the summer event is called Doune Braes Hotel at Carloway. We assume that this would be for Monday 27th July and Tues 28th July on the basis that we allow a free day travelling up Harris and Lewis on the Monday and some more organised visits on the Tuesday. We have not made a block booking at Doune Braes – so people should contact the hotel direct. The website is The website of the Doune Braes Hotel

If you are planning your own travel arrangements then here is the latest travel arrangements which will be updates closer to the date and as timetable change but please check with the appropriate travel agencies for final timetables:

By Sea
Caledonian MacBrayne run regular ferry services to the Uists from Oban to Lochboisdale, S.Uist, (5-7hrs) and Uig (Skye) to Lochmaddy, N Uist (1hr 40 minutes).
Visit the websiteWelcome to the CalMac Website or telephone 08705 650000 or 01475 650100
It is advisable to book all ferry journeys well in advance, particularly if you are planning to take a vehicle. However, it is worth noting that for a weekend only, it will cost less to travel as a foot passenger and hire a car on the Islands. Departures from Oban Thursday 22nd July Depart Oban 15.30hrs, arriving at Lochboisdale 20.50hrs Depart Uig (Skye) at 14.00hrs, arriving at Lochmaddy 15.45hrs Return Monday 27th July Depart Lochboisdale 07.30hrs, arrive Oban 14.10hrs Depart Lochmaddy 11.50hrs, arrive Uig 13.35hrs

By Air
British airways (operated by Loganair) operate daily flights from Glasgow to Benbecula, departing Glasgow at 7.20am, arriving Benbecula 8.20am, and returning from Benbecula 8.50am, arriving Glasgow 9.50am. Visit Welcome to the British Airways Website or for bookings call British Airways reservations on 0844 493 0787 (please note 2009 bookings and timetables are not yet available at the time of printing) Highland airways operate return flights to and from Benbecula and Inverness. Telephone 0845 450 2245 for bookings. There are various low-cost airlines operating sevices which will link regional airports to Glasgow or Inverness

By Train There is a main line to Oban which will provide a link to the Oban-Lochboisdale ferry, or an on-going bus service from Oban through Skye to Uig to link with the Uig-Lochmaddy ferry. Details of timetables and fares are available from the National Rail Enquiry Service Welcome to the National Rail Website or 0845 7484 950 On the Islands Causeways link the Islands of North Uist, Benbecula, South Uist, Grimsay, Barneray and Eriskay, so once on the islands travel from ferry terminals or the Benbecula airport by road is straightforward.

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