Walk: Ardvourlie – a forest for the future

📌 Ardvourlie, Isle of Harris
★★★★

Overlooking a kink in Loch Seaforth, one of the bodies of water delineating the Lewis-Harris boundary, Ardvourlie Woodland is one of the largest areas of mixed native woodland in the Western Isles – though it’s still very much at regeneration stage and will “fill in” over the coming decades. A good path network takes walkers onto a low shoulder below the northern slopes of An Cliseam, accessing superb views of mountains, peatland and water. A track also extends north to Loch Ruairidh, and an observatory is visited on the return route which could offer welcome shelter on a wild day.

📷 Chronological photo guide

🌍 Location

📌 Start / finish on A859 at Ardvourlie, Isle of Harris

🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NB 187105

🛰️ GPS coordinates: 57.994543,-6.762467

🚌 Bus to Scaladale Centre, nearby to north

🚗 Car park

📝 Key info

▶ 4 km / 2 mi | ▲ 210 m | ⌛ 1.5-2 hr

Features: 📷 Ardvourlie Woodland viewpoints & observatory; 💧 Loch Ruairidh

⬤ Moderate | Good tracks / paths, a fair amount of ascent / descent.

➡️ Clockwise lollipop circuit with extension to Loch Ruairidh: start – keep left at path junction at 🧭 NB 180106 / 🛰️ 57.994547,-6.773299 – viewpoint to west – Loch Ruairidh – car park via track close to Loch nan Learg

Download file for GPS

🥾 On our last visit

Wildlife: Ravens, greenshank, willow warblers, meadow pipits. Fish in the lochan, cuckoos heard, a few midges & keds.

Weather: 17°C, dull & overcast, very little wind.

June 2025