Local Wildlife
We can't be sure what it is that offers the unique opportunity for visitors to watch wildlife from the comfort of Beach Bay Cottage. It may be the rural location, or the eco-design of the cottage which is nestled into the hillside. Who knows? But where else could you watch Otters, Deer, Sea and Golden Eagles without leaving home?
Obviously you won't see them all at once, or even all species, but we could almost guarantee you will spot something. Red Deer roam freely around Uig and Golden Eagles are a common sight, and now Sea Eagles having been reintroduced share the skies again.
Watching me, watching you through the window.
Situated at the mouth of the Abhainn Dearg (Red River) overlooking Uig Sands, Beach Bay cottage is ideally situated for the keen bird watcher. As mentioned, Golden Eagles regularly hunt around the river mouth, whilst Red Deer wander down from the hills to graze. Buzzards and Hooded Crow’s spar for domination of the wide open skies, whilst a host of seabirds, such as guillemots, razorbill, puffins, fulmars, and gannets visit the sands, some are migratory, others are at home. The estuary is also home to Sea Otters and you might even see Salmon or Sea Trout jumping, there is every chance of hearing Corncrakes if you stay during summer, but you’ll be lucky to spot these shy endangered birds.
Uig is also famous for its Machair, the area of close-cropped grass that runs down to white sandy beaches. In spring and summer, the Machair comes alive with a carpet of stunning wildflowers, from common primroses and violets in early spring to rare orchids and wild herbs in summer. Late summer also sees the purple Heather bloom on the mountains and moorland, a final blast of colour before the moors turn to gold, then brown as winter closes in.
Sea Safari and Lookout Places
The waters around the Hebrides are perfect for whale watching, dolphin spotting, or looking for seals. There are several tour operators that will offer you the opportunity to go wildlife watching, or visit some of the offshore islands.
A few Tour Operators
From Uig Pier - https://www.seatrek.co.uk/
From Stornoway
https://www.stornowayseafari.com/
https://www.immersehebrides.com/ribtours
From Great Bernera -
http://islands-of-adventure.co.uk/