Outer Hebrides: Landscapes Set in Stone

The remote islands off the north-west coast of Scotland boast a huge range of contrasting and spectacular land. From the austere, dramatic sea cliffs of Harris and the rugged landscape of neighbouring Lewis, fringed with stunning beaches, to the gentle, fertile lands of the Uists and the brutal landscape of Barra. Though their outward appearances vary greatly these islands all have one thing in common: they were all built from the most ancient rocks in Britain - Lewisian gneiss, which reaches back almost to the beginning of geological time. Join Alan McKirdy as he explores these islands and traces their extraordinary journey through time and across the globe.