The Borve Lodge Estate is an important part of the community on the Isle of Harris – as well as providing employment for local people, the money our guests spend while they’re enjoying a self-catering holiday with us is vital income for other businesses too.

But our commitment to ‘do more’ for our island community doesn’t stop there: we take our responsibilities seriously and, wherever possible, we love to work with local suppliers and to promote their goods and services to a wider audience.

This year we’re very pleased to supply toiletries from luxury skincare brand Ishga to guests who holiday in The Rock House and The Broch. Ishga harnesses the natural skin antioxidants, healing and anti-ageing properties of pure, Scottish seaweed to create a beautiful range of products, and by offering these in refillable bottles (which are ‘quarantined’ between use to comply with Covid-related guidelines), we’re reducing our plastic waste too.

Guests enjoying a self-catering stay in The Rock and The Broch House – our two five-star holiday homes, each accommodating two people in the ultimate luxury – will also find within their ‘welcome pack’ some gorgeous strong roast ground coffee, Cofaidh Làidir, from another innovative local business, the Hebridean Tea Store. Sabine who runs the business has produced lovely ‘personalised’ Borve Lodge Estate packets of coffee for us, and guests can easily buy more (or select from a variety of teas!) to take home either direct from the shop in Stornoway or online.

Visitors to our magical island often ask what they should bring with them, but we’re always keen to encourage guests to ‘shop local’ and support the people and businesses that are at the heart of the community here. We’re delighted to do our bit too… take a look at the websites for both Ishga and the Hebridean Tea Store and you can enjoy a little bit of Isle of Harris life wherever in the world you may be!