The Hebrides (overture) retains this position to the present day. Mendelssohn's first visit to England in 1829 resulted from invitations by Sir George Smart and the Philharmonic Society. Following his tour of England, Mendelssohn proceeded to Scotland, where he began work on his Symphony No. 3, "Scottish". He was engaged on a tour of Scotland with his travelling companion Karl Klingemann when he sent a postcard to his family with the opening phrase of the overture written on it. In a note to his sister Fanny, he said: "In order to make you understand how extraordinarily the Hebrides affected me, I send you
Hebrides "Collins Encyclopedia of Scotland" describes the Inner Hebrides as lying "east of the Minch", which would include any and all offshore islands. There are various islands that lie in the sea lochs such as and that might not ordinarily be described as "Hebridean", but no formal definitions exist. In the past, the Outer Hebrides were often referred to as the "Long Isle" (). Today, they are also known as the "Western Isles", although this phrase can also be used to refer to the Hebrides in general. The Hebrides have a cool temperate climate that is remarkably mild and steady for