Things To See & Do
Isle of Lewis Highlights
- Callanish Standing Stones (Calanais): Walk among these extraordinary Neolithic stones, which have stood on Lewis for around 5,000 years
- Carloway Broch: Discover one of the best-preserved Iron Age buildings on Lewis, dramatically positioned on a rocky outcrop
- Blackhouse village: Step inside restored traditional thatched crofthouses and discover what island life was like for generations of Lewis families
Stornoway: Explore the island’s main town, with its harbour, shops and arts and cultural scene and don’t leave without trying its famous Stornoway Black Pudding for breakfast!
Isle of Harris Highlights
- South-west coast: One expansive white sandy beach after another, with turquoise water that rivals the Caribbean. Luskentyre, Seilebost and Scarista are among the highlights.
- The Golden Road: Follow this winding single-track road through the rocky landscape of Harris’s east coast, passing tiny settlements and traditional crofting communities along the way
St Kilda: Harris is the best departure point for boat trips out into the Atlantic to this long-abandoned archipelago, on the very edge of the British Isles. Advance reservations are essential
North & South Uist Highlights
- Beaches and moorland: Discover sweeping white-shell beaches and flower-rich machair along the western shores, contrasting with peatland, heather-covered moorland and a patchwork of lochs inland.
- Fishing: Uist is renowned for its freshwater fishing, with countless lochs and lochans offering opportunities for brown trout, sea trout and salmon.
- Balranald RSPB Reserve: One of North Uist’s standout wildlife spots. Listen for the distinctive rasping call of the elusive corncrake and look out for waders and other birdlife among the machair, dunes and coastline.
- Berneray: Technically a separate island but easily reached from North Uist by causeway. Come for its beautiful beaches, sweeping views and excellent seal-spotting opportunities.
Barra & Eriskay Highlights
- Barra Airport: There’s nowhere else quite like it: scheduled flights land directly on the cockleshell beach at Traigh Mhòr, with flight times dictated by the tides
- Castlebay: Visit Kisimul Castle, the ancestral stronghold of Clan MacNeil, dramatically set on a rocky islet in the bay. Guided visits include the short boat crossing from Castlebay
- Local flavour: Chat to locals in the bar about island life, and try the moreish sweet Hebridean Toffee
- Vatersay: Discover the island’s distinctive ‘apple-core’ beaches, where two stretches of white sand sit almost back-to-back on opposite sides of a narrow strip of land. The island also has a fascinating maritime history: in 1853, the emigrant ship Annie Jane, bound for Quebec, was wrecked off Vatersay with the loss of more than 350 lives
Eriskay: A short ferry crossing from Barra, Eriskay is famous for the 1941 wreck of the SS Politician, which inspired Whisky Galore!. Visit Am Politician to see artefacts recovered from the ship, and look out for the island’s native Eriskay ponies. Here, you’ll also find Eriskay Football Pitch, credited by FIFA as “one of eight most remarkable places to play football in the world”
Travelling To & Around
How Do You Get to the Outer Hebrides?
The Outer Hebrides are reached by ferry from the Scottish mainland or Skye, or by flights from Glasgow and Edinburgh.
- Ferries: From Oban and Ullapool, or shorter crossings from the north of the Isle of Skye. Causeways and inter-island ferries link the islands to each other
- Timetables: Ferry schedules vary throughout the year and island-hopping connections need careful planning, so we work out the best combinations and timings for you
- Flights: Direct flights connect Stornoway with Glasgow and Edinburgh, while Glasgow also has direct flights to Barra, where planes famously land on the beach runway
- Fly-drive: As a fully bonded tour operator licensed with the Civil Aviation Authority, we can package flights, one-way car hire, accommodation and inter-island ferries
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you travel between the Outer Hebrides islands?
A series of causeways and inter-island ferries connect the islands, making it possible to travel through the Outer Hebrides from Barra in the south to Lewis in the north. We work out the best combinations and timings for you.
Which Outer Hebrides Island has the best beaches?
You’re spoilt for choice. Harris is famous for spectacular white-sand beaches such as Luskentyre and Scarista, while the Uists, Barra and Vatersay have equally beautiful stretches of white sand, turquoise water and wild Atlantic coastline.
