Visit the Outer Hebrides, Scotland

Rugged and remote, yet reachable, the Outer Hebrides off the west coast of Scotland are a distinct group of 200 islands whose human history reaches back 5,000 years.

The islands lie just 32 km (20 miles) from the mainland, and your Hebridean adventure can begin by ferry, or better, by plane to Barra, where you land directly on the beach. This arrival is befitting for an archipelago that champions the great outdoors, with peat moorland that brims with wildlife and sandy beaches backed by windswept dunes.

The islands lend themselves to exploring by car, bike, boat or kayak, or on foot or horseback. At every turn, you’ll come across views of lochs, hills, and abandoned crofts. Eagles soar overhead, seals lounge on outcrops, and Iron-Age ruins and stone circles older than Stonehenge mark the landscape.

While each island has a distinct character, Viking influences are visible in the place names and archaeological sites. Gaelic is still widely spoken across all the isles, and age-old crafts such as handweaving Harris Tweed remain very much alive.

What stays with you is the raw nature of the Outer Hebrides. These islands are made for exploring and have so much heritage to absorb. I love the rich variety of wildlife, especially the white-tailed eagles, and discovering historical sites from stone circles older than Stonehenge to castles.

UK & Ireland specialist Caroline

Things to see & do in the Outer Hebrides

The Golden Road

Harris is the more mountainous southern part of Lewis and Harris, the largest island in the Outer Hebrides, and you can best appreciate its rocky landscape by driving the single-track Golden Road. Snaking its way up the southeast coast through a lunar-like landscape, the road brings new views at each turn of croft-dotted hills, glistening rocks carved out by glaciers, and wildlife — from eagles swooping overhead to seals basking on rocks. Along the way, you can stop to take in Saint Clement’s Church and learn about its medieval history, or discover the island’s best-known export, Harris Tweed, at an exhibition in the restored town hall.

Near-empty beaches

The remoteness of the Outer Hebrides makes for lesser-trodden beaches, and this is especially true on Lewis and Harris, the most northern isle. On the west coast of Harris, you’ll find Luskentyre, where Caribbean-esque waters lap miles of white sand. The beach is bordered by sand dunes fringed with mahair grasses that burst with bright wildflowers come summer, and there are numerous trails to explore. You’ll also find plenty of scenic coastal walks at Uig Sands on Lewis, whose shallow waters are popular with kiteboarders. Or, head to Reef Beach, a sweeping stretch that’s great for shell seekers.

Wildlife spotting

With such unspoiled natural landscapes, the Outer Hebrides are home to some incredible wildlife. More than 1,000 red deer roam the peat moorland of Lewis and Harris, and the island has the highest densities of eagles and otters in Europe. You might glimpse peregrines hunting off rocky skerries and white-tailed eagles soaring above the coastline. The surrounding waters support abundant wildlife, too. On a boat tour around the coastline, you’ll likely spy otters feasting on seaweed, seals soaking on rocky shores, and gannets as they plunge from great heights headfirst into the inky waters. If you’re lucky, you might see an orca or two breach the ocean’s surface.

Barra

The Outer Hebrides’ southernmost inhabited island, and site of the world’s only beach runway, Barra may be small, but it packs a punch for outdoor adventures. On the 22-km (14-mile) road that rings the isle, you’ll discover pale-sand beaches, secluded bays, and rocky inlets, where it’s possible to surf, kayak, and snorkel with seals. Watch for otters hunting among kelp and kittiwakes teetering across wavetops. You can explore Kisimul, the only remaining medieval castle in the Outer Hebrides, or head inland to green hills gnarly with heather and scrub and climb to the highest peak for panoramic views of sister islands.

Uist

Made up of six islands connected by causeways, Uist’s fjord-like landscape is one you can explore in numerous ways. You might take in the freshwater lochs and machair terrain so typical of the Hebridean landscape on foot or by bike, or trek shell sands on a pony. You can taste Uist’s history and heritage at a distillery whose gin is infused with foraged heather, or uncover it at ancient ruins, from a 5,000-year-old burial cairn to a medieval monastery believed to be Scotland’s oldest university. The island is also a haven for birdlife, including the rare corncrake. They appear in nature reserves between April and September.

Stornoway

A good starting point for touring the islands, Stornoway is the largest (and liveliest) town on the archipelago and the capital of Lewis and Harris. It’s home to a marina, and you can take a boat trip from here, or sit back and watch the fishermen bring in their catch. The streets are filled with cafés and galleries, and the town’s Hebridean heritage is evident in its craft stores and Gaelic street signs. You can learn about the island’s past at Lews Castle and museum. Or, just a short drive away, an ancient village and reconstructed blackhouse give you a glimpse into the lives of Iron-Age settlers.

The Hebridean Way

Popular with cyclists and walkers seeking scenic roads, the Hebridean Way spans 297 km (185 miles) and ten islands. Traversing the length of the archipelago, the route stretches from Vatersay in the south to the Butt of Lewis in the north, taking six days to cycle or ten to walk. Whether you’re exploring part or all of the route, this is a journey to relish, where the landscape changes from turquoise seas to flower-strewn machair, and wildlife will stop you in your tracks. Along the way, there are plenty of diversions, from an award-winning white-sand beach at Luskentyre on Harris to a Bronze-Iron-Age settlement on South Uist, and towering standing stones on Lewis.

Best time to visit the Outer Hebrides

The best time to visit the Outer Hebrides is in summer (May to September), when the weather is likely to be good and the machair that covers much of the islands burst with wildflowers. You can see wildlife year-round. For a better chance of spying eagles, go between June and August. Stags are easier to track in the autumn months (September to November).