Destinations > Scotland > Western Isles

Western Isles

Also known as the Outer Hebrides, this group of remote islands boasts a very traditional lifestyle with Scottish Gaelic speakers comprising 75% of the islands' population.

Lewis (Leodhas)

The majority of the Western Isles' population calls Lewis home, mostly living in fishing and crafting villages in the island's northwest and also in Stornoway on the east coast.

Lewis's main attractions are the Calanais Stones and the impressive Carloway Broch, dating from the Iron Age. Lewis also has some good surf beaches.

Stornoway is the largest town on the islands and it has good transport connections making it a popular base for travellers.

Practical Information

Stornoway Tourist Information Centre

26 Cromwell Street, Stornoway

Tel (01851) 703 088

Open Jan-Mar Mon-Fri 9am-5pm; Apr-Oct Mon-Sat 9am-6pm; Nov-Dec Mon-Fri 9am-5pm

Coming & Going

Stornoway is the island's main transport hub with Caledonian MacBrayne ferries from Ullapool and an airport (tel (01851) 702 256; website www.hial.co.uk/stornoway-airport.html) with flights from Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness on the Scottish mainland and inter island flights to Barra and Benbecula.

Local Transport

Buses depart from the terminal on Beach Street for destinations throughout the island.

Accommodation

STORNOWAY

Fairhaven Hostel

28 Francis Street, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis HS1 2ND
Tel (01851) 705 862

Laxdale Bunkhouse

6 Laxdale Lane, Laxdale, Isle Of Lewis HS2 0DR
Tel (01851) 706 966

Stornoway Backpackers

47 Keith Street, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis HS1 2JG
Tel (01851) 703 628

AROUND LEWIS

Galson Farm Bunkhouse

Galson Farm, South Galson, Isle of Lewis HS2 0SH
Tel (01851) 850 492

Garenin SYHA

Carloway, Isle of Lewis, HS2 9AL

Kershader SYHA

Ravenspoint, Kershader, South Lochs, Isle of Lewis, HS2 9QA
Tel (01851) 880 236

Sights

STORNOWAY

Lews Castle

This mock-Tudor style castle was built in the 19th century, but it is not open to visitors.

Museum nan Eilean

This museum has exhibits that document the history of the Western Isles.

Francis Street, Stornoway

Tel (01851) 709 266

Website www.cne-siar.gov.uk/museum/museum.htm

Admission free

Open Jan-Mar Tue-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat 10am-1pm; Apr-Sep Mon-Sat 10am-5.30pm; Oct-Dec Tue-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat 10am-1pm

AROUND LEWIS

Arnol Black House

This thatched cottage in the village of Arnol is a good example of a traditional Lewis house. It features an adjoining barn and a peat fire that burns with the smoke filtering through the roof.

42 Arnol, Barvas, Isle of Lewis

Tel (01851) 710 395

Website www.historic-scotland.gov.uk

Admission £3

Open Jan-Mar Mon-Wed & Sat 9.30am-4.30pm, Sun 2pm-4.30pm; Apr-Sep 9.30am-6.30pm daily; Oct-Dec Mon-Wed & Sat 9.30am-4.30pm, Sun 2pm-4.30pm

Calanais Stones

Dating from around 2900 BC, this cross-shaped stone formation, west of Stornoway, is a unique attraction that is complemented by an exhibition and video presentation that explains the site.

A858, 20km W of Stornoway, Isle of Lewis

Tel (01851) 621 422

Website www.historic-scotland.gov.uk

Open Jan-Mar Mon-Sat 10am-4pm; Apr-Sep Mon-Sat 10am-7pm; Oct-Dec Mon-Sat 10am-4pm

Dun Carloway

The ruins of this broch (fortification) date from the Iron Age and comprise a stone tower that is nine metres at its highest point. It is one of Scotland's best-preserved broch towers.

A858, 2½km south of Carloway, Lewis

Website www.historic-scotland.gov.uk

Admission free

Harris (Na Hearadh)

The southern portion of the island shared with Lewis is considerably more mountainous than its northern neighbour and it offers some good walking trails.

Tarbert (An Tairbeart) is the main settlement on Harris and it is here that most visitors choose to stay.

Practical Information

Tarbert Tourist Information Centre

Pier Road, Tarbert

Tel (01859) 502 011

Open Apr-Oct Mon-Sat 9am-5pm

Coming & Going

In addition to buses from Lewis, which stop near the tourist information centre; Caledonian MacBrayne ferries leave Tarbert for Uig on the Isle of Skye.

Accommodation

TARBERT

Rockview Bunkhouse

Main Street, Tarbert, Isle of Harris HS3 3DJ
Tel (01859) 502 626

NORTH HARRIS

Rhenigidale SYHA

Rhenigidale, Isle of Harris HS3 3BD
Tel 0870 1 55 32 55

SOUTH HARRIS

Am Bothan Bunkhouse

Ferry Road, Leverburgh, Isle of Harris HS5 3UA
Tel (01859) 520 251

Drinishader Hostel

Golden Road, Drinishader, near Tarbert, Isle of Harris HS3 3DX
Tel (01859) 511 255

The Uists (Uibhist)

This small archipelago is comprised of several flat islands including North Uist, South Uist and the small island of Benbecula, which lies between North and South Uist and is home to the islands' airport.

The islands features great salmon and trout fishing, but their remoteness is the major attraction with travellers trying to get away from the tourist trail.

Practical Information

Lochmaddy Tourist Information Centre

Tel (01876) 500321

Open Easter-Oct Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat 9.30am-1pm & 2pm-5.30pm

Lochboisdale Tourist Information Centre

Tel (01878) 700286

Open Easter-Oct Mon-Sat 9am-5pm

Coming & Going

The airport (tel (01870) 602051; website www.hial.co.uk/benbecula-airport.html) at Benbecula has direct flights to Glasgow, Barra and Stornoway.

Most budget travellers, however, will combine a visit to the Uists with Harris and Lewis and peraps Barra and will arrive by ferry from Harris or Barra.

Ferries sail from Lochmaddy in North Uist to Uig on the Isle of Skye and from Otternish in North Uist to Leverburgh in Harris.

From South Uist there are ferries from Lochboisdale to Oban and also a small ferry from Ludag to Eoligarry on Barra.

Local Transport

A causeway connects the Uist's three major islands and there is a bus service on the islands but it is not as frequent as some travellers would like. Public transport, even hitch-hiking, grinds to a halt on Sundays, as people on the islands are very religious.

Accommodation

NORTH UIST

Berneray SYHA

Isle of Berneray, North Uist, HS6 5BQ

My Grandfather's House (Taigh Mo Sheanair)

Carnach, Claddach Baleshare, North Uist
Tel (01876) 580 246

Uist Outdoor Centre

Cearn Dusgaidh, Lochmaddy, North Uist HS6 5AE
Tel (01876) 500 480

BENBECULA

Balivanich Bunkhouse

22 Balivanich, Benbecula
Tel (01764) 655 587

SOUTH UIST

Howmore SYHA

Howmore, South Uist, HS8 5SH

Sights

NORTH UIST

Taigh Chearsabhagh Museum

This complex comprises several art galleries and a museum that has exhibits on local history although the displays aren't that great compared to museums elsewhere in the country.

Lochmaddy, North Uist

Tel (01876) 500 293

Website www.taigh-chearsabhagh.org

Admission £1

Open Mon-Sat 10am-5pm

Trinity Temple (Teampull na Trionaid)

The ruins of this old church date from the 13th century (it is near the village of Clachan).

A865 Clachan, North Uist

RSPB Balranald Reserve

This nature reserve is a popular spot with birdwatchers that come here to observe the corncrake.

5km north of Bayhead, North Uist

Tel (01870) 560 287

Website www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/balranald/

Open reserve always open; visitor centre Apr-Aug 9am-6pm daily

SOUTH UIST

Kildonan Museum

This small museum houses a series of displays about the life and history of South Uist.

Kildonan, Lochboisdale, South Uist

Tel (01878) 710 343

Website www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/southuist/kildonan/

Open Apr-Sep Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 2pm-5pm

Barra (Barraigh)

The most southern of the Western Isles is a compact place with some good beaches. Castlebay, the island's major town, boasts a castle that overlooks the harbour.

Practical Information

Tourist Information Centre

Tel (01871) 810 336

Open Easter-Oct Mon-Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 10am-11am

Coming & Going

Barra's unique airport (tel (01878) 890 212; website www.hial.co.uk/barra-airport.html) is the only airport in the world where scheduled commercial flights land on the beach. There are flights from Barra to Benbecula and Glasgow. A post bus to Castlebay meets all flights.

There's a small ferry that sails between Eoligarry at the island's north and Ludag in South Uist.

Caledonian MacBrayne (tel (01878) 700 288; website www.calmac.co.uk) ferries sail between Castlebay and Oban. They also sail to Lochboisdale in South Uist.

Accommodation

Dunard Hostel

Castlebay, Isle of Barra

Tel (01871) 810 443

Sights

"Dualchas" Barra Heritage & Cultural Centre

This excellent small museum features displays on local history as well as art exhibits.

Castlebay, Isle of Barra

Tel (01871) 810 413

Website www.isleofbarra.com/heritage.html

Admission £2

Open Apr-Sep Mon-Sat 11am-4pm

Kisimul Castle

The impressive Kisimul Castle in Castlebay harbour is the only surviving medieval castle in the Western Isles. It is the seat of the Clan Macneil and it boasts an 18m tower plus a dungeon and a great hall.

Castlebay Harbour, Castlebay, Barra

Tel (01871) 810 313

Website www.historic-scotland.gov.uk

Admission £3.30

Open Apr-Sep 9.30am-6.30pm daily