The Outer Hebrides are a chain of islands off the north-western coast of Scotland in the United Kingdom. They are also known as the Western Isles and the 'Long Island'. Fifteen of the islands are inhabited, with a further 50 accessible but uninhabited.
Explore the best of the Hebrides on an island-hopping holiday and experience a Scottish adventure! The Isle of Lewis (Eilean Leodhais) is the largest and is scattered with ancient sites of world renown such as the Neolithic 'Callanish Stones', the Norse Mill House and the Pictish Carloway Broch which is a roundhouse. Visitors to the island can enjoy the thrill of adventure activities abseiling, kayaking and surfing whilst dolphins, seals, whales and sharks are often seen in the harbour.
The Isle of Harris (Na Hearadh) offers diverse landscapes ranging from rocky to gently beautiful, with sloping sandy beaches and imposing mountains as a backdrop! The Harris Hills are where you'll find great fishing, golfing, cycling and adrenalin sports.
The Isle of North Uist (Uist a Tuath) is a destination of rolling hills, freshwater lochs and stunning beaches. This beautiful small island has a thriving community linked by a causeway from the Island of Berneray. If you're a bird enthusiast, this is the spot for you. The RSPB reserve on the west coast attracts diver and wader birds and the many lochs make it an anglers' paradise. The views are spectacular and great for walking, cruising, kayaking and wildlife. Other islands to explore in the Outer Hebrides include the Isle of Benbecula, South Uist, Barra and St Kilda's.
Why not check beaches nearby as we have 23 beaches in Outer Hebrides, or have a look at our list of Outer Hebrides dog friendly beaches, or even our United Kingdom Blue Flag beach list.
Outer Hebrides Coast Search Bar
Where would you like to go? Use our search bar to search across all our local listings, ideal for finding that nearest spot to visit:
Want some ideas on where to visit?
Every favourite location must be visited for the first time. Want some ideas, why not check out the below small selection of coastal locations, including beaches, activities, things to see and do, places to stay and eat:
- Cliff beach is a remote white sandy beach on the Isle of Lewis.All you have here is a great isolated beach with just a few holiday cottages overlooking.The beach has no facilities, just a parking spot at the end of a single track road.
- Traigh Eais is a sandy beach backed by sand dunes just to the west of the airport. The beach faces out onto the Atlantic and this can give some good rolling waves. Park near the airport terminal and walk across the machair covered dunes.
- Garry Beach is packed with character! There’s a great scenic walk on the Heritage Trail here and Garry Beach is where you can start off on this 10 mile walk along the coast to Ness. Featuring sea stacks and caves (which you can walk through if the tide is out) this beach has lots to fascinate and enthrall you with. The dramatic scenery will have you reaching for the camera to capture the moment. Walk to the top of the beach and onto the moorland behind and you’ll find a river and freshwater loch, visited by swans and dotted with water lilies.
- Tiumpan Head Lighthouse is located on the most easterly point of the Isle of Lewis and the headland juts into the waters between the island and the Scottish mainland. Built in 1900 by the Stevenson brothers, the white-painted lighthouse is 21m in height. The light is now automated and two white flashes are exhibited every 15 seconds and they have a visibility range of 25 nautical miles. To reach the lighthouse, take the A866 past Stornoway Airport.
- Reef Beach sits by Kneep on the Isle of lewis. The beach is a sandy wide beach great for shell-seekers. In summer you can also soak up the lovely display of ‘machair’, the carpet of glorious wildflowers renowned in this part of the world. Behind the beach the dunes give way to cliffs, giving you magnificent views over the bay. This beach is a great spot for swimming in the calm blue waters or why not just enjoy a picnic on the sands.
- Clisham is on the Isle of Harris, is the highest mountain in the Outer Hebrides and at 799 metres (2,621 ft) has some magnificent views. Walkers have a few options; a popular direct ascent from the A859 road between Tarbert and Ardvourlie, or a full day walking around the Clisham horseshoe, crossing Mulla Fo-Dheas (743 metres, 2,438 ft), Mulla Fo-Thuath (720 metres, 2,362 ft) and Mullach an Langa (614 metres, 2,014 ft).
- Tangasdale Beach can be found on the western coast of the Isle of Barra. This is a stunning white sandy beach which is great for surfing and close to the Isle of Barra Beach hotel with views over the Atlantic. Nearby facilities including car park, small shop and cafe/restaurant at Isle of Barra hotel.
- For nearly 75 years the Barra Island lifeboat station has had an all weather lifeboat launched from Castlebay on the Isle of Barra
- West Bay or Bagh Siar on the Isle of Vatersay is an unspoilt white sandy bay. The Annie Jane, a three-masted immigrant ship out of Liverpool bound for Quebec, struck rocks off West Beach during a storm in September 1853. In spite of the conditions, islanders tried to rescue the passengers and crew, but only a few survived. A small cairn and monument mark the wreck site, an inscription reads: “On 28th September 1853 the ship Annie Jane with emigrants from Liverpool to Quebec was totally wrecked in this bay and threefourths of the crew and passengers numbering about 350 men women and children were drowned and their bodies interred here.” As well as this beach you can walk to Vatersay Bay (East) beach. Facilities at the beach include car parking, toilets and campsite.
- Bostadh Beach lies all white sparkling sand at the northern end of the island of Great Benera. Bernera is connected to the Isle of Lewis by a bridge. Bostadh beach, also known as Bosta Beach, is popular and has spectacular views of the rugged islands of Little Bernera, Flodday, Bearsay and Campay. There is also an Iron Age settlement here and a replica house is open to visitors during the summer months.
- Rosamol beach is a large remote white sandy beach with dunes. At low tide you can walk for miles around to Luskentyre beach. Car park in a cemetery but can also park by the side of the road.
- Huisinish Beach is on the Isle of Harris in the Outer Hebrides. You’ll find it at the end of a 12-mile single track road you come across the beautiful Huisinish Beach in a secluded bay. This is a white sand beach overlooking the uninhabited Isle of Scarp and the Atlantic Ocean.
