Nearest Things To Do Outer Hebrides
Heading to Outer Hebrides and looking for something to do or a place to visit nearby. Coast Radar is not just a list of beaches but we bring you the whole Outer Hebrides coast including castles, lighthouses, piers, museums, beautiful gardens, seaside towns, National Trust and other heritage properties.
When on an information page you can also use our tools to search for nearby Outer Hebrides seaside towns, and the surrounding coast for the best beaches and places to stay and eat.
Finding the best things to see and do on a Outer Hebrides day out with your family or friends is easy – simply explore the links below, to find the closest hit the jump to my location compass or use the search bar to plan where your next Outer Hebrides activity could be.
- Museum nan Eilean holds a great collection of artefacts, photos and paintings telling the history of the Outer Hebridean islands. The museum is located close to Stornoway town centre, on Francis Street. Opened in 1983, the museum moved into its present site in 1995, the former Nicolson Institute Secondary Department built in 1900. Entry is free and the museum is open all year round.
- Seallam Visitor Centre is an information and exhibition centre for the Western Isles situated near Leverburgh on the Isle of Harris. Here you can wander through exhibitions showcasing the history and natural environment of the Outer Hebrides. You can also pick up lots of valuable bits of information on the local area or consult further resources in the research area. There is plenty to occupy your time at Seallam, whether for an hour or a whole day! In addition, there’s a small craft shop and a café offering light refreshments. The centre is open all year round and there is a small entry fee. Reach Seallam by driving north out of Leverburgh on the A859 for 4km.
- Barra Golf Club was set up in 1992 and is the most westerly located golf course in the United Kingdom. Just 6 miles from Castlebay, where you can visit Kisimul Castle, the golf club has spectacular views over the Atlantic. The natural turf of this region gives the course a fantastic playing surface and the 4th hole is said to have the world’s largest natural bunker! With green fees at just £10 per day and the course open all year round, come along and practise your swing! www.scotlands-golf-courses.com
- Stornoway lifeboat station was established in 1887 and operates an all weather lifeboat. Station and shop open all days except Sunday although restricted times.
- The Barra Heritage & Cultural Centre can be found in Castlebay on Barra and is home to a fascinating collection of photos and mementoes which record the history of the island. The centre also features a craft shop and a restored thatched house, all run by the local historical society. In the summer, art exhibitions are held here and you can enjoy refreshments and home-baked goodies in the café. Other places of interest in Castlebay include Kisimul Castle and Barra Golf Club. The centre is open Monday to Saturday from April to October.
- For nearly 75 years the Barra Island lifeboat station has had an all weather lifeboat launched from Castlebay on the Isle of Barra
- 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).
- St Kilda is a dramatic landscape of exceptional cliffs and underwater scenery on a remote and uninhabited archipelago within Scotland’s Outer Hebrides in the north Atlantic off the west coast of the Scottish mainland. The archipelago renowned for its seabird breeding consists of the islands in size order of Hirta, Soay (‘sheep island’), Boreray (‘the fortified isle’) and the island of Dùn (‘fort’). Dùn protects Village Bay from the prevailing southwesterly winds, was at one time joined to Hirta by a natural arch. Smaller islets and stacks in the group include Stac an Armin (‘warrior’s stack’), Stac Lee (‘grey stack’) and Stac Levenish (‘stream’ or ‘torrent’). Hirta the largest island was the only one to be occupied with the last remaining people asking to be evacuated in August 1930 due to a lack of resources to survive on. The remains of 4 settlements are left, the structures are a mix of all ages that include a medieval village. Today over 1 million seabirds use the islands and St Kilda is a breeding ground for many important seabird species, including Atlantic Puffins, Northern Gannets, Leach’s Petrels, and Northern Fulmar. The heritage site is not just the islands but also the sea around them which is home to minke and killer whales, harbour porpoises, Risso’s dolphins, Atlantic white-sided dolphin, white-beaked dolphin and Atlantic Grey seals. Access to the islands is only by boat to the jetty in Village Bay, Hirta. Many tours options leaving from Skye and places like Oban and Mallaig. If you are intending to use your own boat then you will need to contact the Ranger on arrival. The only accommodation on the island is a small campsite
- The Calanais (or Callenish) Standing Stones is a magnificent site of several ancient stones erected nearly 5,000 years ago on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis. Reach the Stones in just 30 minutes, driving from Stornoway. A well-known prehistoric site, the Callanais Stones have a mystical aura about them which never fails to captivate visitors. The main monument is a circle of tall stones placed in the middle of a cross-shaped setting of stones. Right at its heart is a massive monolith nearly 5m high! You’ll also find other smaller stones radiating out from the circle and a chambered tomb. The Stones are free to enter and are open all year round, with the Calanais Visitor Centre offering detailed information on the site and also has a gift shop and café.
- Kisimul Castle is a medieval castle sited on a rock off Castlebay, on the southern coast of the Isle of Barra. The family stronghold of the Chiefs of Clan Macneil since 1039, Kisimul is the only surviving castle of significance in the Western Isles from this era. Known locally as the ‘Castle of the Sea’, you can take a 5 minute boat trip over from Castlebay, climb the battlements and admire the great views across the bay. Other interesting places to visit around Castlebay are Barra Heritage and Cultural Centre and Barra Golf Club. Kisimul is open seven days a week from April to September: www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
- 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.
