The Hebrides (Scottish Gaelic: Innse Gall) are the most beautiful part of the British Isles. The landscape is rocky and mountainous, but also lush and verdant - due in no small part to the large amounts of rain which tend to fall. However, this should not put off the potential visitor, and many would say that the Hebrides are just not the same without at least some drizzle - just bring some rainclothes! When the sun does shine however, the resulting vistas are almost always stunning.

The Outer Hebrides have some of the most spectacular beaches, not just in Europe but in the world. Much of the west side of the 130 mile long string of islands is one virtual long deserted and clean beach. Incredible beaches can be found on Barra, South Uist, North Uist, Berneray, Harris and Lewis.

Many of the other Hebridean islands, such as Coll, Tiree, Islay and Mull also have quite breathtaking beaches. Due to the beaches, tides and weather, the Hebrides are rapidly becoming a major fixture on the sea sports map, especially for surfing.

Main islands

The map points below are for the principal settlement on each island.

Understand

Get in

By boat

Kisimul Castle from the Barra ferry

All the main ferry routes are operated by Calmac. They carry vehicles and sail year round, though in winter the service is reduced and more prone to weather disruption. You always need to book vehicles, and foot passengers should book in peak season. (Island accommodation is limited, so confirm this first then book your ferry immediately.) The ships are comfortable enough but the fleet is ageing, with cancellations through breakdowns, and replacement vessels way behind schedule and over budget. However the main consideration for travellers is getting to the mainland ferry port: these are some distance even from Scottish cities, so you likely need a stopover.

• Kennacraig is west of Tarbert in Argyll and has buses from Glasgow heading to Campbeltown. Ferries sail to Port Ellen or Port Askaig on Islay - the latter sometimes continues to Colonsay. You reach Jura by a short crossing from Port Askaig. The little island of Gigha is a short ferry ride from Tayinloan south of Kennacraig.
• Oban is a substantial town with buses and trains from Glasgow. Ferries sail to Mull (Craignure), Lismore, Tiree, Coll, Colonsay and Barra, plus the inshore islet of Kerrara.
• Mallaig has trains from Glasgow via Fort William. Ferries sail to Armadale on Skye (though most visitors nowadays use the bridge), to Lochboisedale on South Uist, to the Small Isles of Rùm, Muck, Eigg and Canna, and to the "island" of Knoydart, a mainland peninsula not connected by road.
• Uig on Skye is effectively on the mainland, and buses from Glasgow run via Fort William, Skye bridge and Portree. Ferries sail to Lochmaddy on North Uist and Tarbert on Harris.

Uig harbour is closed until 11 Dec 2023 and all ferries are cancelled.

• Ullapool has buses from Inverness which connect with those from Glasgow and Edinburgh. The ferry sails to Stornoway on Lewis.

Get around

Old Man of Storr

See

Callanish stone circle

• Callanish stone circle on Lewis is the outstanding prehistoric structure in the Hebrides. The Lewis chessmen were found nearby, but you'll have to visit the British Museum in London or the NMS in Edinburgh to see them.
• Black houses were the traditional Hebridean hovel until late Victorian times. They had a single long room, a peat fire burning in the middle with no chimney, and cattle kept at one end. Several have been preserved as museums or living spaces, with examples on all the main islands. People decamped into cleaner "white houses" but Tiree adopted a curious hybrid, the "pudding house".
• Castles are mostly gnarly medieval ruins; Kisimul on Barra is the best of these. Those converted into mansions that you can visit include Duart Castle at Craignure on Mull, Dunvegan on Skye and Lews in Stornoway.
• Iona has an elegantly rebuilt cathedral amidst other ruins. The monasteries of the Hebrides were wrecked by the Vikings, restored by the Normans, then fell derelict again during the Reformation. However their graveyards continued in use, and some were incorporated into later churches, as on Lismore.
• Trotternish the northeast peninsula of Skye has the most spectacular scenery of that island, with formations such as the Quiraing and Old Man of Storr.
• Fingal's Cave on Staffa is the most dramatic of the basalt scenery produced by Atlantic eruptions, extending through Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland to the active volcanoes of Iceland.
• The Northern Lights are frequently visible in winter, as the Hebrides are free of light pollution. But not in summer, as it never gets properly dark.

Do

• Hebridean Way is a hiking and cycling trail across the Outer Hebrides from Vatersay to Stornoway and the Butt of Lewis.
• Beaches in many places are long, sandy and unspoiled, but the water is cold. You need a chunky wetsuit for activities such as surfing, windsurfing or kayaking.
• Check the tides then walk to Orosay / Oronsay, it hardly matters which, as it's the generic Viking term for a tidal island. Examples lie off Barra, Colonsay (with a ruined priory), Coll and Skye, and the Uists have a dozen.
• Music festivals are held on Mull in April, Islay and Skye in May, and Lewis in July. Look out also for Highland Games, clan gatherings and agricultural shows in summer.

Buy

If you bring a car, fill upon the mainland before coming over. The islands are quite large and you'll spend a lot of time in third gear.

The inhabited islands have small stores. Only Stornoway is big enough for a proper supermarket; it's closed on Sunday.

Sleep

"Pudding house" on Tiree

Accommodation is often most rewarding if you stay somewhat off the beaten track - most villages will have chalets or bed and breakfasts. These will probably be cheaper than those in the more tourist-oriented areas. Due to the steep cost of advertising, most accommodation is not listed in official tourist brochures or through the monolithic VisitScotland service. Instead, ask locally, search on the web, or look at more locally focused community websites.

Cope

The Paps of Jura.

The wetness also encourages midges on most of the islands, although these often last for just a few weeks of "summer" after the middle of June. Insect repellent or head nets (available widely) are useful, although if not walking on grassland or when dry underfoot this will be much less of a problem.

In winter, the high latitudes in the north of Scotland means it is often cold, even in spring and autumn. Snow may be expected to last late and start falling early, on the high ground - say, November to March. Some might say don't bother visiting in winter as it's too cold. Those same people will never witness Scotland at its most beautiful, where the sun striking the snow-covered peaks is truly a sight to behold.

Stay safe

People are very friendly in this part of Britain, and any form of crime (which is very unlikely) is likely to be big news in the community.

Many of the Hebridean islands are remote and sparsely populated, however, and the weather can change very rapidly; it is therefore important to be well prepared before venturing onto the hills or moors.

Go next

There are several other groups of Scottish islands, which have some similarities to and some differences from the Hebrides.

• Orkney Islands an archipelago of some 70 islands just north of the North West tip of the Scottish mainland.
• Shetland Islands, some 100 islands (15 inhabited) to the north of the Orkney Islands.
• The islands in the Clyde, principally the Isle of Arran and the Isle of Bute.