Outer Hebrides
The Outer Hebrides (also known as the Western Isles, Scottish Gaelic: Na h-Eileanan Siar) are the westernmost chain of islands in the Hebrides, west of the Scottish Highlands.
Islands
Towns and villages
- Balivanich - the biggest village on Benbecula
- Castlebay - the main village on Barra
- Leverburgh - a village at the south of Harris
- Lochmaddy - the main village on North Uist
- Nunton
- Stornoway - the only town, on the Isle of Lewis
- Tarbert - the main village in Harris
Other destinations
Understand
The Outer Hebrides are a fascinating destination. The scenery is beautiful. 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. It is easy to find a quiet peaceful spot.
The Gaelic language and culture is appealing. At a practical level this means that place names on road signs are in Gaelic, but the bus timetables use the English names!
Religion still plays an important part in many people’s lives. In Lewis and Harris this is often in the form of Protestant Churches. As a result the Sabbath (Sunday) is respected, so you are unlikely to find shops etc. open on a Sunday. Activities happening on a Sunday often are opposed locally. In contrast Barra and South Uist are mainly Catholic, and many businesses typically open after midday on a Sunday. Benbecula is half-Protestant and half-Catholic, and one can still find businesses open on a Sunday there.
Talk
The main languages are Gaelic (Gàidhlig) and English, with Gaelic (pronounced in English as 'gallick') being the dominant language in people's homes. However, outside their homes, Gaelic is mainly used as a social and cultural language. Virtually all Gaelic speakers over the age of 5 speak English to a near-native fluency.
Most modern maps and road signs show the local place names in Gaelic with the English name shown below, usually in a smaller and often illegible font. However, bus timetables will exclusively use their English names as will locals when speaking English.
Get in
By boat
Caledonian MacBrayne is the national ferry service. Citylink coaches generally connect with the ferries on the mainland.
- Uig on Skye to Tarbert (Harris) Mon-Sat one or two per day taking 1 hour 40 minutes.
- Uig on Skye to Lochmaddy on North Uist Mon-Sun one or two per day taking 1 hour 45 minutes.
- Oban to Lochboisdale on South Uist 4 per week, taking 5+ hours.
By air
In the Outer Hebrides, there are airports in Stornoway in Lewis, Benbecula and Barra. These airports provide direct flights to Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness. The airport in Barra is one of the most spectacular in the world, with planes landing on a three-mile beach at low tide, but this does mean that the flight times vary with the tide.
Get around
By boat
- Caledonian MacBrayne. The national ferry service. Details below are for Summer 2006:
Berneray to Leverburgh on Harris Daily 3-4 per day, taking 1 hour.
Eriskay to Barra Daily, up to 5 per day, taking 40 minutes.
By bus
There are good bus services during the day Monday 'thru Saturday, but little in the evening and no buses on a Sunday.
Many of the islands are linked by road causeways and bridges, which have progressively been built over the last 50 years or so. Most recently, causeways have been built to Eriskay from South Uist, and to Berneray from North Uist.
By bicycle
The Outer Hebrides are popular for cycle tourists, generally taking around a week to cycle from Barra to Stornoway.
Car hire
- MacLennan's Garage, Balivanich, Benbecula, tel: +44 1870 602191
- Ask Car Hire, Creagorry, Benbecula, tel: +44 1870 602818.
- Mackinnon Self Drive, 18 Inaclete Road, Stornoway, Lewis, HS1 2RB tel: +44 1851 702984. From £25.50 per day.
- Arnol Motors, Arnol, Lewis HS2 9DB +44 1851 710548. From £34 per day.
- Lewis Car Rentals, 52 Bayhead Street, Stornoway, Lewis, HS1 2TU. From £34 per day.
- Car Hire Hebrides, Stornoway Airport, Lewis, +44 1851 706500. From £34 per day
Taxis
- Alda Taxis, Lochmaddy, North Uist. tel: +44 1876 500215.
See
Beaches
There are many fine sandy beaches, mainly on the Western shores of the islands.
History
- Kisimul Castle on Barra.
- Callinish Standing Stones on Lewis.
- Carloway Brooch on Lewis.
- Black House Museum at Arnol on Lewis.
Art
Itineraries
Do
- Play Golf at one of the 5 island golf courses .
Buy
There are several banks on the islands in Stornoway, Tarbert, Lochmaddy, Balivanich, Lochboisdale and Barra. The Royal Bank of Scotland also runs mobile banks (in a van) from Stornoway and Lochboisdale.
Eat
Drink
Stay safe
Go next
There are several other groups of Scottish islands, which have some similarities and some differences from the Outer Hebrides.
- Inner Hebrides, the main islands are: Tiree (which has a weekly ferry from Barra), Mull, Islay.
- Orkney Islands an archipelago of some 70 islands off the North of Scotland.
- 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.