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15 Scenic Sights That Will Make You Want to Visit the Outer Hebrides

March 20, 2015 By Katie MacLeod 31 Comments

From beautiful beaches to historic blackhouses, picturesque harbours to crumbling forts, there’s an Instagram-worthy shot around every bend in the road in the Outer Hebrides.  Here are some of my favourites, which might just inspire you to visit the Outer Hebrides…

1. The beaches on the Isle of Harris.

Machair in bloom, Scarista, Isle of Harris

Seilebost Isle of Harris

How could I choose just one? Scarista, Luskentyre, Seilebost, Nisabost… I love them all. Fine white sand that wouldn’t look out of place in the Caribbean, crystal clear turquoise water, and not a soul to be seen: there’s a reason these beaches are regularly hailed as some of the most beautiful in the world. I often tell people that driving along the road on the west coast of Harris is dangerous – because all you want to do is look out the window at the landscape, and you end up taking your eyes off the road a bit more often than is wise!

2. The Callanish Standing Stones

visit the Outer Hebrides

Forget Stonehenge: the Callanish Stones on the west coast of Lewis are much more impressive – and even older, dating back 5000 years.  My favourite time to visit is just before sunset, when the cross-shaped stone circle feels even more atmospheric.  Bonus: the cafe at the visitor centre here makes delicious homemade brownies with ice cream, among other tasty menu items.

3. Stornoway Harbour

Stornoway Harbour reflections

Boats in a misty Stornoway Harbour

Stornoway Harbour celebrates its official 150th anniversary this year, although of course boats have been coming and going from the capital of the Western Isles since the days of the Vikings.  It’s a lovely location for a stroll, breathing in the salty air and taking in the myriad colours of the fishing boats and yachts that bob up and down on the water.

4. St Kilda.

Stac Lee, St Kilda

Lying 40 miles to the west of the Outer Hebrides, the isolated islands of St Kilda are a dual World Heritage site, home to the highest sea cliffs in Britain and over one million birds, including the country’s largest colony of puffins.  St Kilda was once also home to a community who lived in Village Bay on Hiort, the main island.  The last of the islanders were evacuated in 1930, and the abandoned homes and dramatic landscape are now a poignant place to visit – my journey to St Kilda with Sea Harris in 2014 was a highlight of my year (and dare I say, all my travels to date!).

5. The Dun Carloway Broch.

Dun Carloway Broch

Dun Carloway is the name given to these hilltop remains of an old fortification, an Iron Age Broch; this is one of the best-preserved in the country.  As children we hurried in and out of the passageways as if we were in an adventure book, and the appeal doesn’t wear off as the years go on.  Located on the west side of Lewis, it’s one of the first places I take friends who are visiting from the mainland, and the novelty never wanes.

6. The Gearrannan Blackhouse Village

Gearrannan Blackhouse Village

The Gearrannan Blackhouse Village is a unique mix of past and present, pairing traditional island blackhouse exteriors with modern amenities inside.  There are whole houses for hire, perfect for families on holiday, large flocks of friends, or parties of locals booking the space for an overnight escape (I can vouch for the fact that the American-style fridge-freezers can stock plenty of bubbly for special celebrations).  There’s a small museum here too, but a wander through the beautifully restored village is completely free.

7. Bayble Beach.

Summer flowers at Bayble Beach, Isle of Lewis

Bayble Beach in Lewis is a place close to my heart: a place where I first learned to build sandcastles and swim in the sea; met friends after school during our teenage years; and took brisk walks before the family roast dinner on Sunday.  Whether rain or shine, the view out to Bayble Island is a lovely one, and on clear days you can even see the hills of the Scottish mainland in the distance.  The local community cafe, Cafe Roo, is only a short drive away if you need a pick-me-up in the form of cake, coffee, or a hearty Scottish breakfast roll.

8. St. Moluag’s Church.

St Moluag's Church, Ness (2)

St Moluag’s Church is found at the end of a grassy path that passes by someone’s home in the lovely village of Eoropie, in Ness on the Isle of Lewis.  Although it’s still used during the summer for Episcopal church services and local weddings, St Moluag’s remains something of a mystery: no-one is quite sure who founded this ancient place of worship.  Whatever the building’s origins, it’s an imposing site as you approach on foot, and well worth a visit.

9. Bostadh Beach.

Bosta Beach

Bostadh Beach, located on the island of Great Bernera (just to the west of the Isle of Lewis), is something of a hidden gem – partly because of the long winding, often-single track road that leads there.  I visited for the first time in years last summer, and was suitably stunned at Bostadh’s beauty.

10. Uig Bay

Uig Hills, Isle of Lewis

The white sands of the beach by Ardroil stretch so far that there are times you can’t even see the sea (it can be a slightly surreal experience, especially if you’re the only person there).  On top of the soft sand and brooding vistas of the Uig hills is an intriguing history: this is the spot where the Lewis Chessmen were discovered in 1831, frightening the crofter who found them into thinking he had stumbled across ‘the little people’, or fairies!

11. The beaches at Dal Beg and Dal Mor

Dailbeag Beach Isle of Lewis

These two neighbouring beaches on the west side of Lewis bear the full force of the Atlantic, making them great spots for surfers (and those who, like me, prefer to watch the waves from a safe distance).  Dal Beg (pictured) is also my go-to picnic spot after picking up a sandwich (or two) from the fabulous 40 North.

12. The ‘Narrows’ and streets of Stornoway.

Kenneth Street, Stornoway

When the sun shines, the streets of Stornoway look positively Mediterranean. I recommend grabbing a coffee and cake from Delights (and having a chat with the lovely ladies behind the counter) before wandering through the ‘Narrows’ (the streets in the centre of the town) and browsing the various shops and local businesses that line them.

13. The rural beauty of the Pentland Road.

Pentland Road Sheiling

The views as you drive south west along the Pentland Road are beautiful in that bleak, dramatic way of open moorland, stretching in shades of brown and green as far as the eye can see, the Harris and Uig hills visible on the horizon.  It’s a narrow single track road that acts as shortcut between Stornoway and the west side of Lewis – if you can navigate its curves, bumps, and blind summits, that is!

14. The Port of Ness.

Port of Ness

I love the Port of Ness, a pretty little village that overlooks the harbour of the same name.  In summer it’s a peaceful spot, with colourful boats tied to the concrete maze of the pier, but in winter it’s a different story, when high winds and waves sweep over the walls.  The pier is also where the ‘guga hunters’ arrive each autumn, after their stormy sail back from the remote island rock of Sula Sgeir, continuing a centuries-old tradition of harvesting and eating gannet meat, called ‘guga’ in Gaelic.

15. Tarbert, Isle of Harris

A tranquil pre-sunset scene at Tarbert harbour

Tarbert, the tiny main town in Harris, is a picturesque place whether seen from street level or high up on the hill above the harbour.  Stop into the local grocers for the well-known scones made the old-school island way, or have lunch at Hotel Hebrides (I’m particularly partial to their Stornoway black pudding fritters).  As you read this, the first distillery in Harris is currently under construction in the town; their first malt will be appropriately named ‘The Hearach‘, Gaelic for an inhabitant of Harris.

Would you like to visit the Outer Hebrides? Do you already have a favourite spot in the Outer Hebrides, or one you would like to visit?  My love for the islands is well-documented, but if you need even more inspiration to visit, why not have a read of my ‘Six Reasons to Visit Europe’s Best Island‘?

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Comments

  1. Hayley Simpson says

    March 20, 2015 at 10:52 am

    Really beautiful photos, Katie! I particularly like the harbour shots.

    Reply
    • Katie MacLeod says

      March 22, 2015 at 1:08 pm

      Thank you, Hayley!

      Reply
      • margaret williamson says

        June 21, 2015 at 1:07 pm

        Thank you for your summary of the true western isles. I would like to point out that when I lived in stornoway (not that many years ago!!!) the swing-parks were padlocked on a sunday.

        Reply
  2. GT says

    March 20, 2015 at 11:25 am

    I love the way Harris beaches are your first choice. No where better, but then I’m biased and unashamedly so, living in Harris as I do. Thanks for the post.

    Reply
    • Katie MacLeod says

      March 22, 2015 at 1:09 pm

      I love Harris – and I haven’t seen beaches that beautiful anywhere else in the world 🙂 You’re lucky to live there!

      Reply
  3. Amy says

    March 20, 2015 at 1:29 pm

    That’s it! I’ve been tempted to visit the Hebrides for ages and you’ve sold me – it’s going on my travel list 🙂

    Reply
    • Katie MacLeod says

      March 22, 2015 at 1:13 pm

      Yay, glad to hear you’ve been inspired to visit 🙂 And thanks so much for sharing this on your own blog, Amy!

      Reply
  4. Suzanne Jones says

    March 20, 2015 at 9:09 pm

    I so need to get myself to Harris! Those beach shots remind me a lot of the west coast of Ireland. Gorgeous photos 🙂

    Reply
    • Katie MacLeod says

      March 22, 2015 at 1:15 pm

      Thanks, Suzanne! You should definitely visit. Harris is one of my favourite places in the world 🙂

      Reply
  5. Lesley Stevenson says

    March 21, 2015 at 12:34 pm

    I don’t need to be persuaded as I have been to these wonderful islands, sadly I’m no longer able to but I know that Harris and Barra are my spiritual homes and there is some of me up there that I’ve left behind on each visit, it’s true to say that my heart and soul belong to the highlands and islands of Scotland but the isles of Harris and Barra are something else, to me they are so magical and so beautiful, of course the other islands are too but it’s no secret that the Isle of Barra is my ultimate favourite closely followed by Harris, to be fair until I visited Barra Harris was my ultimate favourite, how I miss these magical islands.

    Reply
    • Katie MacLeod says

      March 22, 2015 at 1:19 pm

      It’s great to hear that you love the islands so much, Lesley. I’ve never been to Barra, but someone else said the same thing to me not so long ago: that Harris was their favourite island until they visited Barra. I’ve wanted to visit Barra for ages, but the opportunity hasn’t presented itself yet. I’ll get there eventually 🙂

      Reply
  6. Katie Featherstone says

    March 21, 2015 at 1:55 pm

    Wow, amazing photos! My parents live on Islay, but I’ve never made it to the Outer Hebrides yet…

    Reply
    • Katie MacLeod says

      March 22, 2015 at 1:21 pm

      Thanks, Katie! I’ve never been to Islay, but I’ve heard good things 🙂 Hopefully you’ll make it to the Outer Hebrides someday!

      Reply
  7. ashbam says

    March 21, 2015 at 4:50 pm

    Such gorgeous photos, you’ve definitely succeeded in making me want to visit!

    http://www.ashbam.com

    Reply
    • Katie MacLeod says

      March 22, 2015 at 1:23 pm

      Thanks Ashley! I hope you get to visit sometime 🙂

      Reply
  8. Bev says

    March 21, 2015 at 6:13 pm

    There is so much more to the Outter Hebrides! The Uists have some fantastic beaches and scenery.

    Reply
    • Katie MacLeod says

      March 22, 2015 at 1:33 pm

      Thanks for your comment, Bev. As this is a personal travel blog, I can only write about what I have personally experienced and places I’ve actually been to (it would be misleading to do otherwise). While I’ve been to Lewis, Harris, Great Bernera, and St Kilda, I’m yet to explore the southern isles, but Barra in particular is somewhere I’ve always to visit. These are my favourite places in the islands – where are yours?

      Reply
  9. liamalastair says

    March 21, 2015 at 8:58 pm

    You’ve only included the Isles of Harris and Lewis!?!! But nice shot with the Sgoth Niseach in Cala Steòrnabhaigh

    Reply
    • Katie MacLeod says

      March 22, 2015 at 1:42 pm

      Thanks, Liam Alastair – I took that photo during a lovely misty walk in the Castle Grounds a few years ago. And St Kilda and Great Bernera are in there on the list too 🙂 As I said to Bev in the comment above, travel blogs are very personal, and I can only write about places I have personally visited and experienced. Rest assured that when I do visit the rest of the islands, they’ll feature on this blog too. Where are your favourite spots?

      Reply
  10. Dwight Tichenor says

    March 22, 2015 at 2:43 am

    Wonderful! I will be on Harris in August.

    Reply
    • Katie MacLeod says

      March 22, 2015 at 1:43 pm

      Thanks, Dwight! Great to hear you’re heading to Harris – I hope you have a wonderful time 🙂

      Reply
  11. hoosewifey says

    March 22, 2015 at 2:59 pm

    Fantastic photo’s Katie especially the one of the flowers at Bayble great shot. I too have never managed to get to the Southern Isles and would love to visit sometime to see the difference in the landscape. Bostadh is one of my favourites too and love Eoropie Beach in Ness. The whalebone arch is one of my favourite sights in Lewis as its so random and unique.
    Mary

    Reply
    • Katie MacLeod says

      March 22, 2015 at 6:08 pm

      Thank you, Mary! I love Eoropie beach too. I could have included so many places on this list, but I thought I should have a cut-off point somewhere! I’d almost forgotten about the whale bone arch in Shawbost. I loved driving past it as a child, it seemed so mysterious to me, and representative of adventure somehow 🙂

      Reply
  12. Eli says

    March 22, 2015 at 3:33 pm

    My husband and I fell in love with harris some years ago. It is a magic place for us. The beaches, the hills, the machair, the silence, the villages, the people…..Though its a long way to travel there from Germany we try to go there as often as possible.Next week we are happy to show our one year old son the island his parents love so much!!

    Reply
    • Katie MacLeod says

      March 22, 2015 at 6:13 pm

      I’m so happy to hear that you and your family love Harris too, Eli! It’s a wonderful place for children (and I can vouch for that, having grown up in the islands myself). I hope you have a lovely time there next week 🙂

      Reply
  13. Eli says

    March 23, 2015 at 4:01 pm

    Thank you Katie !!

    Reply
  14. Mary Sinclair says

    December 5, 2015 at 5:57 pm

    What about the Uists ? There you can see the the most beautiful beaches in the Western Isles . Miles of pure white sand fringe the western coasts of North Uist , Benbecula and South Uist.

    Reply
    • Katie MacLeod says

      February 2, 2016 at 7:59 pm

      Hi Mary! Thanks for your comment. As you can see from earlier comments, I’ve pointed out that these are simply my favourite spots in the Hebrides so far – travel blogs are very personal, and I can only write about places I’ve personally experienced. Where are your favourite spots in the Hebrides?

      Reply
  15. Margaret Swan says

    May 25, 2021 at 9:49 am

    I have just been viewing some of your beautiful photographs ,the that I really liked was the one of Ardroil Uig sands with the mountains in the back ground.I would very much like to purchase a copy or if you advise me as to where to get a copy

    Reply

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I'm Katie, an expat Scot in the States, and the journalist behind Stories My Suitcase Could Tell, the travel blog which inspires you to explore the world. Read More…

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