| The Outer Hebrides is one of the most popular tourist destinations
in Scotland, and for good reason: people come for the wildlife, history,
geology, mind-blowing scenery, hill-walking and a variety of other outdoor
activities. Portree, the island capital, has a picturesque, pastel cottage-lined
harbour, overlooked by 'The Lump'. To the north is the Trotternish peninsula,
home to startling geological features such as the Quirang, Kilt Rock and
the Old Man of Storr. However, it is the Cuillin that is the most outstanding
feature on Skye, the peaks visible from all over the island, one of the
most impressive sights in Scotland. With 20 Munros in the Red and Black
Cuillin, they are a paradise for walkers and climbers. The influence of
the sea is also never far away with sea fishing and a wide range of other
watersports being catered for on Skye. Wildlife cruises sail from various
locations from which you might be able to spot seals, lovable otters,
great golden eagles or the even bigger sea eagles. Bonnie Prince Charlie
fled over the sea to Skye with the help of Flora MacDonald. You can take
the bridge now, as well as the ferry, but the romance embodied by the
flight of 'The Young Pretender' still lingers. There's just something
about Skye that will stay with you forever.
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Welcome to the Outer Hebrides Scotland
The Outer Hebrides - also known as the Western Isles - stretch for 130
miles and look out on their western side to the Atlantic Ocean.
Here on the edge of Europe is a striking mix of landscapes from windswept
golden sands to harsh, heather-backed mountains and peat bogs. An elemental
beauty pervades each of the more than two hundred islands that make up
the archipelago, only a handful of which are actually inhabited.
Lewis and Harris form the northernmost island in the Hebrides. Though
actually part of the same land mass, they are thought of as different
islands and each has its own distinctive culture, traditions and heritage.
Lewis in the north is the largest island in the group and its main town
of Stornoway is a busy centre of island life, its natural harbour a thriving
fishing port.
Harris is home to the world-famous Harris Tweed, which has to be made
on these islands if it carries the name. Across a narrow isthmus from
the more mountainous North Harris lies South Harris, presenting some of
the finest scenery in Scotland, with wide beaches of golden sand trimming
the Atlantic in full view of the mountains and a rough boulder-strewn
interior lying to the east.
Further south still sit a string of tiny, flatter islands including North
Uist, Benbecula, South Uist and Barra. Here breezy beaches whose fine
sands front a narrow band of boggy farmland are mostly bordered by a lower
range of hills to the east. Uniquely, one of the beaches on Barra also
doubles as a landing strip for the scheduled flights from the mainland!
The Hebrides remain the heartland of Gaelic culture, with the language
spoken by the vast majority of islanders, though its everyday usage remains
under constant threat from the national dominance of English. Its survival
is, in no small part, due to the influence of the Free Church and its
offshoots, whose strict Calvinism is the creed of the vast majority of
the population, with the sparsely populated South Uist, Barra and parts
of Benbecula adhering to the more relaxed demands of Catholicism.
The natural environment of the Hebrides make it ideal for walking and
cycling of all standards while the superb Atlantic beaches draw surfers
from around the globe. Fishing for salmon and trout, as well as sea angling,
is also highly popular and of the highest quality. The clear, pollution-free
Hebridean waters, also produce some of the best seafood in the UK.
Lying offshore into the Atlantic, the remarkable deserted Island of St
Kilda, a World Heritage Site, is a major attraction which can only be
reached by day boat or live-aboard cruise vessel, subject to weather conditions
and the permission of its owners, the National Trust for Scotland.
Accommodation around the Outer Hebrides
Places to stay on the Isle of Skye
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Email enquiries & reservations: scotland@madbookings.com
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Information and Places to stay 
