Scotland has many beautiful islands, and it is often hard to choose exactly which ones to visit if you only have a limited time to spend here. Most of you will no doubt have heard of the Isle of Skye, and also places like Orkney and Shetland, but did you know that Scotland has 790 offshore islands, of which 124 are inhabited? We are often asked “what’s the best one to go to?” and I think the answer to this will really depend on your own interests and what you like doing. For some people the idea of being on a remote, tiny, windswept island with no broadband and only a couple of sheep to share the beautiful sea view sounds like paradise, others might prefer a bit more in the way of amenities!
With this in mind I thought we would take a look at some of the lesser visited islands, starting with the Isle of Barra.
Barra is a remote island, only five miles wide by eight miles long, which lies off the west coast of Scotland in the Outer Hebrides. Barra is home to sandy beaches, a stunning coastline, and a resident school of dolphins. Known as the “Garden of the Hebrides”, Barra has an abundance of flora and fauna including over 1000 species of wildflower. There is just one road, and you can also visit the neighbouring Isle of Vatersay Island, which is linked to Barra by a causeway. The small, close knit, Gaelic speaking community is centred around the main settlement on the island, Castlebay.
Kisimul Castle dominates the bay, in surely what must be one of the most stunning settings for a fortification in the country. Perched on a rocky outcrop in the bay and known locally as “the castle in the sea”, Kisimul or Chiosmuil translates as “the rock in the bay”. Kisimul is the ancient seat of the Clan MacNeil and the most significant surviving medieval castle in the Western Isles. The Macneils of Barra claim to be descended from Niall of the Nine Hostages, high king of Ireland in the 5th century and great grandfather of St Columba. The Macneils were granted the island of Barra in 1427, and it is likely that the Clan Chief of the time, Gilleonan Macneil, ordered the building of the castle around that time. Today you can follow in the footsteps of the clansmen, by taking the small boat out over the water for the short journey to the castle, and enjoy the spectacular views of the bay from the tower house battlements.
For some visitors, the journey to Barra is nearly as much fun as actually visiting the island itself! There is a ferry service from the mainland (a journey of around six hours) and also connecting ferries to the nearby island of South Uist, but probably the most popular way of arriving in Barra is to fly. The reason for this? Barra is home to one of the world’s most stunning airports – the wide, shallow beach of Traigh Mhor is used by aircraft as a landing strip, and Barra is reputedly the only beach airport in the world to be used for scheduled services. Flight times change from week to week, as aircraft can only land at low tide. Surely a simply spectacular way to start your Scottish island vacation!
Click here to see a short BBC Scotland news item on flying into Barra, or check out the landing itself here.
So the Commonwealth Games kicked off in Glasgow last night 🏅🏅🏅
The opening ceremony was typically bonkers, and featured a massive Tunnocks teacake 😂🏴
Tunnocks teacakes consist of a thin biscuit layer topped with whipped marshmallow and covered in chocolate 😋 They are wrapped in iconic red and silver foil packaging and sold all over the country, in supermarkets and often in cafes. They are a taste sensation, and the perfect accompaniment to a cup of tea. Be sure to try one if you’re visiting this summer!
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*If you’re travelling in the Highlands just now please be advised to avoid the Glenmore / Loch Morlich area due to wildfire 🥲**UPDATE - 14:15 on 16 July
Emergency services and partners continue to tackle a large-scale fire near Ryvoan Bothy. The emergency response is being coordinated at a national level involving the Scottish Government, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Police Scotland, RSPB Scotland, Forestry and Land Scotland, the Park Authority and multiple other partners.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service have shared that the fire is currently affecting an area of approximately six squared kilometres. We are asking the public to follow the following guidance:
- Please do not travel to the area or attempt to access Glenmore Forest Park, Loch Morlich or the surrounding area while firefighting operations are ongoing. A strict cordon remains in place and road closures continue to support the emergency response.
- Those impacted by evacuations will have been contacted and we would ask everyone to cooperate fully with Police Scotland and other relevant authorities for their safety.
- Residents in Aviemore and surrounding areas are asked to close windows and doors to prevent smoke entering.
-Anyone with known respiratory conditions nearby is encouraged to contact 111 if they experience any difficulties. Contact 999 in an emergency.
Thermal drone footage captured by Park Authority staff last night has helped inform fire fighting efforts and highlight the scale of the fire, but the extent of the damage and the cause is not yet known.
Overnight emergency services, gamekeepers, NGO and estate staff were on the scene working tirelessly to control the fire. We are deeply grateful for their efforts, and those of the businesses and local community providing support to those affected.
We will provide further updates when we have them.
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