28 April

United Kingdom: Castlebay

Barra is the most southerly inhabited island in the Outer Hebrides, renowned for its beautiful beaches and grassy dunes scattered with wildflowers. The main settlement is the village of Castlebay, where you’ll find the medieval Kisiul Castle perched on a rocky outcrop just offshore.

29 April

United Kingdom: Lochboisdale

29 April

United Kingdom: Lochmaddy

Lochmaddy is the gateway to North Uist’s watery landscape of peat bogs and lochs, a haven for wildlife including otters, seals and birds galore; native species include corncrakes, redshanks and red-throated divers. The gently undulating hills are ideal for hiking, and there are a number of interesting prehistoric sites.

30 April

United Kingdom: Tarbert (Isle of Harris)

Harris is the more mountainous southern part of the Isle of Lewis and Harris, the largest of the Outer Hebrides (sometimes confusingly described as two islands). Harris is famous for Harris Tweed, still hand-woven by the islanders, and is graced with some spectacular white sand beaches.

30 April

United Kingdom: Shiant Isles

The outlying Shiant Isles are a key breeding site for seabirds, home to species including Atlantic puffins, razorbills, common guillemots and northern fulmars. The islands are also a haven for seals and basking sharks, and are said to be haunted by mythical creatures known as ‘kelpies’.

1 May

United Kingdom: Stornoway

Situated on a natural harbour on the east coast of the Isle of Lewis, Stornoway is the largest town in the Outer Hebrides. The island is one of the last major strongholds of the Gaelic language, and is home to fascinating Neolithic sites such as the mysterious standing stones at Callanish.

2 May

United Kingdom: Gairloch

Situated on the shore of Loch Gairloch in picturesque Wester Ross, the scattered settlements known collectively as Gairloch serve as a popular base for whale and dolphin watching trips, and the surrounding area is home to some beautiful sandy beaches.

3 May

United Kingdom: Muck

Muck is the smallest and most southerly of the Small Isles, just 2½ miles across and home to barely 40 people. Flat, fertile and flecked with wildflowers, the island provides a haven for wildlife including puffins, kittiwakes, fulmars, shearwaters, sea eagles and porpoises.

3 May

United Kingdom: Tobermory

Tobermory, an old fishing station brightened by a crescent of colourful houses, is the main settlement on the Isle of Mull. This rugged and varied island is one of the most popular destinations in the Hebrides, and is rich in wildlife, home to species including white-tailed eagles, otters and whales.

4 May

Arriving in Oban

The waterfront town of Oban, situated on Scotland’s west coast, is the main gateway to the Hebridean islands, and it’s a busy place in summer. We recommend sampling the excellent seafood while enjoying the views across to the islands of Mull and Kerrera.