
Scotland’s islands have to be one of Britain’s best-kept secrets. I’d heard tales of the stunning beaches, breathtaking landscapes and unique culture you can find in the far north of Scotland, and couldn’t wait to see those postcard-worthy views for myself. I just needed some sunshine to make it perfect – and the Hebridean Isles of Lewis and Harris couldn’t have put on a better show for me on my first Scottish island trip.
Technically one landmass but split into two islands, Lewis and Harris lie at the top of the Outer Hebrides off Scotland’s west coast. Each has different landscapes, and their proximity makes it easy to visit both islands on one trip. But why should you visit Lewis and Harris? Here are nine great reasons to add these islands to your Scotland travel wishlist.
Read more: A journey through history on the Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides
Why visit the Isles of Lewis and Harris?

1. The beaches
It’s not hard to see why the beaches on the west coast of the Isle of Harris top so many of those ‘best beach in the world’ lists. With their white sands gently sloping into clear turquoise waters they could easily give islands in the Caribbean or South Pacific a run for their money (until you dip your toes in that is – the water temperatures are decidedly Scottish!).
Stunning Luskentyre beach is the star of the show, but our other favourites included Scarista, Seilebost and Horgabost beaches on the Isle of Harris as well as Ness beach on the Isle of Lewis. The coast of both Lewis and Harris is dotted with a diverse mix of sheltered coves, sandy dunes and rocky bays, so you’ll have no problem finding your perfect beach.

2. The history
If you’re interested in history and archaeology, then you’ll be fascinated by the Outer Hebrides. The islands were one of the first places to be settled in the British Isles around 8500 BC and plenty of remnants of their dramatic past still remain.
A drive along the west coast of the Isle of Lewis is a tour through the last few thousand years. There are the Neolithic standing stones at Callanish – older and more impressive than Stonehenge – the Iron Age Dun Carloway Broch, a Norse mill and traditional 19th-century blackhouse villages at Arnol and Gearrannan, one of which you can even stay in.

3. The diverse landscapes
At around 840 square miles in size, Lewis and Harris pack a lot of different landscapes into a small area. Lewis is mostly flat, with miles of peaty moorlands stretching across the centre of the island which reminded me of Iceland. Then around the coast you’ve got sandy beaches and rocky headlands in the east and the deep waters of Loch Suaineabhal.
Or follow the road down to Harris and the landscape changes again, winding its way up and down hills with panoramic views down to lochs and coastal inlets. Be prepared that every journey will take longer than you think as you’ll want to make a lot of photo stops.

4. The food and drink
Seasonal, local produce are foodie buzzwords, but Lewis and Harris are old hands at this. They have an impressive selection of places to eat and drink, as well as lots of small-scale local producers. We followed the Eat Drink Hebrides Trail around the islands, a self-guided foodie tour which lists some of the islands’ best food producers, shops and restaurants.
Among their local favourites were Stornoway Black Pudding from Charles MacLeod, peat-smoked scallops and kippers from the Stornoway Smokehouse, handmade chocolates from Flavour, smoked salmon, cheese, tea and Hebridean Mustard. And don’t miss a drop of Harris Gin or Abhainn Dearg whisky – both run tours and tastings from their distilleries.

5. The traditions
The islands hold their traditions close, like the Gaelic language which is still spoken and used on signs around the Hebrides. But it’s not a place that’s just looking to the past, and traditions are always evolving. Alongside traditional music you can also see modern local art, film and photography on show in the An Lanntair arts centre in Stornoway.
And as for those ‘everything’s closed on Sundays for church’ stereotypes – although you won’t find as many places open on the islands as on the mainland, we had no trouble filling up the car with petrol, going out for lunch and catching our flight home on a Sunday.

6. The wild coastline
Much as I love a sandy beach, there’s something entrancing about watching waves crashing against the rocks. And the Butt of Lewis at the north-east tip of Lewis has cliffs stretching up to 80 feet high. You can get right to the edge so it’s not one for vertigo sufferers, but the views are stunning. The area sees 100mph winds and at one point was named Britain’s windiest spot by the Guinness Book of Records – so you can imagine the size of the waves.

7. The locals
You can’t have a Scottish island post without at least one hairy Highland coo featuring, and our house came with a few of these photogenic guys as neighbours. As well as cows, you can see wildlife like red deer, eagles and otters around the islands, plus seals, dolphins, porpoises and whales off the coast – with wildlife-watching boat trips available for a closer look.
Our human neighbours were just as friendly too. There’s a real sense of community around the islands. The Islanders we met were all justifiably proud of their home and wanted to share tips of their favourite places to visit to help make our trip special.

8. The artistic side
Something about the scenery when you visit Lewis and Harris makes you want to pick up a paintbrush, so it’s no surprise many talented artists and craftspeople have made their home on the islands. Harris Tweed is best known, and I couldn’t resist buying one of the beautiful jackets, which have to be woven by hand at home in the Hebrides to earn the name.
You’ll also find painters, photographers, jewellers, potters, knitters and writers around the islands. And author Peter May set a whole trilogy of books on Lewis. Fans of the series can check out some of the locations featured in them around Lewis and Harris.

9. The feeling of space and peace
For city-dwellers like me, space, peace and quiet are all scarce resources. But the Isles of Lewis and Harris have plenty of them to spare. Even on Luskentyre Beach on a sunny Saturday in the middle of August, we counted at most 25 other people.
Imagine a beach like that transported to Cornwall and you wouldn’t find a spare patch of sand. Outside of Stornoway the islands’ roads are quiet and there’s so much space to explore – deserted coves, coastline, moorland, lochs and acres of countryside. It’s the perfect place to stop, leave your stresses behind, relax and unwind for a few days.

The details
Getting to the Isles of Lewis and Harris
There’s an airport in Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis with flights with Loganair from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness and around the UK. There’s also a ferry from Ullapool on the Scottish mainland to Stornoway and from Uig on the Isle of Skye to Tarbert on Harris. And you can travel on to other Outer Hebrides islands via the Leverburgh–Berneray ferry.
Getting around the Isles of Lewis and Harris
There is a bus service on the islands, but it’s not very frequent and you can’t get everywhere by public transport. So if you want to explore and stop off where you like, it’s best to hire a car. There’s a car rental desk at Stornaway Airport or you can pick up a car at from the ferry terminals in Stornaway or Tarbert, but book in advance as there’s limited availability.

We used Car Hire Hebrides and paid £190 for four days in August. Driving in the Outer Hebrides usually means lots of single lane and winding roads, but there are plenty of passing places. Traffic’s normally pretty light but you might have to share the road with a few sheep.
Where to stay on the Isles of Lewis and Harris
There are only a few hotels on the islands, but there are plenty of guesthouses and self-catering rentals. We stayed in a four-bedroom house* overlooking the sea in the hamlet of Brue on the west coast of Lewis through AirBnB, which cost £887 for four nights.
Or if you’re looking for a wow-factor place to stay, the Gothic-style Lews Castle in Stornaway has a range of bedrooms and one-, two- and three-bed apartments located on the upper floors of this Victorian castle. They’ve been beautifully renovated and come with locally sourced furnishings, and some rooms have views of Stornaway harbour.

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48 Comments
Darlene
September 5, 2016 at 6:04 pmWow! I can´t believe the beaches. It all looks so amazing and will put it on my list.
Lucy
September 5, 2016 at 7:18 pmThe beaches were just stunning – and we only got to see a sample of them too!
Katie MacLeod
September 5, 2016 at 6:45 pmThis post makes me so happy! I love your photo from the Port of Ness (and all the others, too, of course). Excited to see you picked up a Harris Tweed jacket! I’m waiting for the weather to cool down over here so I can get mine out again 🙂 I wonder if you ran into anyone I know? It wouldn’t be surprising if you had, I suppose 🙂
Lucy
September 5, 2016 at 7:21 pmSo glad you liked it and hope I did the islands justice. Love my Harris Tweed jacket – my sister got one too and we had to be restrained from buying up half the shop. Sure we must’ve run into some people you know – I was going to say I knew you to the ladies from 40 North but they were crazy busy as it was last thing on a Saturday so I didn’t get chance!
Maria
September 5, 2016 at 6:52 pmThe outer Hebrides are definitely on my bucket list, most of all because of those beaches! Went to Skye once and loved it, so could only imagine the rest of the islands to be just as wonderful 😛
Lucy
September 5, 2016 at 7:19 pmI was supposed to go to Skye years ago but it got cancelled so that’s a travel oversight I’ll have to fix sometime soon!
abitofculture
September 5, 2016 at 7:58 pmYou got me at number 1, amazing photos. Can you drive to the islands or do you need to get the ferry?
Lucy
September 5, 2016 at 8:05 pmQuite something isn’t it! We flew and hired a car but you can get the ferry too – my in-laws drove up and got the ferry to Stornoway on Lewis one way and then back from Harris via the Isle of Skye on the way back.
fin
April 16, 2019 at 8:20 amyou have to get a ferry but you can drive to ullapool the take your car onto the boat
Lynsey Jade || One More Slice
September 5, 2016 at 8:55 pmWow, these really are the UK’s best kept secret! Thank you for sharing it with us! xx
http://www.one-more-slice.com/
Lucy
September 5, 2016 at 9:48 pmYou’re very welcome, glad you enjoyed it!
Suzanne Jones
September 5, 2016 at 9:24 pmI’m definitely convinced. I’ve been pestering the hubs to go for ages now so I’ll show him this post and hope you can convince him too!
Lucy
September 5, 2016 at 9:44 pmI’ve got a few hundred more photos too if you need a bit more ammunition 😉
Sara
September 5, 2016 at 10:46 pmI keep yearning to head up in that direction and you’ve only added to that pull. Wild and romantic, and I’m not talking the new Poldark series 😉 Great post Lucy, thanks!
Lucy
September 6, 2016 at 10:28 amThanks Sara, it’s definitely given me a taste for the Scottish islands, the only question is which one next!
Jill Barth
September 6, 2016 at 2:31 amSo lovely, inspired and fresh. We live in such a wonderful world, so much to enjoy.
Thank you!
Lucy
September 6, 2016 at 10:35 amThanks, so glad you enjoyed it!
Rachel Taylor
September 6, 2016 at 4:06 amI spent some time on the lower half of the Outer Hebrides and absolutely loved it!! The pushed exploring Scottish Islands up my wishlist
Lucy
September 6, 2016 at 10:34 amI’m going to have to go and visit the lower half of the Hebrides next time, looks amazing too!
sophie
September 6, 2016 at 7:19 amHoly moly! Those beaches are simply incredible! I’ve only recently learnt that scotland could be this beautiful – did some work around Knoydart this month. Have you ever heard of that peninsula? Sounds epic!
Lucy
September 6, 2016 at 10:27 amStunning aren’t they – the water’s not quite as warm as Australia or the Caribbean but other than that you could easily think you’re halfway around the world!
theRedPhoneBox (@redphoneboxblog)
September 6, 2016 at 2:42 pmwhat a beach! it’s a pity it isn’t warmer:)
Lucy
September 6, 2016 at 3:47 pmIt was about 24 degrees the day we were there so definitely beach weather – though maybe not quite digging out the bikini!
wigginswordsandimages
September 6, 2016 at 3:00 pmI wish I were there right now. But I have to ask: what is the water temperature? Is it possible to actually go into the water? I would think that far north it would be freezing.
Lucy
September 6, 2016 at 3:49 pmIt was quite chilly so we didn’t go path knee depth! There were some hardier souls swimming though, and others in wetsuits – averages maximums are 14.5°C/58°F so it’s never too warm.
beingbuttons
September 6, 2016 at 6:35 pmThe beaches are stunning, although it looks like you were blessed with some wonderful weather. I also like your fancy gin bottle – I’m much more of a gin than whisky person!
Lucy
September 6, 2016 at 10:21 pmI’m definitely gin over whisky too – I keep trying whisky to see if I like to yet but still no! – the bottle’s so pretty, I’m going to try and recycle it into a lamp or something once then gin’s gone.
Jessica
September 7, 2016 at 5:51 pmYou were lucky with the weather! I don’t think I’ve ever come across posts about the isles of Lewis and Harris (the Isle of Skye tends to steal the show) but it looks like the islands are packed with fascinating history and stunning beauty. I’d go there just for the secluded beaches – and the whiskey!
Lucy
September 7, 2016 at 10:28 pmWe definitely were, had some beautiful days. The beaches are well worth the trip alone but so much more to see too!
Mrs macdonald
September 8, 2016 at 12:30 amI was in Harris this year with my family and we would all go back in a heart beat , it’s a beautiful place
Lucy
September 8, 2016 at 8:32 pmIt really is – I’d love to go back and see more sometime!
John
September 8, 2016 at 7:21 pmLooks beautiful Luce! I have a few days spare after a conference in Inverness in a fortnight – do you think it’d be easy enough to get around with public transport once on the island/s?
Lucy
September 8, 2016 at 8:30 pmIs that Social Travel Summit? Was thinking about applying but left it a bit late. Good excuse to explore Scotland though! There are buses around the islands (though not on Sundays) – it might take a bit of planning though as they are normally once every few hours. There are quite a few tour companies that do trips around the Highlands and Islands (mostly Skye I think) though too.
atravelingb
September 21, 2016 at 2:10 amBeautiful photos! We almost booked to go to Scotland this June and decided on Ireland at the last minute. Not a bad choice in the least, but still itching to go to this part of the island. I’ve had friends who have been recently and have raved about it. How many days did you spend there and was it enough? I’ve always struggled when planning Scotland – there are so many places I want to go, but it doesn’t seem like enough time to see it all! Still trying to find that delicate balance of giving each place its due without running around like a crazy person!
Lucy
September 21, 2016 at 10:49 amI know that struggle well! We had 4 nights in the Outer Hebrides and that was about right to see Lewis and Harris, so I’d say a week if you were wanting to see a bit of the other islands as well. There’s so much I want to see of Scotland too – my sister recently moved to Edinburgh so it’s made it a lot easier to have a base up there.
Nika
October 7, 2016 at 4:00 amFell in love with the beautiful photos! I would love to visit it!
Lucy
October 7, 2016 at 3:42 pmThanks so much, hope you do get to visit someday!
Tilly
October 15, 2016 at 9:42 amYou certainly have! Wow, you had amazing weather – so lucky. Your photos are fantastic! It’s definitely on my travel wish list!
Lucy
October 16, 2016 at 9:14 pmWe were so lucky with the weather! Couldn’t have been any better for our beach day.
invertedsheep
October 30, 2016 at 5:25 pmI’m sat at my laptop organising my photos from Harris and Lewis into a Flickr album and this pops up on Twitter! Of course, I had to click and read. I love your photos and agree with everything you say about these islands. I really wanted to buy something made from Harris tweed whilst I was there, but didn’t want to get clothing. Then I saw cushions in the Temple Cafe in Harris made from tweed and knew that was what I wanted. I bought the material and got it made into cushions for the seats/bed in my camper van. Now I have a memory of Harris with me everywhere I go and I get to use it all year round. I’m looking forward to reading your next posts on Harris and Lewis.
Lucy
October 31, 2016 at 11:01 pmSo glad to bring back some good memories of such a gorgeous place! Love your Harris tweed cushion idea, it’s lovely to have little reminders of places you’ve been. It’s taken me an age to sort out all the hundreds of photos I took in the Hebrides but should have another post on Harris coming up next month.
andrea
September 14, 2017 at 3:54 amawsome post Lucy. I was wondering about the temperature of the water, could you say?
Lucy
September 15, 2017 at 8:36 pmIt averages around 13 or 14ºC (56ºF) in August/September so it’s a bit chilly for swimming!
Anna
December 30, 2017 at 5:27 pmLooks amazing! Do you have any suggestions for accomodation, by any chance?
Lucy
January 3, 2018 at 3:07 pmWe stayed in a big house on Lewis (review and links in this post: https://www.ontheluce.com/airbnb-favourites-ii-berlin-amsterdam-annecy-hebrides/) but Stories My Suitcase Could Tell may have some hotel and other options (she’s from the islands so was my local expert!).
CAROL A MACCALLUM
April 26, 2020 at 9:00 pmHL Lucy. I am so glad you have discovered where I come from. CNIP especially. Best Regards from the out her herbridies, CAROL. . ,
Douglas Ross
March 6, 2021 at 8:39 amComing over in August this year, your article is a fantastic advertisement and cant wait to get there myself and enjoy the Island.
Lucy Dodsworth
March 8, 2021 at 4:59 pmHope you have a great trip!