Islands & Beaches

The 8 Scottish Islands You Should Plan to Visit

More than 800 islands lie within reach of Scotland’s rugged coastline, scattered across the North Sea and Atlantic Ocean. They form part of three large groupings: the Outer Hebrides, the last land before North America; the Inner Hebrides, which hug close to the western coast of Scotland; and the Shetlands and Orkneys, scattered like a broken necklace trailing toward the North Pole. Here are eight of the most intriguing islands, whether you’re a whisky aficionado or seeking more spiritual sustenance.
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    Islay, for the ultimate peaty snifter

    Islay (EYE-luh) whiskies from the Inner Hebrides are among the world’s smokiest, thanks to the local turf. The island hosts eight working distilleries, including royal favorite Laphroaig (which holds Prince Charles’ warrant) and insider favorite Bruichladdich. Real peat-hounds, though, should pilgrimage to Ardbeg, where the smokiest whiskies live. The best time to visit is during May's annual Fèis Ìle, or the Festival of Malt and Music; book a room to overnight amid the stills at Bowmore, which repurposed five historic cottages into a luxe refuge for R&R.

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    Lewis, for handmade Harris tweed

    The most populous island in the Outer Hebrides, and home to capital Stornoway, Lewis is a rugged, windswept place: Local industry centers on fishing and weaving, notably the world-famous Harris tweed, named after an adjoining island, despite 216 of the 235 registered weavers actually living and working on Lewis. Stop off the roadside to buy direct from the likes of Norman Mackenzie, who sells his fabrics from a shack-like workshop, or stop into the Harris Tweed Hebrides mill, where the hand-loomed fabrics are processed for sale. Otherwise, Rosie Wiscombe’s ByRosie workshop offers inventive uses of the traditional fabric in readymade accessories and clothes. Be sure to detour to the western coast's Standing Stones in Callanish, the Scottish answer to Stonehenge; dine at nearby Auberge Carnish, a restaurant with superb fish-focused food, run by an expat French chef.

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    Harris, for surfing and beautiful beaches

    Though technically the same landmass as Lewis, Harris is treated by locals as a separate island. The reason: A high rocky ridge divides the two, which formed an insurmountable barrier to the seafaring folk who first lived here, so creating two cultures on one landmass. Generally, Harris is quieter and feels smaller than Lewis. A gulf stream makes The Hebrides surprisingly warm, so you can happily take a midsummer stroll on the glorious beach at Luskentyre Sands. Those winds also sweep in surfers; newbies can sign up for lessons with a local instructor. Harris is also the site of an upstart distillery: The religious conservatism of the Outer Hebrides stymied historic whisky production, but erstwhile Glenmorangie director Simon Erlanger has broken through with his gin distillery on the island’s southern coast.

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    Mainland Orkney, for history buffs

    A few miles off the northeastern tip of the British mainland, the Orkneys are an archeological Aladdin’s cave, with more than 2,000 sites dating back to the Neolithic era. If you don’t stop off here on a cruise—the Orcadians regularly host high-end ships—the best base for exploring is the central island. Known as "Mainland," it’s home to Skara Brae, the most famous such dig: In 1850, a rough storm blew away sand dunes that had protected the 5,000-year-old village for millennia. More recently, archeologists have been excavating an equally impressive find: [Ness of Brodgar] (http://www.orkneyjar.com/archaeology/nessofbrodgar/) a more "recent" site—dating back just 3,000 years—that once burst with art, pottery and other precious artifacts.

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    Fair Isle and the Shetlands, for sweaters and birdwatchers

    Continue north from the Orkneys, and you’ll encounter two more Scottish island clusters. Fair Isle, owned by Britain’s National Trust, is the birthplace of that ubiquitous countrified sweater pattern; many of the 60 or so full-time island residents farm sheep or hand-knit such sweaters. As a stop-off on many migration routes, it's also a bird-watching mecca, with a fully equipped bird observatory built in 1948 and radically upgraded seven years ago. Continue even further north to the final islands off Scotland’s coast, the Shetlands, an archipelago of more than 100 islands where barely a dozen are inhabited. Weavers, knitters and farmers call the central island—dubbed "Mainland," too—home, while the local dialect and accent have an Old Norse lilt, thanks to the Vikings who once ruled here.

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    Skye, for Michelin-chasing gourmands

    The largest landmass in the inner Hebrides is no longer technically an island—a permanent bridge connected it to the mainland in 1995. Historically, it’s associated with folk hero [Bonnie Prince Charlie] (http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/civil_war_revolution/launch_ani_bonnie_prince.shtml), who escaped here after his unsuccessful attempts to snatch the British throne; expect plentiful souvenirs and signs everywhere in his honor. Today, Skye is considered a foodie hub—a place to sample Scotland’s take on locavore cooking, with two Michelin-starred dining spots on the island. Cookery writer Lady Claire Macdonald’s Kinloch Lodge first earned the accolade, and her head chef hosts classes, too. Three years ago, The Three Chimneys, housed in a crofter’s stone cottage, also received a star for its eight-course Taste of Skye meals. Book early.

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    Iona, for spiritual succor

    Barely three miles long, the tiny Inner Hebrides island of Iona, offers a contemplative hideaway, known throughout the country as the spiritual home of Scotland’s Christian community. Barely 100 permanent residents live there today, leaving much of Iona tranquil and untouched. The island’s best hotel is (named) [http://www.stcolumba-hotel.co.uk/] after St. Columba, who landed here in 563 CE and founded a monastery. His cloisters have become renowned for learning, as monks began Ireland’s treasured Book of Kells here before taking it over to Kells in 807 CE. Come to see the 12th-century chapel, St. Oran’s, as well as its adjoining cemetery, a permanent resting place for sixty Scottish kings.

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    Barra, for thrill-seeking aviation nerds

    Barra has a fine cockling beach, Traigh Mhor (or Big Beach) on its northern tip, but that sandspit has a remarkable second purpose: It acts as Barra’s official runway. Come to this southern Outer Hebrides island for the only regularly scheduled flight in Europe to be tide-dependent, a landing that’s earned plaudits from aviation nerds for its beauty—and a few white knuckles from many a nervous flier. Airport aside, Barra is probably best known for the book-turned-comic movie Whisky Galore, about a ship carrying 20,000 cases of whisky that wrecked off the island's coast: The local Am Politician pub even has a few bottles from the real-life wreck that inspired the book.

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