Destination Guide to the Scottish Islands
Pure, clean air, complete peace and tranquillity, remote and untamed landscapes and thriving natural wildlife are all to be discovered on your escape to the Scottish Islands.
Scattered primarily off the west coast and far north of Scotland’s mainland, there are nearly 800 Scottish Islands, 130 of which are currently inhabited. From Shetland, almost 100 miles from the mainland, and the Orkney Islands in the north, the Scottish Islands also include the Inner and Outer Hebrides (or Western Isles) in the West, from the renowned isles of Lewis, Harris, Skye and Mull to the lesser known Islay, Colonsay, Uists and Benbecula.
The Western Isles were named Havbredey by the Vikings, meaning literally, “Islands at the edge of the Earth”. It’s a fitting description for these wild and untamed landscapes whose remote geographical location leaves them sparsely populated and largely untouched by large-scale modern development. The vistas are glorious; single-track roads wind across wild and windswept moorlands, alongside glassy lochs and between towering mountains where roaming wild ponies, highland cows and horned sheep roam the desolate hillsides. The coastlines alternate between deserted, sweeping, golden beaches and dramatic cliff faces and craggy rock formations. Rare sea birds cluster the cliff-tops and off the coastlines seals, whales and dolphins can be spotted cruising lazily in the chilly waters. The fresh, clean air and rare tranquillity of the islands make them an ideal retreat from the hectic pace of everyday life and is sure to reinvigorate and refresh.
But when unwinding in the great outdoors becomes all too much, you can still soak up some culture and history. The closer islands provide Scotland with some of her more distinct single malts, such as Talisker, and are scattered with historic castles and baronial manors such as Dunvegan Castle on Skye and Torosay Castle on Mull. The more far-flung isles see ancient settlements and neolithic stone-circles punctuate the barren hillsides some of which predate the pyramids and Stonehenge; Not to be missed are the Callanish Standing Stones on the Isle of Lewis and UNESCO world heritage site at Skara Bay on Orkney.
The modern residents of the islands live mainly in small crofting and fishing communities of quaint squat cottages and bungalows. The population here speak with distinct accents, similar to Scandinavian in the north from the historic Viking influences, and a sing-song celtic in the Western Isles. The people are welcoming and the little towns provide a treasure trove of inns, family hotels and guest houses in which to stay.
Experience the ultimate escape to tranquillity, nature in its rawest forms and a truly enchanting history and culture – the Scottish Islands make for a unique holiday experience.
