The 20 most beautiful islands to visit in Scotland
Scattered off the coast of mainland Scotland are hundreds of diverse islands with remote stretches of white sands, towering mountains, charming blackhouse villages and incredible wildlife. Kimberley Grant, co-author of Wild Guide Scotland, uncovers some of the most beautiful places in Scotland.
Kimberley GrantVatersay
The most southerly inhabited island of the Outer Hebrides, Vatersay is a small peaceful island linked to Barra by a causeway. It is an unusual shape, deeply indented by the sea on both sides with only a slender strip of land keeping the island together, and boasts a series of amazing beaches, backed by undulating dunes and colourful machair grasses and flowers. Vatersay Bay in particular is a great spot for picnicking and wild swimming on calm days.
Pictured: Vatersay Bay, Vatersay
Getty ImagesTiree
The most westerly island of the Inner Hebrides is one of the windiest yet sunniest places in Scotland, due to the moderating influence of the warm Gulf Stream. Tiree is known for its pristine beaches, popular with windsurfers, and its fertile machair land with many crofts. The island’s architecture includes traditional blackhouses and white houses, many retaining their charming thatched roofs, as well as unique ‘pudding houses’ where white mortar contrasts with dark stone.
Kimberley GrantShetland
This sub-arctic archipelago is so far north that during summer it is bathed in near-perpetual sunlight, a phenomenon that blankets the islands in a silver sheen at midnight - the ‘simmer dim’. The islands’ long, snaking coastlines have towering sea cliffs, unspoilt beaches and an abundance of wildlife including puffins, otters and orcas. Their vast, barren landscapes and narrow voes (sea lochs) make it ideal for long walks, sailing and fishing. Read more about visiting Shetland.
Pictured: Muckle Roe, Shetland
Kimberley GrantMull
The isle’s rugged coastline is characterised by dramatic cliffs, natural arches and sandy bays facing scattered rocky outcrops and small islands. Most visitors sail into the colourful harbour village of Tobermory to sample fresh seafood and visit local shops before heading north to Glengorm Castle or one of the island’s beaches. Inland, Mull’s highest peak Ben More overlooks sea lochs where white-tailed sea eagles can be seen. The south-east holds more white beaches, famous for their pink granite skerries and stunning sunsets, that are also perfect for kayaking.
Pictured: Fionnphort quarry, Mull
Kimberley GrantOrkney
A scattered archipelago of around 70 islands, Orkney encompasses both ancient wonders and natural beauty. On the main island, lovers of archaeology can visit the ‘Heart of Neolithic Orkney’ – a group of 5,000-year-old sites that include the preserved village of Skara Brae and the Ring of Brodgar stone circle. Another of the island’s unique spots is Hoy, with its scattered woodland, steep valleys, high cliffs and the famous Old Man, a withered red sandstone sea stack.
Pictured: Rackwick Bay, Orkney
Getty ImagesEigg
The second-largest island in the Small Isles has a thriving green community that generates almost 95 per cent of its electricity from renewables. There are lots of sites to explore, from the Singing Sands beach that looks out to Rùm to the dark Cathedral and Massacre caves, the abandoned village of Grulin or the island’s most distinctive sight, the near vertically-sided volcanic plug of An Sgurr that looms high above the southern end of the island.
Kimberley GrantEilean Shona
This tranquil, private tidal island in the calm waters of Loch Moidart is thought to be where JM Barrie wrote the screenplay for a film adaptation of Peter Pan. There are a number of holiday cottages to rent, including the Old Schoolhouse and Sawmill cottage. The island has plenty of varied walking paths that lead through tranquil woodlands, up hills and to secluded beaches for picnics and swimming.
Pictured: Eilean Shona
Kimberley GrantBarra
This is a delightful little island with its own castle and beach airport where you can watch planes take off and land on the sand between tides. Inland, it is barren and mountainous – on the highest hill is a statue of the Madonna and child, known locally as ‘Our Lady Star of the Sea’. Additionally, there are high cliffs in the east and lovely beaches and bays in the west for swimming and surfing.
Pictured: Barra Airport, Barra
Kimberley GrantSkye
This is one of Scotland’s most recognisable islands, with sun, cloud and mist shrouding its magnificent mountains and extraordinary landslips, The Quiraing and The Storr. With its pretty pastel-coloured houses, glittering ‘Fairy Pools’ and miles of coastline, the island is a photographer’s dream. To glimpse Scotland at its most atmospheric, visit the headlands with lonely lighthouses such as Neist Point, or the majestic Loch Coruisk which sits at the foot of the towering Black Cuillin mountains. Read about the best things to do on Skye.
Pictured: The Quiraing, Skye
Kimberley GrantSt Kilda
This small, isolated archipelago of Hebridean islands, now a UNESCO World Heritage Centre, rises dramatically from the storm-tossed North Atlantic. Its largest island Hirta was permanently inhabited until 1930 and the ghostly remains of the old village can still be seen down by the bay. Hirta also has the highest sea cliffs in the UK which, along with the other magnificent jagged sea stacks, are home to one of the world’s largest colonies of gannets.
Pictured: Sea Stacks, St Kilda
Kimberley GrantRùm
Mainly a National Nature Reserve with a mountainous landscape, Rùm is perfect for ramblers and animal lovers. Visitors arrive by passenger ferry at the small community-run hamlet of Kinloch and its eccentric castle before making their way out into the wilderness. There is a wide variety of habitats to explore — the volcanic peaks of the Cuillin, grasslands and lochans peppered with rare plants, sea cliffs and hidden bays with bothies from which stags and otters can be spotted.
Pictured: Bloodstone Hill, Rum
Kimberley GrantJura
Long and thin, Jura has only one main road that runs from the ferry port to the main settlement of Craighouse, then continues along the east of the island. The rest of the island is largely untouched, except by deer which greatly outnumber people, and the distinctive Paps of Jura rise above miles of blanket bog and freshwater lochans. Along the coast, you can visit remote bays and bothies or join a skipper on a boat trip to the Corryvreckan whirlpool.
Pictured: Paps of Jura, Jura
Kimberley GrantLewis and Harris
The largest of the Outer Hebrides, Lewis and Harris are two parts of the same island. Lewis’s peaty lands in the north have a rich history with interesting sites including old blackhouse villages, brochs and standing stones. To the south, Harris is more mountainous, rugged and almost lunar-like. Some of the most spectacular machair plains and the best beaches in the UK can be found here, among them the pristine Luskentyre sands which stretch out for miles.
Pictured: Luskentyre, Harris
Kimberley GrantStaffa
This uninhabited island is best known for its unique geological features and birdlife. The most magical spot on the island is Fingal’s Cave, a large sea cave flanked by hundreds of hexagonal basalt columns. The eerie sounds created by the waves under the arched roof earned it the Gaelic name Uamh-Binn, the ‘cave of melody’. Elsewhere on the island, the cliffs and grassy slopes provide nesting sites for puffins, razorbills and guillemots during spring and early summer.
Pictured: Fingals Cave, Staffa
Kimberley GrantArran
Widely referred to as ‘Scotland in miniature’, Arran is rugged in the north, with a softer landscape to the south. Inland there are dramatic peaks, sweeping glens and verdant forests to explore, where you might spot red squirrels or golden eagles. The island’s northernmost village Lochranza is backed by hills and set on the shore of a small sea loch. There’s a ruined castle and golf course, often populated by red deer, and along the coastline are cliffs, caves and beaches where otters and seals can be seen.
Pictured: Glen Sannox, Arran
Getty ImagesNorth Uist
With its high hills, peat bogs, beaches and vast numbers of fresh and saltwater lochs, North Uist is a place of contrasts. From Eaval, the highest hill on the island, there are views over the maze of lochans which dominate the landscape and the other islands in the ‘Long Chain’. On the west coast are stunning crescents of white sands, high dunes and machair plains that burst with flowers in summer.
Kimberley GrantUlva and Gometra
Separated from Mull by a narrow inlet, Ulva’s varied landscape takes in peaceful woodlands, open moors, coastal cliffs and cleared villages. Ulva is home to the Boathouse seafood restaurant, which specialises in local shellfish, and the restored thatched Sheila’s Cottage. From here, visitors can pick up several waymarked walking trails, one of which leads to the remote island of Gometra. Linked by a small bridge, and in low tide by a beach, it has spectacular scenery with views across to the Treshnish Isles.
Pictured: Ulva
Getty ImagesIona
With its famous abbey and peaceful atmosphere, this small but beautiful island is a popular place for spiritual retreats, attracting people from all over the world. The many different habitats, including sandy beaches, cliffs, rocks, fields and bogs, mean there is a wealth of flora and fauna. The island is rich in wildflowers and birds such as the rare corncrake and puffins. Off the coast, an abundance of sea life including three different species of dolphin can be viewed from one of the many accessible inlets.
Getty ImagesMuck
The smallest of the four inhabited Small Isles, Muck has a low-lying, fertile landscape. Much of the island is used for livestock and creative locals use wool and other materials for traditional crafts, to make rugs and clothing. Along the coastline, there are incredible white-sand beaches for watching the sunset, visiting the small Muck ponies or keeping an eye out for whales and porpoises.
Kimberley GrantEasdale
This is one of the most charming islands in the Slate Islands group lying off the west coast of mainland Scotland. It is the smallest permanently inhabited island in the Inner Hebrides and to get there, visitors need to request the short ferry by pressing a switch that sounds a klaxon at day or turns a light on after dark. Easdale is home to traditional white-washed cottages, a small pub and disused slate quarries, now full of clear blue water and perfect for wild swimming.
Pictured: Slate Quarries, Easdale
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