The Isle of Skye is beautiful. There can be no denying that. From the mysterious fairy pools to historic Dunvegan Castle, the Inner Hebrides’ most famous island is packed with things to see and do.
But Skye has become a victim of its own success. The easiest Scottish island to reach, thanks to a bridge, opened in 1995, which links Skye with Kyle of Lochalsh on the mainland. There’s no waiting around for ferries, and no risk that weather or vessel breakdowns will hamper your plans to visit.
What this means is that, during summer, wherever you go on Skye, you’ll have to share its beauty with others. It also means the indisputably scenic drive through Skye will be spent behind motorhomes and tour coaches.
If you want to experience the real Scotland, its rugged uncommercialised beauty, you will need to look beyond Skye. Visit Skye by all means, it’s a truly spectacular island, but of Scotland’s 94 inhabited islands, Skye is certainly not top of my list of favourites.
1. Shetland
My adoptive island home will always come top of any list of my favourite Scottish islands. Shetland is not one island, but an archipelago of almost 300; 16 inhabited. You can easily, well relatively easily, visit 15 of them. The 16th, Vaila, is private, having most recently been sold in 2023 for an estimated £1.75million.
Shetland is like no other Scottish island or archipelago, thanks mainly, to its distance from the mainland. Some 110 miles from the tip of Caithness, and just 140 miles from the coast of Norway, it’s unsurprising that Shetland culture is a little different.
Controlled by the Vikings for almost 600 years, it had, until recently, been Norse longer than it has Scottish. For history buffs, this means Shetland should be high on your bucket list. It’s not just Viking sites either. Shetland is home to Jarlshof, one of Scotland’s most significant archaeological sites, dating back to 2500 BC, along with two of the best preserved Iron Age brochs in the country.
History aside, Shetland is a place of vast natural beauty. Stretching over 100 miles from Fair Isle to Muckle Flugga, Britain’s northernmost point, expect rugged cliffs, picturesque burns and some of the best beaches this side of the Caribbean (weather not included).
2. North & South Uist
North and South Uist were two of the first Scottish Islands I ever visited. Long before I moved from England, I flew to Barra and travelled overland right through the Outer Hebrides. If you have a couple of weeks to spare, I highly recommend doing the same. There’s no need to bring a car if you don’t want to; regular buses run between all the ferry terminals, making island hopping hassle-free.
If you do visit Skye, my top tip is to head to Uig, in the far north, and take the ferry across to Lochmaddy, North Uist’s largest settlement. Lochmaddy has a great art gallery and is the ideal place to branch off and explore North and South Uist.
On South Uist, Kildonan Museum, the ruins of Cladh Hallan Roundhouses and An Carra Standing Stone are the main sights. Getting between the two Uists means traversing Benbecula, itself home to stunning Liniclate Beach and Liniclate Museum. If time allows, head further north to Berneray, often said to be King Charles’ favourite island.
3. Orkney
A common mistake travellers make is thinking Orkney and Shetland are similar. We share our Norse heritage, but these are two vastly different archipelagos with very different cultures.
Comprising 70 islands, 20 of which are inhabited, Orkney’s outer islands stand out in many forms from the mainland (the main island). For most travellers, though, Mainland and Hoy are the main attractions, the latter for its famous sea stack, The Old Man of Hoy.
Orkney’s bustling capital, Kirkwall, is the island’s main gateway, home to both an airport and the main ferry port. It’s here you’ll find Orkney’s most famous attractions. Explore Britain’s northernmost cathedral, St Magnus, and take a look around the historic Bishop’s and Earl’s Palaces, both reminders of Orkney’s time as a Viking dominion.
Outside Kirkwall, discover the Italian Chapel and prehistoric Ring of Brodgar, before crossing Scapa Flow via the Churchill Barriers. Orkney’s role in defending Britain in World War Two can’t be ignored. If you only venture to the outer isles for one reason, make that the chance to take the world’s shortest scheduled flight. Loganair’s Britten Norman Islanders connect Westray and Papa Westray in under two minutes.
4. Barra
“The wild and lonely Isle of Barra” as Dad’s Army‘s Private Fraser dubbed his homeland is surely wild, but I take issue with the description of Barra as lonely. A visit to Barra will take you out of the rat race, but you’ll never be lonely here. As goes for all the Hebridean Islands, Barra is one of the friendliest, most-welcoming places on earth.
Getting to Barra is half the excitement. The long strip of sand at Traigh Mhor is the only place in the world where a commercial flight lands on a beach. Barra Airport has no runways, not the traditional kind anyway, and the flight schedule is dictated by the tides.
From the airport, take a loop around the west coast to Castlebay, Barra’s main commercial hub. Calling it anything other than a village would be wrong, but this is where you’ll find the majority of hotels, restaurants and Barra’s only supermarket. It’s also home to the very interesting Barra Heritage Centre.
5. Colonsay
There’s an old saying that goes “once you’ve seen the world, there’s always Greenland”. But if you really want to be adventurous, you should swap Greenland for Colonsay.
Home to just over 100 people, Colonsay takes remote to another level. If you really want to escape, this is the place to come. A two-and-a-half-hour ferry ride from Oban is the most popular way to reach Colonsay, but I love flying on Hebridean Airline’s tiny eight-seater planes which depart Oban Airport up to four times weekly.
Colonsay Hotel is the only hotel on the island. The welcome is always warm and the food, traditional Scottish home fare. There’s a small heritage museum, and Colonsay House has one of the best gardens in Scotland, but Colonsay’s main draw is its lush sandy beaches and birdlife.
