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Highlights
The Uists & Barra are some of the remotest islands in the Hebrides and make a fabulous holiday destination for those wanting to explore Scotland without the crowds. Rich in wildlife and with spectacular landscapes and seascapes unlike anywhere else in Britain, they are a world apart. If you enjoy walking along gorgeous, deserted beaches, being in the heart of a Gaelic speaking community, watching short-eared owls and listening to corncrakes, this is the trip for you! Over the course of the trip we visit at least 8 islands (9 if we make it out to Mingulay) and all have their own unique character. North Uist is a spectacularly watery world, with more freshwater and sea lochs than dry land. The north of the island, however, has several superb coastal walks, two of which feature in our suggested itinerary. Connected to its northern coast by road causeway, the island of Berneray is a favourite of King Charles. When you visit you will see why its famous sandy beaches and turquoise seas appeal to so many people (not just royalty). South Uist and Benbecula are islands of contrast. The rocky east sides of these islands are a remarkable and watery uninhabited wilderness, whilst the west coasts are made up of one huge and spectacular beach, backed by fertile machair meadows which in the summer months are home to a staggering number of breeding wading birds. The rocky little island of Eriskay is steeped in history – it is famous both as the place that Bonnie Prince Charlie landed on Scottish soil at the start of his ill-fated rebellion, and as the location of the SS Politician shipwreck, star of the book and film Whisky Galore! Handily enough, the island also has a couple of excellent walks… Barra – many visitors’ favourite island – is very friendly and relaxed and packs a lot into a small area. Weather permitting, the finale of the holiday will be a fabulous boat trip out to the deserted island of Mingulay - a spectacular wildlife haven at the very southern tip of the Outer Hebrides. As with most of our other holidays, we will be going at a relaxed pace. There is SO much wildlife about on this trip and so much to see that it is far too good to rush! |
2025 Dates:
Sat 21st - Fri 27th June Full Sat 12th - Fri 18th July 8 places left How long: 6 nights, 5 days walking Grade: Moderate (see our Grading Information page for more details on how we grade our tours) Start: Inverness Price: £1,995 Single supplement £160 The price includes a boat trip to Mingulay. If bad weather prevents this from sailing you will receive a refund of £50. ***£50 discount for returning clients!*** |
Tour Details
(please note that this schedule may be subject to change depending on weather conditions during the trip).
Included meals are shown as follows: B - breakfast; D - dinner
DAY 1 - TRAVEL TO NORTH UIST (D)
The start point for this holiday is Inverness Train Station. Clients are required to make their own way to the start point. You will be collected at Inverness train station at 9am and we will spend the first day travelling to Skye, where we will catch the afternoon ferry to Lochmaddy in North Uist.
Accommodation: Uist B&B
DAY 2 - BERNERAY (B, D)
Our first full day on the Uists will be spent exploring the beautiful island of Berneray, linked to North Uist by a causeway. With stunning sea views and one of the finest areas of flowering machair in the whole of the Hebrides, you will soon see why the island is a favourite of King Charles!
Accommodation: Uist B&B
DAY 3 - NORTH UIST: AIRD A' MHORAIN (B, D)
Our second day will take us to the gorgeous Udal peninsuala, at the north end of North Uist. Here we will discover beautiful beaches, fascinating archaeology and abundant wildlife. The views from the peninsula are simply stunning, with numerous off-shore islands floating in the characteristic turquoise sea of this part of the Hebrides.
Accommodation: Uist B&B
DAY 4 - SOUTH UIST: RUABHAL & HOWMORE (B, D)
In the morning we will climb the small hill of Ruabhal in the centre of Benbecula. Although a mere 416ft / 127m high, this little peak provides astonishing views over the unique island of Benbecula - rarely can such a short climb provide such spectacular views!
In the afternoon we will take the short drive to Howmore in South Uist which, with its thatched cottages, ruined medieval chapels and ancient graveyard, is one of the most beautiful and atmospheric of all the Hebridean villages. Our walk will take us to the picturesque estuary of the Howmore river, along part of the magnificent sandy beach that makes up the entire west coast of South Uist, then back through flower rich machair meadows which are alive with thousands of ground nesting wading birds in the spring and summer.
After our walk we will take the late afternoon ferry to Barra
Accommodation: Barra B&B
DAY 5 - BARRA (B, D)
Barra has a strong sense of community and packs a lot into a small area. In the morning we will explore the amazing island of Vatersay. Connected these days to Barra by a small causeway, Vatersay has a fascinating history and our walk will take in an iron age fort, the site of a tragic 19th Century shipwreck and some truly stunning beaches (even by Hebridean standards!). At the southern tip of Vatersay we will have unforgettable views to the uninhabited islands at the southern tip of the archipelago: Sandray, Pabay and Mingulay.
In the afternoon we will walk around the peninsula of Eoligarry at the north end of Barra. As well as its superb machair meadows, abundance of corncrakes and fine coastal scenery, this is also the location of the island's unique airport - the only place in Britain where scheduled passenger planes land and take off on the beach. Even if you are utterly disinterested in aviation this is quite a sight, so we will try and time things to watch a landing or departure.
Accommodation: Barra B&B
DAY 6 - MINGULAY (B, D)
Our final day is an unforgettable boat trip to the uninhabited island of Mingulay, which together with its neighbouring islands of Pabbay and Berneray (another one!), make up the southern tip of the Outer Hebrides archipelago. Seabirds galore, towering sea-cliffs and well preserved abandoned villages will make this a wonderful end to a unique holiday. If bad weather means the boat cannot sail, we will instead do more wonderful walking on Barra.
Accommodation: Barra B&B
DAY 7 - DEPART (B)
The return trip to Inverness is a great way to end the holiday! We will sail from Barra to Oban, an amazing trip with views of the Inner Hebridean islands of Rum, Eigg, Muck, Canna, Coll, Tiree and Mull along the way. From Oban we will drive back to Inverness, arriving there by about 6pm. Alternatively, if you are feeling adventurous, you can fly back to Glasgow from Barra, departing on the small Twin Otter plane that takes off from Traigh Mhòr beach at the north end of the island.
(please note that this schedule may be subject to change depending on weather conditions during the trip).
Included meals are shown as follows: B - breakfast; D - dinner
DAY 1 - TRAVEL TO NORTH UIST (D)
The start point for this holiday is Inverness Train Station. Clients are required to make their own way to the start point. You will be collected at Inverness train station at 9am and we will spend the first day travelling to Skye, where we will catch the afternoon ferry to Lochmaddy in North Uist.
Accommodation: Uist B&B
DAY 2 - BERNERAY (B, D)
Our first full day on the Uists will be spent exploring the beautiful island of Berneray, linked to North Uist by a causeway. With stunning sea views and one of the finest areas of flowering machair in the whole of the Hebrides, you will soon see why the island is a favourite of King Charles!
Accommodation: Uist B&B
DAY 3 - NORTH UIST: AIRD A' MHORAIN (B, D)
Our second day will take us to the gorgeous Udal peninsuala, at the north end of North Uist. Here we will discover beautiful beaches, fascinating archaeology and abundant wildlife. The views from the peninsula are simply stunning, with numerous off-shore islands floating in the characteristic turquoise sea of this part of the Hebrides.
Accommodation: Uist B&B
DAY 4 - SOUTH UIST: RUABHAL & HOWMORE (B, D)
In the morning we will climb the small hill of Ruabhal in the centre of Benbecula. Although a mere 416ft / 127m high, this little peak provides astonishing views over the unique island of Benbecula - rarely can such a short climb provide such spectacular views!
In the afternoon we will take the short drive to Howmore in South Uist which, with its thatched cottages, ruined medieval chapels and ancient graveyard, is one of the most beautiful and atmospheric of all the Hebridean villages. Our walk will take us to the picturesque estuary of the Howmore river, along part of the magnificent sandy beach that makes up the entire west coast of South Uist, then back through flower rich machair meadows which are alive with thousands of ground nesting wading birds in the spring and summer.
After our walk we will take the late afternoon ferry to Barra
Accommodation: Barra B&B
DAY 5 - BARRA (B, D)
Barra has a strong sense of community and packs a lot into a small area. In the morning we will explore the amazing island of Vatersay. Connected these days to Barra by a small causeway, Vatersay has a fascinating history and our walk will take in an iron age fort, the site of a tragic 19th Century shipwreck and some truly stunning beaches (even by Hebridean standards!). At the southern tip of Vatersay we will have unforgettable views to the uninhabited islands at the southern tip of the archipelago: Sandray, Pabay and Mingulay.
In the afternoon we will walk around the peninsula of Eoligarry at the north end of Barra. As well as its superb machair meadows, abundance of corncrakes and fine coastal scenery, this is also the location of the island's unique airport - the only place in Britain where scheduled passenger planes land and take off on the beach. Even if you are utterly disinterested in aviation this is quite a sight, so we will try and time things to watch a landing or departure.
Accommodation: Barra B&B
DAY 6 - MINGULAY (B, D)
Our final day is an unforgettable boat trip to the uninhabited island of Mingulay, which together with its neighbouring islands of Pabbay and Berneray (another one!), make up the southern tip of the Outer Hebrides archipelago. Seabirds galore, towering sea-cliffs and well preserved abandoned villages will make this a wonderful end to a unique holiday. If bad weather means the boat cannot sail, we will instead do more wonderful walking on Barra.
Accommodation: Barra B&B
DAY 7 - DEPART (B)
The return trip to Inverness is a great way to end the holiday! We will sail from Barra to Oban, an amazing trip with views of the Inner Hebridean islands of Rum, Eigg, Muck, Canna, Coll, Tiree and Mull along the way. From Oban we will drive back to Inverness, arriving there by about 6pm. Alternatively, if you are feeling adventurous, you can fly back to Glasgow from Barra, departing on the small Twin Otter plane that takes off from Traigh Mhòr beach at the north end of the island.
This holiday starts and ends in Inverness. Your guide will meet you at the entrance to Inverness railway station at 9.00am where you will join the rest of the group for the drive up to Skye and the ferry to North Uist.
Inverness is easily accessible by plane, train and bus.
Flights
The following airlines offer direct flights to Inverness:
www.loganair.co.uk - Manchester, Birmingham, Belfast, Exeter, Glasgow, Newquay, Southampton.
www.easyjet.com - London Gatwick, London Luton, Bristol.
www.britishairways.com - London Heathrow.
www.aerlingus.com - Dublin.
Trains
Inverness can be reached by train from Edinburgh, Glasgow and England. Travellers coming from London and the south of England can take advantage of the overnight Caledonian Sleeper service. For more information on train services see the following websites:
www.scotrail.co.uk
www.nationalrail.co.uk
www.thetrainline.com
www.sleeper.scot
Please note that all train tickets should be purchased in advance of travel. We recommend that you do this as soon as you book your holiday as advance tickets are always considerably cheaper than ones bought at the last minute.
Coaches
The following operator offers coach services from Glasgow and Edinburgh to Inverness:
www.citylink.co.uk
Please note that all coach tickets must be purchased in advance of travel. We recommend that you do this as soon as you book your holiday as coaches can get booked up. Advance tickets can also be considerably cheaper than ones bought at the last minute.
Cars
Driving to Inverness by car is straightforward - it is simply a case of heading for Perth then taking the A9 north. Approximate journey times (not including stops, road works or delays) are as follows:
Edinburgh: 3 hours
Glasgow: 3.5 hours
Newcastle: 5.5 hours
Manchester: 6.5 hours
Birmingham: 7.5 hours
Bristol: 8.5 hours
London: 9.5 hours
For secure parking in Inverness we recommend the Highland Council run Rose Street multi storey car park. This is staffed until 10pm each night and is fully covered by CCTV. The cost for a week's parking here is about £57.
Inverness is easily accessible by plane, train and bus.
Flights
The following airlines offer direct flights to Inverness:
www.loganair.co.uk - Manchester, Birmingham, Belfast, Exeter, Glasgow, Newquay, Southampton.
www.easyjet.com - London Gatwick, London Luton, Bristol.
www.britishairways.com - London Heathrow.
www.aerlingus.com - Dublin.
Trains
Inverness can be reached by train from Edinburgh, Glasgow and England. Travellers coming from London and the south of England can take advantage of the overnight Caledonian Sleeper service. For more information on train services see the following websites:
www.scotrail.co.uk
www.nationalrail.co.uk
www.thetrainline.com
www.sleeper.scot
Please note that all train tickets should be purchased in advance of travel. We recommend that you do this as soon as you book your holiday as advance tickets are always considerably cheaper than ones bought at the last minute.
Coaches
The following operator offers coach services from Glasgow and Edinburgh to Inverness:
www.citylink.co.uk
Please note that all coach tickets must be purchased in advance of travel. We recommend that you do this as soon as you book your holiday as coaches can get booked up. Advance tickets can also be considerably cheaper than ones bought at the last minute.
Cars
Driving to Inverness by car is straightforward - it is simply a case of heading for Perth then taking the A9 north. Approximate journey times (not including stops, road works or delays) are as follows:
Edinburgh: 3 hours
Glasgow: 3.5 hours
Newcastle: 5.5 hours
Manchester: 6.5 hours
Birmingham: 7.5 hours
Bristol: 8.5 hours
London: 9.5 hours
For secure parking in Inverness we recommend the Highland Council run Rose Street multi storey car park. This is staffed until 10pm each night and is fully covered by CCTV. The cost for a week's parking here is about £57.
What's Included: 6 nights accommodation, 5 days walking. Accommodation at local quality guest houses*, with full Scottish or continental breakfasts; packed lunches; evening meals at local restaurants (included meals are detailed in the itinerary).
All transport during the holiday, including ferries between Skye & North Uist, Eriskay & Barra and Barra & Oban. Boat trip to Mingulay. The services of an experienced walk leader.
What's Not Included: Food & drinks at any cafes we may visit. Entrance to any visitor attractions. Alcoholic drinks. Restaurant tips. Travel insurance.
* We will be staying in carefully selected island guest houses. All rooms will have ensuite or private bathrooms. Single occupancy rooms are available at an additional cost of £160. This holiday involves staying in two separate guest houses (three nights in each). We start off with three nights in the Uists and end with a further three nights in Barra.
We may have to split the party up between several guest houses. However, we will be dining together each evening in local restaurants so there will be plenty of opportunities for socialising with the rest of the group.
All transport during the holiday, including ferries between Skye & North Uist, Eriskay & Barra and Barra & Oban. Boat trip to Mingulay. The services of an experienced walk leader.
What's Not Included: Food & drinks at any cafes we may visit. Entrance to any visitor attractions. Alcoholic drinks. Restaurant tips. Travel insurance.
* We will be staying in carefully selected island guest houses. All rooms will have ensuite or private bathrooms. Single occupancy rooms are available at an additional cost of £160. This holiday involves staying in two separate guest houses (three nights in each). We start off with three nights in the Uists and end with a further three nights in Barra.
We may have to split the party up between several guest houses. However, we will be dining together each evening in local restaurants so there will be plenty of opportunities for socialising with the rest of the group.
Moderate.
These holidays go at a gentle pace, with plenty of time to stop, take pictures, soak up the atmosphere and watch the wildlife. However, they are still walking holidays, so you will need to be able to cope with a reasonable amount of hiking each day. As a guide, you should be able to manage some uphill sections, be comfortable walking for 5 hours and 7 - 10 miles or so each day, and be confident walking away from paths - for example over rough, grassy hillsides.
We try to keep to easy ground as much as possible on these walks, but there will be some areas where the going can be a little rough and quite wet underfoot, so good hiking boots are essential. We don't tackle any hills on these walks but there are usually some modest uphill sections each day.
See our Grading Information page for more information about how we grade our holidays.
These holidays go at a gentle pace, with plenty of time to stop, take pictures, soak up the atmosphere and watch the wildlife. However, they are still walking holidays, so you will need to be able to cope with a reasonable amount of hiking each day. As a guide, you should be able to manage some uphill sections, be comfortable walking for 5 hours and 7 - 10 miles or so each day, and be confident walking away from paths - for example over rough, grassy hillsides.
We try to keep to easy ground as much as possible on these walks, but there will be some areas where the going can be a little rough and quite wet underfoot, so good hiking boots are essential. We don't tackle any hills on these walks but there are usually some modest uphill sections each day.
See our Grading Information page for more information about how we grade our holidays.
The following reviews are taken from the Hidden Hebrides page on TripAdvisor: For reviews of our other holidays click here.
C.M. (Vancouver, Canada)
I booked a walking holiday with Hidden Hebrides this past July, exploring the Uists and Barra, and was very pleased with my choice. The information that we received before the trip was very complete and informative. We were a small group of five people from a variety of backgrounds, and we all got on well together from the time we met in Inverness.
Our guide , Eilidh, was delightful company. She is a Gaelic -speaking journalist who herself lives on one of the Hebridean Islands. She was very well organized and well informed, and the daily schedule worked well, even when members of the group wanted to add side trips to see particular members of the local fauna!
The accommodations, mainly small guest houses, were well chosen, comfortable, with very large breakfasts. The picnic lunches consisted of a stop at a local grocery store, where we could choose items to suit our own tastes...and which were then purchased by our guide. Dinners were in a variety of local restaurants, and again these were well chosen for their food quality and menu variety. I particularly enjoyed a restaurant in Castlebay where our food was served with the sounds of a Scottish fiddle.
The walking, often over the Machair, sand dunes, wide white sand beaches or mountain trails was at a relaxed pace and we were able to spend time identifying the wildflowers and the sea birds.
An added bonus for me was the flight off Barra to Glasgow, which took off from a sand beach!
I can highly recommend Hidden Hebrides, and I would book again with them.
J.R. (Staffordshire, UK)
A spectacular place to wander, I've had an excellent week in the Southern Outer Hebrides with Mick Blunt and 3 fellow wanderers. Mick guided us expertly while we enjoyed the breathtaking scenery. My treat was a quick glimpse of a corncrake. Mick organised everything while we relaxed and stayed in comfortable B&Bs and eat in excellent restaurants. I'm looking forward to another Hidden Hebrides treat next year, maybe Orkneys if there's a space for me.
From the Hidden Hebrides Facebook page:
M.H. (Geneva, Switzerland)
This was my second trip to the Outer Hebrides with Hidden Hebrides, this time visiting the southern Isles of Uists and Barra. It is a very friendly experience with stunning walks & scenery, quality B&Bs and good food. The real added plus for me is the different guides that are all local people. Eilidh MacLeod guided us this time with her knowledge & experience of wildlife and plenty of the stories about the people of the Isles made it a beautiful and heartfelt journey!
C.M. (Vancouver, Canada)
I booked a walking holiday with Hidden Hebrides this past July, exploring the Uists and Barra, and was very pleased with my choice. The information that we received before the trip was very complete and informative. We were a small group of five people from a variety of backgrounds, and we all got on well together from the time we met in Inverness.
Our guide , Eilidh, was delightful company. She is a Gaelic -speaking journalist who herself lives on one of the Hebridean Islands. She was very well organized and well informed, and the daily schedule worked well, even when members of the group wanted to add side trips to see particular members of the local fauna!
The accommodations, mainly small guest houses, were well chosen, comfortable, with very large breakfasts. The picnic lunches consisted of a stop at a local grocery store, where we could choose items to suit our own tastes...and which were then purchased by our guide. Dinners were in a variety of local restaurants, and again these were well chosen for their food quality and menu variety. I particularly enjoyed a restaurant in Castlebay where our food was served with the sounds of a Scottish fiddle.
The walking, often over the Machair, sand dunes, wide white sand beaches or mountain trails was at a relaxed pace and we were able to spend time identifying the wildflowers and the sea birds.
An added bonus for me was the flight off Barra to Glasgow, which took off from a sand beach!
I can highly recommend Hidden Hebrides, and I would book again with them.
J.R. (Staffordshire, UK)
A spectacular place to wander, I've had an excellent week in the Southern Outer Hebrides with Mick Blunt and 3 fellow wanderers. Mick guided us expertly while we enjoyed the breathtaking scenery. My treat was a quick glimpse of a corncrake. Mick organised everything while we relaxed and stayed in comfortable B&Bs and eat in excellent restaurants. I'm looking forward to another Hidden Hebrides treat next year, maybe Orkneys if there's a space for me.
From the Hidden Hebrides Facebook page:
M.H. (Geneva, Switzerland)
This was my second trip to the Outer Hebrides with Hidden Hebrides, this time visiting the southern Isles of Uists and Barra. It is a very friendly experience with stunning walks & scenery, quality B&Bs and good food. The real added plus for me is the different guides that are all local people. Eilidh MacLeod guided us this time with her knowledge & experience of wildlife and plenty of the stories about the people of the Isles made it a beautiful and heartfelt journey!