Outer Hebrides and St Kilda

The Outer Hebrides

The long island chain of the Outer Hebrides consists of over 70 different islands, which stretch for over 130 miles from Barra Head in the south, to the Butt of Lewis in the north. Only 15 of these islands are inhabited, but all are steeped in rich Gaelic history and tradition. The islands are also home to a dazzling array of wildlife that thrive in the seas, hills and machair meadows of the isles. Every island is unique, with a remarkable variation in their landscapes from the rolling hills of Harris to the meadows of the Uists and moors of Lewis. White sand beaches and soaring sea cliffs form the shore, from where you can look out and see dolphins leaping and gannets hunting in the rich waters.

St Kilda

45 miles further even further out into the Atlantic lies St Kilda – Scotland’s only double UNESCO World Heritage Site. Widely known as ‘the edge of the world’, this truly remote archipelago is one of Scotland’s greatest wonders. St Kilda was formed from the remains of an extinct volcano, and may be best described as being the top of a mountain sticking out of the sea. The small archipelago contains 4 main islands and numerous sea stacks. Despite its extraordinary remoteness and extreme terrain, the islands were populated for over 4000 years.

Abandoned by its last inhabitants in 1930, the island is now home only to a small radar installation, caretakers from the National Trust, hundreds of semi-feral Boreray sheep, and approximately one million seabirds – one of the largest Gannet colonies in the world. If the challenging crossing can be made, then the awe inspiring sight of St Kilda soaring out of the waves is never forgotten.