An incredible ancient history, the Gaelic tradition, archaeological sites, plains, a beautiful wild flora, fresh air, the sea, the wonderful and secluded beaches perfect for a good day or surfing, delicious fresh food… The list just keeps going, and the joy of traveling to this amazing natural heritage is incomparable. This piece of heaven is the Scottish island of Barra, declared as the most beautiful island of all the islands of Hebrides, and her smaller sister, the island of Vatersay.
Located in the chain of islands known as the Outer Hebrides, off the west coast of Scotland, stands Barra, the largest of the two southernmost islands. From the beginning of the trip you will have a pleasant experience. Since you arrive by plane to the island, you will end up landing on the only landing strip on the island, on the commercial beach of Tráigh Mhór. But this landing strip has a special feature: when the tide is high, the track is completely underwater, and as you look out the window from your seat, it feels as if the plane was floating on the beach.
Farther south, and connected to Barra by a road completed in 1991, you can find Vatersay, a smaller island but equally as beautiful. If you are a fan of beaches, this place is perfect for you. Here you will find incredible, paradisiacal beaches with stretches of sand facing west, east and south, all linked by a walk.
This magical place tells the olds stories at each end. In Allt Chrisal, near the road, you can get to admire prehistoric houses, from about 4,000 years ago, an impressive castle located on the coast near its capital, forts and round houses dating back to the Iron Age, and wheelhouses from the Bronze Age. The whole island is full of archaeological sites to visit, and in fact, several trails guide you directly to many of these archaeological sites.
On the coasts you will run into the machair, a low coastal plain. If you go in summer, you will be surprised by the wild life, ranging from orchids to lady beds, adorning the beaches. Also in the Vatersay, you will see a strange pink convolvulus, which is locally known as the Bonny Prince Charlie flower.
If you like animals, you will be enchanted with birds, snipe, plovers, crows, pigtails and eiders. On the other hand, in the sea you can see whales, dolphins and some basking sharks, while on the coasts there will be otters and seals, harbor seals leaving their baby seals in June and July, and gray seals in October and November.
If you are looking for a relaxing day, you can go to any beach, most of the time they are empty, unless you find some sheep or cows walking by; the planes flying low coming to the island are another thing you can see on the Tráigh Mhór beach. Take advantage of the summer days to relax, explore and discover the coasts of the island.
We recommend that you visit this paradise in summer, when the weather and wild flowers are at their best. In addition, also in summer, specifically for the end of July, the Barra Fest music festival takes place. You can take a plane from Glasgow or a ferry from Oban to Castlebay, the main city of Barra, that takes about 5 hours. To get around the island, there are bus routes and car and bicycle rentals. You can also book hotels or guest houses or rental, all have an amazing view of the sea.
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