Beaches & walks
Miles of empty white sand, hills with views to St Kilda, and machair walks alive with corncrakes. Stamp each one in your Explorer Passport as you tick them off.
Tap a place below when you've been. See your full passport on the passport page.
The map
Beaches and walks across the islands. Visited spots turn green.
Beaches
White shell-sand and turquoise water — often with nobody else on them.
Liniclate Beach
Benbecula
A long white strand on Benbecula's south-west corner, reached from Liniclate village. The machair behind it fills with nesting oystercatcher, lapwing, dunlin, ringed plover, redshank and snipe each spring, and corncrake call from the fields at dusk. Face west for the sunset.
West Beach
Berneray
Three miles of untouched white sand and turquoise water — regularly named among the best beaches in Europe.
Clachan Sands (Tràigh Lingeigh)
North Uist
A sweep of white shell-sand with views to Harris. Popular for walking and picnics, with machair behind.
Tràigh Iar (Hosta)
North Uist
Dramatic Atlantic beach backed by dunes — a favourite for sunsets and surf watching.
Culla Bay
Benbecula
A sheltered crescent of sand on Benbecula's west side, close to Balivanich.
Howmore Beach
South Uist
Wild machair-backed beach near the historic Howmore chapels and thatched hostel.
Polochar
South Uist
Rocky shore and sandy stretches by the Polochar Inn standing stone, looking to Barra.
Coilleag a' Phrionnsa (Prince's Beach)
Eriskay
Where Bonnie Prince Charlie first set foot on Scottish soil in 1745. Soft sand and clear water.
Walks
From easy machair strolls to full mountain days.
Rarnish
Benbecula
A short out-and-back of about two miles on Benbecula's east side, following Bonnie Prince Charlie's footsteps after his failed escape by way of Stornoway in 1746. Along the way are Leabaidh a' Phrionnsa (the Prince's bed), Loch an Oir where gold coins were said to be thrown, Loch nan Arm where weapons were dumped, a stone marker on a mound, and Uamh a' Phrionnsa, the shore cave he hid in, which is only reachable at low tide.
Rueval to Rossinish
Benbecula
The long version of the Rueval walk. From the Market Stance car park follow the track east past the recycling centre, take in Rueval (124 m) from its south side, then keep to the northern branch of the path as it narrows along a low cliff above the water to an unnamed estuary. Cross the short isthmus and you are on Rossinish: flat, grassy, with a white sand beach on its east shore, ruined houses and views to North Uist. Bonnie Prince Charlie sheltered here twice in 1746, and it is where he and Flora MacDonald set off for Skye. Allow a full half day and go in dry weather.
Eaval
North Uist
North Uist's highest hill (347m). A rough but rewarding hike through a watery moonscape of lochs, with a superb summit panorama.
Rueval
Benbecula
Benbecula's only hill (124m) — an easy track walk with views over the whole island chain on a clear day.
Beinn Mhòr and Hecla
South Uist
South Uist's mountain ridge (620m) — a serious full-day round with eagles overhead and sea views to St Kilda.
Balranald Machair Circuit
North Uist
Gentle circular through RSPB Balranald's flower-rich machair — listen for corncrakes in summer.
Loch Druidibeg
South Uist
Way-marked trail around a national nature reserve of moor, loch and woodland — red deer and raptors.
Berneray Circular
Berneray
Round the island past West Beach, crofts and the historic gunnery — one of the finest short coastal walks in Scotland.