Surrounding the northern tip of the United Kingdom are nearly 800 individual islands, some inhabited, some not, but all beautiful.
From rugged shoreline to rolling green pastures, the Scottish Islands offer outdoor vacations filled with adventure and serenity. Enjoy Scottish music, history, food and traditions as you hop between the Shetland, Orkney, Hebrides and hundreds of other islands in this northern archipelago.
Driving northwest from Scotland’s mainland, the Isle of Skye is one of the first islands you’ll encounter. It’s part of the Inner Hebrides, reachable by the Skye Bridge between Kyle of Lochalsh and Kyleakin. Visit clannish castles or take a walking or boating wildlife tour to see red deer, seals and dolphins. Near Portree, climb the Old Man of Storr. In August, watch the Skye Highland Games, with bagpipes, hammer throws and plenty of men and women dancing in kilts and argyle.
Ride a ferry or fly to the Outer Hebrides, or Western Isles, along the Atlantic Ocean. Appreciate special historical significance following the Bonnie Prince Charlie Trail, seeing places on Eriskay, South Uist and Benbecula that Prince Charles Edward Stewart visited in 1745. The natural beauty of beaches, lochs and rolling greens hasn’t changed much in 250 years, but you’ll find more spots today to eat fresh and smoked seafood and black pudding.
To the northeast, the Orkney Islands celebrate 5,000 years of history with the Standing Stones of Stenness rising 18 feet (6 meters) tall in a henge monument. Stroll along beaches with dunes, towering headlands and offshore shipwrecks.
Farther north are the Shetland Isles, with Viking history and iconic Shetland ponies. Paddle a sea kayak to observe otters and rare seabirds. In winter view the northern lights.
No matter which of the Scottish Islands you visit, you’ll find a delightful combination of havens of solitude and welcoming communities. Enjoy single malt whiskey and lamb, two of Scotland’s famous specialties. Listen to the charming lilt of local residents. Fly into Aberdeen, Edinburgh or Glasgow and drive or ride a bus to Skye in just over 5 hours. Use ferries to hop among the main inhabited islands.
