Outer Hebrides

The chain runs from Lewis in the north to Barra in the south, linked by causeways and short ferry hops, and the two coasts of each island are completely different. The Atlantic side has shell-sand beaches that turn the water pale green and, behind them, machair - a fertile lime-rich grassland formed from crushed shell that flowers in a dense sheet through June and July and supports corncrakes. The eastern side is bare gneiss and peat, dark and rocky, with tiny inlets. Lewis holds the Calanais standing stones, tall thin slabs raised around 3000 BC, and the restored blackhouse village at Gearrannan. Harris has the mountain ground and the beaches at Luskentyre and Seilebost. The chain observes a quiet Sunday, and Gaelic remains the working language in many communities.

The landscape

• Luskentyre and Seilebost - long shell-sand beaches on the Harris coast.
• Machair in flower - lime-rich grassland dense with wildflowers in summer.
• Calanais standing stones - a Neolithic stone setting on Lewis.
• Gearrannan blackhouse village - restored thatched drystone dwellings.

When to go

June and July for machair flowers, near-endless daylight and the best chance of settled weather. May is quieter with fewer midges. Book vehicle ferries and beds months ahead for summer. Many shops, fuel stations and some ferries do not operate on Sundays, which needs planning around.

Good to know

The weather is the dominant fact - wind is constant, rain frequent and ferry cancellations common enough that tight itineraries fail. Sand looks Caribbean but the sea is around 13 degrees at best. Accommodation is limited and expensive in season. Distances between fuel and food are long, and single-track roads slow everything down.

Nearby

Skye and the northwest mainland coast across the Minch, reached by the Uig and Ullapool ferries.

Key facts