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Stunning rock formations on the Isle of Skye

Skye is popular for challenging hillwalking

The Shetland Islands are a wildlife haven with stunning coastlines, peace and tranquility

Typical Shetland landscape

The Orkney Islands relatively flat landscape and The Churchill Barriers

Views over to Hoy from Mainland Orkney's coast

The gentler landscape of the Isle of Lewis

Stunning mountains and beaches on the Isle of Harris, Hebrides

Scottish Island Hopping Visit Skye Mull Islay Lewis Harris Hebrides Orkney Shetland

There are hundreds of islands around the Scottish coast, many of which are uninhabited. Those that are are connected to the mainland via regular ferry services which, with a little planning, are easy to link up for a varied and interesting Scottish island hopping holiday.

The various islands all have different characters of their own. Many of the Hebridean Islands are the stronghold of Gaelic culture where the language is still spoken in everyday life. Orkney and Shetland still have close links to Norway having been greatly influenced by the Norse.

Isle of Skye

Skye is the largest island of the Inner Hebrides. It is one of the more easily accessible islands being reached from the Kyle of Lochalsh over the Skye roadbridge or by one of the ferries from Mallaig or Glenelg.

It is a dramatic, mountainous island but as its name suggests, the misty isle, it is not always possible to see its stunning landscapes. In order to appreciate the island fully you need to set aside at least a few days to get a proper idea of the island - something you won't do in a short visit.

Isle of Mull

The Isle of Mull is the second largest of the Inner Hebrides islands after Skye. It is probably the second most visited too. Tobermory is always a tourist centre but the rest of the island is well worth exploring.

The Isle of Mull contains the only Munro in the Hebrides, Ben More in the south of the island. There are plenty of opportunities for exploring Mull on foot and bird watching is also popular as birds of prey are often seen hunting over the moors or fishing over lochs and sea.

Isle of Islay

Islay is the most southerly Hebridean island known for its peaty whisky and wildlife, particularly the thousands of geese that migrate here each winter. It is a wonderfully relaxing place with moorland, bogs, beaches and stunning scenery.

Islay has played a key role in Scottish history and there are several historic sites where a range of archaeological finds have been discovered.

Isle of Arran

The Isle of Arran is stunning and you first get a glimpse of its mountainous terrain as you approach by ferry. The island has two distinct halves which gives rise to it being renowned as being Scotland in miniature with the mountainous Highlands in the north and the moorland and lowlands in the south.

There's plenty to keep you occupied on Arran whether it be historic sights and scenery or golf and outdoor pursuits, particularly hill or coastal walking.

Outer Hebrides Western Isles - Lewis, Harris, Benbecula, Uists, Barra

The Isle of Lewis is the largest island in the Outer Hebrides. It is a remote and ancient landscape with many artefacts still to be found that remind us that the island has been populated for thousands of years. Many visitors come for the outdoor life and there is excellent surfing and sea kayaking on the north and west coast. Views are stunning in all weathers as you look out from Lewis into the expanse of Atlantic Ocean crashing against the shore.

Harris is the southern half of the biggest island of the Outer Hebrides sharing it with Lewis to the north. Harris is different in character with a large area being taken up by the wildest and most continuous range of mountains in the country - fantastic for challenging hill walking - contrasting with some fantastic sandy beaches with clear blue seas and mountainous backdrops. Fishing in the many lochs is also popular as are watersports including surfing and cycling. Tarbert is Harris' main town and the ferry port for ferries from Skye.

North Uist is renowned for its glorious sandy beaches, lochs, machair and wildlife. It's also a fantastic getaway for outdoorsy types with plenty of opportunities for walking, rock climbing and watersports activities. South Uist is a one of the most varied islands in terms of its landscape and habitats. The west is largely covered in machair with a string of sandy beaches while the west is backed by the range of hills with the highest peak Beinn Mhor. Admiring the scenery, enjoying the peace and beauty, walking and outdoor activities are the themes that'll keep you occupied in South Uist.

Benbecula lies between North Uist and South Uist. It was once an important RAF base. The airport is near Balvinich the main settlement on the island. Regular flights from Glasgow to Benbecula provide a quick route to the South Hebrides. You can explore North Uist, Benbecula and South Uist via the causeways linking all the islands. Barra is one of the most southerly islands in the Outer Hebrides. It is just four miles wide and eight long and is often quoted as being the Western Isles in miniature. The island has sandy beaches lined with machair, Lewisian gneiss mountains, prehistoric ruins and is very much rooted in Gaelic culture. It suffered with many of the Western Isles from The Clearances but they were particularly cruelly forced in Barra.

Orkney Islands

There are actually over 70 islands within the Orkneys, but only 20 are inhabited. The largest island is Mainland which has Burray and South Ronaldsay connected to it by the Churchill Barrier causeways. Hoy is the only island to have any mountains, the rest are relatively low lying islands much of which has been farmed for thousands of years.

To visit the other islands there are a variety of inter-island flights or ferries. Each island has its own character but all of them are excellent places for coastal walks, birdwatching and wildlife spotting. There are also hundreds of ancient history sites all over the islands the bulk of which date from 5,000 years ago. More up-to-date history is evident in East Mainland where there are many artefacts that are remnants from World War I and II.

Shetland Islands

The Shetland Islands are a cluster of over one hundred islands huddled together in the Atlantic Ocean between Orkney, Iceland and Norway. Just fifteen of the islands are inhabited with a population of around 22,500.

To list some of the bigger Shetland Islands are Mainland, Bressay and Noss, Whalsay, Out Skerries, Fetlar, Yell, Unst, Papa Stour, Foula and Fair Isle. Out Stack is the most northerly of the Shetland Islands and Fair Isle is the most southerly.

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