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Isle of Harris

The Isle of Harris and the Isle of Lewis occupy the top North-West corner of the Outer Hebrides and are connected by land and tradition. Harris boasts a stunning landscape full of drama with mountains which were scoured by glaciers in the Ice Age. The East Coast of the island boasts some of the oldest rocks in Britain adding to the unique ‘lunar’ landscape. While on the West Coast, machair and sandy beaches offer spectacular views across the Atlantic.

Tarbert is the main community on Harris. The name means "isthmus" or "crossing point" in Gaelic. The isthmus, between the sea lochs West Loch Tarbert and East Loch Tarbert, joins south Harris to north Harris and Lewis. The Isle of Harris distillery, located in Tarbert, offers a warm welcome and an opportunity to sample their famous whisky and gin. The island is full of colour and vibrant landscapes which are most famously reflected in the beautiful textiles of Harris Tweed.

Gaelic jewel of the Hebrides

Harris is well-worth spending time on to relax and explore the story of the people who call it home.

The Isle of Harris has been a favourite of travellers for centuries and has the oldest settlements in the Hebrides dating to the Neolithic, with other notable Iron Age and Viking archaeological sites providing places to connect with the ancient peoples who populated this island.

Clach Mhic Leoid, or Macleod's Stone, is an over 5000-year-old standing stone which overlooks the beach near the village of Horgabost, a popular camping site. With the opportunity to stay in a traditional Blackhouse nestled into the landscape of the island, the memory of ancient peoples can be felt in the areas they once inhabited and which is now a vibrant place of culture and tradition.

Visitors to Harris also have plenty of opportunity to explore the great outdoors. Harris’ famous An Cliseam is the highest mountain in the Outer Hebrides, standing at an impressive 799 metres. It’s popular with walkers, climbers and even boasts an active cycle route! The Hebridean Way cycle route, a 185-mile trip which covers 10 Hebridean islands, also has prominent stops on Harris.

Small, quiet inlets known as ‘The Bays’ populated by small villages, each with their own unique character, dot the island landscape. Luskentyre and just along the coast Scarista, are two of the most spectacular beaches on Harris with views across the Atlantic, turquoise shallows and sand dunes.

Like Lewis, Harris is a gateway to several smaller islands of the Hebrides. The Sound of Taransay lies between the main west coast of Harris and the beautiful island of Taransay where rolling mountains and golden beaches await.

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Get Inspired

The Spirit of the Hebrides

"All these inspirational elements both ancient, historical, and new are a celebration of the Spirit of the Hebrides, its icons, its history, and its people."

Uig Sands, Isle of Lewis. Large boulders strewn the sandy beach in the bottom half of the image. A light blue sky with large white clouds takes up the top 25% of the image

Favourite Places: Luskentyre Beach

"...you just need to be there to experience it...it's just magic, I can't even put it into words."

In Focus: Harris Tweed - The Making of an Icon

Join Miriam Hamilton, of The Weaving Shed, as she takes us behind the scenes and explains just what makes the world-renowned Harris Tweed - a cultural icon of Highlands and Islands.

Dark clouds are moody over a bed of machair near a beach.

Plan your visit

Places to Stay

Things to Do

Food and Drink