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Uist

The Uists are a string of islands in the Outer Hebrides which include Berneray, North Uist, Grimsay, Benbecula, South Uist and Eriskay. Throughout the islands, the scattered crofting townships you’ll find here are among the most traditional Gaelic communities in all the Highlands and Islands. The Gaelic language is spoken by many folks on a daily basis, celebrated in song, and brought to life in music and dance at night-time ceilidhs throughout the year.

Beyond the rich culture and history that stretches back centuries, the islands also boast some of the most unique scenery in Europe. All six islands are connected by causeways today, with Benbecula, and its solitary hill Rueval, serving as a central stepping stone. As you travel, the land becomes a mosaic of loch and hill, sky and sea, all merging into one big glistening mirage fringed by some of the most spectacular beaches that you will find anywhere in the world.

From an abundance of beaches to Whisky Galore

The culture and heritage of the Uists are explored in the Taigh Chearsabhagh Museum and Art Centre in Lochmaddy and elsewhere throughout the islands from Balivanich to Lochboisdale. Today, crofting continues among the countless lochs and lochans, renowned for the quality of their fishing, and the rhythm of the land sets the pace of life: slower, more in tune with nature, the weather and the seasons.

From the vast expanses of West Beach on Berneray or Clachan Sands on North Uist to the famed Princes Beach on Eriskay, which is reputedly where Bonnie Prince Charlie first set foot on Scottish soil in 1745, the Uists are not short of coastal charm or stories. Indeed, Eriskay is where the vessel Am Politician run aground with its prized cargo in 1941, a tale retold with creative licence in the book ‘Whisky Galore’.