Outer Hebrides

. The only full-size guide to focus solely on the islands of the Outer Hebrides, a region usually included in passing as a small section within guides to the Scottish Highlands and Islands . First edition has been a huge success - one of Bradt's top two or three bestselling general guides since publication in 2017 and reprinted 3 times . Increasing visitor numbers - up 20% from 2013 to 2017 - means the second edition should do even better . Calmac ferry service and FlyBe airline are planning additional services in season, and Calmac has invested heavily in new fleet

Outer Hebrides travel guide - Holiday tips and expert advice for Lewis, Harris, St Kilda, Berneray, North Uist, Benbecula, South Uist, Eriskay, Barra and Vatersay, plus language and wildlife. Also covers beaches, culture, Lewis Chessmen, Standing Stones of Callanish, food, walking, golden eagles, hen harriers, seals, red deer and Whisky Galore!This new, thoroughly updated second edition of Bradt's Outer Hebrides: The Western Isles of Scotland, from Lewis to Barra by experienced writer and journalist Mark Rowe is the only full-size guide to focus solely on the islands of Lewis, Harris, St Kilda, Berneray, North Uist, Benbecula, South Uist, Eriskay, Barra and Vatersay. Masses of background information is included, from geography and geology to art and architecture, with significant coverage of wildlife, too, as well as all the practical details you could need: when to visit, suggested itineraries, public holidays and festivals, local culture, plus accommodation and where to eat and drink. Walkers, birdwatchers, wildlife photographers, beach lovers and genealogists are all catered for, and this is an ideal guide for those who travel simply with curious minds to discover far-flung places of great cultural, historical and wildlife interest. The Outer Hebrides is an archipelago of 14 inhabited islands and more than 50 others that are free of human footprint. Huge variations in landscape are found across the islands, from Lewisian gneiss, which dates back almost three billion years, to rugged Harris with its magnificent sands running down its western flanks and the windswept, undulating flatness and jagged sea lochs of the Uists. This is a land where Gaelic is increasingly spoken and ancient monuments abound, where stunning seabird colonies and birds of prey can be watched, and where the grassy coastal zones known as the machair are transformed into glorious carpets of wildflowers in late spring and summer. Whether visiting the Standing Stones of Callanish, the Uig peninsula, Barra's Castlebay, or historic St Kilda, or if you just want to experience the romance of the Sound of Harris, one of the most beautiful ferry journeys in the world, Bradt's Outer Hebrides: The Western Isles of Scotland, from Lewis to Barra has all the information you need.