Best time to go to the Inner Hebrides

The peace and quiet in the Inner Hebrides is one of the things Julie Dubois Marshall, from our Inner Hebrides specialists St Hilda Sea Adventures, loves about these islands: “Even in peak tourism season it’s very quiet here. You’ll be alone in the loch at anchor and just nobody else around.”

However, in some places – the Isle of Skye in particular – overcrowding is becoming more of a problem at the height of summer. Catriona Craig, from another of our Inner Hebrides specialists The Majestic Line, explains: “The volume of traffic, especially on Skye, is growing significantly, and some roads and visitor attractions are becoming clogged.”

In 2017, Isle of Skye residents spoke out in a plea for help to stem the tide of tourists, driven by an increase in round-Scotland cruises and coach trips spending just a day or two whizzing round Skye’s most iconic sites.

Avoiding the main summer vacation months of July and August, staying longer on the island to ensure you are contributing significantly to the local economy, and visiting some of Skye’s lesser-known but no less beautiful spots to spread the load are good ways to avoid being part of the overcrowding problem.

Catriona also recommends traveling to the island on a small ship cruise: “Traveling by boat means you’re not contributing to these congestion issues but also avoiding them. Plus, small ships can get to anchorages and bays that larger vessels cannot, and their smaller group numbers mean these places aren’t overwhelmed. Many Hebridean islands depend on tourism. Responsible tour operators here will encourage people to spend in the local economy, source local food and where possible draw crew from the Hebrides – all of which help.”

From orcas to otters and white-tailed eagles to minke whales, the islands of the Inner Hebrides are teeming with wildlife. For the best sightings, you’ll need to travel during the warmer months between April and October, although you’ll have a chance to spot dolphins at any time of year.

Puffins arrive on Lunga from the end of April, while huge basking sharks are best seen between June and September, particularly in the waters around Coll and Tiree to the west of Mull. Orcas are rarer visitors to the Inner Hebrides – but if you’re going to spot one it will be between May and July, when the common seals have pups.

The Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust monitors the movement and behaviour of cetaceans in the Inner Hebrides and beyond. Check out their online sightings tracker to keep up to date with the wildlife recently spotted in your chosen destination – minke whales, common dolphins, porpoises, basking sharks – and report your own sightings during your trip.

For total tranquillity, consider a trip to tiny Shuna. There are no roads here, and no cars, no phone lines or power lines. Just nature at its wildest. Otters prance along the shoreline; deer, eagles and seals can be seen in abundance; and on the approach you may well encounter dolphins and porpoises.

If you’re keen to see white-tailed eagles, the UK’s largest bird of prey, head to Mull – it’s home to the highest density of them in Scotland. Once native and widespread, white-tailed eagles were illegally poached to extinction in the UK in the early 20th century. Reintroduced to the Hebridean island of Rum in 1975-85 and later to Wester Ross and Fife, there are now 150 breeding pairs across Scotland.

Forget your binoculars. Wildlife abounds at every turn, whether it’s dolphins following your boat or white-tailed eagles soaring overhead. Puffins flock to Lunga, while thousands of migrating Arctic geese arrive on Islay each winter. The islands here were at the heart of the Highland Clearances – farming tenants were displaced from their ancestral lands in the early 1800s, leaving empty settlements and the ghosts of communities. Don’t ignore the past. Eat fish. At least, not only fish. While fishing is a huge part of Hebridean life – and some of the seafood you’ll taste is exceptional – there is a real issue with overfishing around the islands. Our responsible vacation partners make sure any fish served is sustainably sourced. Don’t just search for wildlife – search for stories as well. Legends are woven into the fabric of each Hebridean Island. Bonnie Prince Charlie escaped from over the sea to Skye after defeat at the Battle of Culloden, while in 563AD Columba arrived on now-sacred Iona from Ireland, bringing the Gospel to Scotland.

Julie Dubois Marshall, from our Inner Hebrides experts St Hilda Sea Adventures, shares her packing tips: “I’d recommend that guests bring lots of layers. These are such fantastic trips and really enjoyable if you’re well equipped. We can get all four seasons in one day, even in the middle of summer, so lots of layers that you can or remove as you warm up or get cold is perfect. I’d also recommend a good pair of binoculars for the wildlife… We also ask that guests bring their own water bottles, so we don’t need to buy lots of plastic bottles.”

Collette Dubois, also from St Hilda Sea Adventures, adds: “Some people think that they can manage without, but it is important not to forget your waterproofs. And it’s not because the weather is bad, but because when you go in a dinghy you are close to the water; you can get wet when you put the anchor up. They don’t have to be fancy waterproofs – just a jacket and trousers. They can be cheap waterproofs which cost about £10 for the trousers, for example.”