2 min summary Best time to go Map & highlights How to choose Wildlife Inner Hebrides Outer Hebrides Caledonian Canal Top 10 Tips Responsible tourism

Cruising in the Outer Hebrides

A small ship cruise into the Outer Hebrides, aka Western Isles, really is a journey into the far reaches of Scotland and the UK. These are also lands of extreme beauty. Giant sea stacks and cliffs, seal and puffin colonies, deserted villages and beaches, whales and dolphins. You really never know what to expect when you head out to the wild west of Scotland. But wonderful will be one description that comes up again and again, for sure.

Home\UK\Scotland

CRUISING IN THE OUTER HEBRIDES

From Inner to Outer

The Outer Hebrides, also known as the Western Isles, are an archipelago about 70km off the west coast of Scotland. Small ship cruising vacations in the Outer Hebrides tend to last about ten to twelve days. Starting out from Mull, in the Inner Hebrides, you cruise past other Inner idylls such as Oronsay with its dramatic high sided cliffs at Loch Drumbie, Rùm Island with its red deer and sea eagles, and Canna which is home to a plethora of seabirds. And all this before you even hit the outside ring of archipelagic beauty.

See all our Scotland cruising Vacations

Give us a call

Our Scotland cruising Vacations

Mingulay & Vatersay

Cruising up north up this littoral ladder of loveliness, the next stops are Mingulay and Vatersay, two of several isles and islets known as the Barra Isles or Bishop’s Isles as they were owned by the Bishop of Sodor. Which does actually sound like a character from Lord of the Rings. These islands really are pretty far out, it has to be said, the only inhabited one being Vatersay. And they do also date back to Viking times, so there are a lot of sagas tied up in their white sands and machair dunes. Mingulay is, however, inhabited by hundreds of seals, their calls echoing around the sea cliffs and deserted village, all exquisitely eerie. Another great sight is Biruaslum, a sea stack to the west of Vatersay which is a towering 72m high, with an ancient fort on one side. More Lord of the Rings stuff.

The beauty that is Barra

The Isle of Barra is adjoined to Vatersay by a causeway and it is has a population of over 1,000 people living in an island idyll of about 60km². The main village that you may well anchor at is Castlebay. From here there are wonderful hikes to be had, such as up to Dun Cuier Iron Fort, or seeking out ruins of traditional black houses. The birdlife is equally beautiful on Barra, so look out for snipe, pipits, ravens and buzzards. Another magnificent sight is Balnabodach deserted village on the east side overlooking Loch Obe, and now taken over by sea-pink flowers and moss. Finally, the island’s Kisimul Castle, off Castlebay, was the seat of the MacNeils of Barra andis only accessible by boat as it is on its own rocky islet.

Travel Team

If you'd like to chat about Scotland cruising or need help finding a vacation to suit you we're very happy to help.

1-866-821-6866

Call toll free

Calling from outside the USA

rosy@responsibletravel.com

1-866-821-6866

Call toll free

Calling from outside the USA

rosy@responsibletravel.com

Up at the Uists

Both North and South Uist Islands have Sites of Specific Interest on them thanks to their precious natural heritage of rare plants and birds, including corncrake, redshank, dunlin, lapwing and greylag geese with a RSPB nature reserve at Balranald. For those who favour beaches over birds, the white Clachan Sands beach on North Uist, made up from broken shells and enveloped by machair dunes, is as blissful as beaches come. The corncrakes agree, flying in here during summer months to nestle among the wildflowers and orchids that are scattered among the dunes. Another famous beach is on South Uist: Coileag a’ Phrionnsa, or the Princes Strand, where Bonnie Prince Charlie first landed on Scottish terrain. And what a bonny place to choose.

The main town on North Uist is Lochmaddy, which not only has a museum of local history but also an arts center and even a camera obscura. You will certainly need your camera as you cruise between north and south island, with hundreds of islets scattered in between the two, in a somewhat Scandinavian style.

St Kilda Archipelago

This is an odyssey to the outermost point and, if the conditions are fine and you are able to make it this far, you may just be hoping for a storm to come in so that you can be stuck here for a few days. This archipelago is in fact the remotest part of the British Isles, at 66km from the nearest other Hebridean island of Benbecula. They are made up of the uninhabited Dun, Soay and Boreray islands and Hirta, the largest and only inhabited one. Albeit only with a warden and army camp, the rest of the population abandoning it in 1930 after having people living here for millennia. It is, however, a UNESCO site with a vast history of 2,000 years. You can see some of its finest natural heritage from the water as it boasts the highest sea cliffs in the UK as well as vast sea stacks which look a bit like the Glastonbury Festival of sea birds, packed and rocking from dawn until dusk.

While cruising around St Kilda you will hopefully see plenty of seals but also basking sharks, whales, porpoises and dolphins as well as on your route back down south to Tobermory. Take in the stunning Monach Islands, aka Heisker, with their glistening white beaches, windswept dunes and, most famously, a vast grey seal population with up to 10,000 during the autumn months when they come here to have their pups.

More about Scotland cruising

When to go small ship cruising in Scotland

The best time to go on a small ship cruising vacation in Scotland depends on the season, and the skipper.

Small ship cruising holidays in Scotland guide

Small ship cruising vacations in Scotland guide

Our small ship cruising travel guide to Scotland takes you through nautical nirvanas, feasting on fine Scottish fare.

Where to go on a Scotland small ship cruise

From Hebrides to inland Highlands, canals to kyles, discover our top tips on Scotland’s cruising highlights.

How to choose a small ship cruise in Scotland

Wildlife or photography? The Hebrides or Caledonian Canal? Family or solo? You probably have a lot of questions, but don’t worry – we’ve picked out the three main things to consider if you’re unsure about how to choose a small ship cruise in Scotland.

Wildlife on a small ship cruise in Scotland

Scotland’s west coast promises some of the world’s most pristine wildlife watching habitats in Europe.

Cruising in Skye & Inner Hebrides

Cruising to Skye and the Inner Hebrides is one of the most popular routes on the west coast of Scotland.

Cruising the Caledonian Canal

Cruise the Caledonian Canal, a 100km short cut dug by Victorian engineers, letting ships sail coast to coast.

Top 10 cruises in Scotland

Find out what we rate as our top 10 cruises in Scotland, whether you’re looking for a wildlife-filled, on-the-water adventure, a family escape or a chance brush up on your painting skills.