Hebrides get in · How to get in Hebrides
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How to get in Hebrides
How to get in Hebrides
The Hebrides covers a very large area. Examination of timetables is often prudent. However, it is possible to travel around the Outer Hebrides without your own transport. The nearest large city on the mainland is Glasgow, some way to the South East.
Most of the islands are reachable by ferries or other boats. Most of these ferries are operated by Caledonian MacBrayne , otherwise known as CalMac, who have a full set of timetables and additional information on their website. Ferries are relatively cheap for foot passengers, though very expensive for cars and other vehicles.
The port of Oban on the mainland is a main transport hub, with a connection to the West Highland Railway and ferry connections to Barra, South Uist, Mull, Coll, Tiree, Colonsay and Lismore. Further north, the port of Mallaig has ferry services to the Small Isles - Canna, Rum, Eigg and Muck, as well as Skye. It is also possible to drive onto Skye using the bridge at the Kyle of Lochalsh.
The port of Uig on Skye has short ferry connections to the Outer Hebrides islands of North Uist and Harris. Ullapool, in the far northwest of Scotland, has a ferry connection to Stornoway on the island of Lewis (note: this does not currently operate on a Sunday).
In the Outer Hebrides, there are airport in Stornoway in Lewis, Benbecula and Barra. These airports provide direct flights to Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness. The airport in Barra is one of the most spectacular in the world, with planes landing on a three-mile beach at low tide. These flights however are often delayed due to weather problems, and are often very turbulent, and therefore are not for nervous flyers, due to small planes being used. The safety record, thankfully, is almost immaculate.
Many signs are bilingual, being in both English and Gaelic. In some parts of the Hebrides (i.e north of Stornoway), most people speak Gaelic as their native language. The locals sometimes appreciate you learning a few Gaelic phrases as a sign of politeness - Goiresan (Toilet) may come in useful!
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Hebrides
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Hebrides - updated May 2024
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Hebrides Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.