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West Beach, Berneray - Lonely Planet's Top 20 Best Beaches in Europe

Beach and Machair in the Outer Hebrides

Just look at them.

Whatever the weather, the Outer Hebrides beaches are built for walking, swimming, storytelling, rock pooling, proposing, dune jumping, tennis ball launching or horizon looking. And they’re everywhere. It’s obvious why Wanderlust named the Outer Hebrides in the top 100 Greatest Travel Experiences, why Lonely Planet ranked West Beach in Berneray as the No 3 Best Beach in Europe and why the Thailand Tourist Board mistaken used a picture of a Hebridean beach to promote one of their beaches! Find out more about our BEACHES BLOG.

Machair is a Gaelic word meaning fertile low lying grassy plain. This is the name given to one of the rarest habitats in Europe which only occurs on exposed western coasts of Scotland and Ireland. Machair habitats in the Outer Hebrides run up the western shores of Uist, Harris and Lewis.

Here sand, largely made up of crushed shells, is regularly blown ashore by Atlantic gales. Over time the calcium rich shell sand and traditional Outer Hebrides crofting land practices have led to the development of a mosaic of fertile Scottish grassland habitats renowned for its Outer Hebrides wildflowers, Western Isles birds and insect life.

The most extensive areas of Outer Hebrides machair can be found on the West Coast of Uist. Here you’ll see the succession from dunes to grassland and traditional arable cultivation worked in rotation. On the fallow areas that have recently been cultivated you’ll find the greatest diversity of flowers where up to 40 Western Isles plant species can be found within a square metre.

Many of these are quite common Outer Hebrides flowers but it’s the sheer abundance of blooms that makes the machair so special. The colours change through the season with yellows dominating at first and then fading into reds, whites and blues.

However, the Western Isles flora on display on each machair is different depending on the history of land use and the local environment so it’s worth visiting several areas. Flowers of the Outer Hebrides are at their best between mid June and mid August.

The diverse plant community supports a rich insect life. The rare Great Yellow Bumble Bee and the unusual Belted Beauty Moth with its flightless female form are two of the most characteristic machair insects found in the Outer Hebrides.

The machair are bustling with Western Isles bird life at all times year. Corncrakes and breeding waders are the most distinctive spring arrivals. Large flocks of geese, lapwing and golden plover make this their home in winter.

This brilliant film explains how crofting methods are in sync with nature:

Machair is a special PLACE, please help us keep it that way by:

Please don’t PARK on Machair land. It causes enormous damage to the fragile ecosystem and reduces the machair through soil erosion
Leave no trace. Take everything with you when you leave, including LITTER. Do not light campfires or use disposable BBQ’s – there is a very real wildfire risk
Be aware of livestock and ANIMALS. Keep dogs under close control and away from livestock, especially in the spring at lambing time. Please also leave gates as you found them, they are important for animal management
Please do not CAMP on the machair unless using an organised camp site/spot and leave no trace when you leave
For more advice on good outdoor ENGAGEMENT please follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.

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Airport Beach

Address

Balivanich, ISLE OF BENBECULA, Outer Hebrides, HS7 5LA

ISLE OF BENBECULA

Just a stones throw from the airport, this magnifient beach is well worth a visit and is easily acccessed by a small road before you get to Benbecula Aiport.
The beach is a haven for wildlife such as ground nesting waders including the oystercatcher, lapwing, dunlin, ring plover, redshank and the snipe that return here to nest each year.…

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Huisinis Beach

Address

Hushinish, Isle of Harris, Outer Hebrides

Isle of Harris

Hushinish is a small settlement of only 4 houses overlooking a white sand beach in the far west of Harris

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Traigh Bhostadh (Bosta Beach)

Address

Bernera, Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, HS2 9LZ

Isle of Lewis

Traigh Bhostadh is a sheltered shell sand beach at the north end of Great Bernera. The Iron Age House and Time and Tide Bell are both sited here, along with ample parking and toilets.

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Beach and Machair at Kilpheder

Address

Kilpheder, Isle Of South Uist, Outer Hebrides, HS8 5TB

Isle Of South Uist

Along the west coast of UIst lies around 20 miles of stunning white beaches.

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Hosta Beach (Tràigh Stir) and Machair

Address

Tigharry, Isle Of North Uist, Outer Hebrides, HS6 5DE

Isle Of North Uist

Hosta beach is easily accessible from the main road at Hosta.

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Stoneybridge Beach and Machair

Address

Stoneybridge, Isle Of South Uist, Outer Hebrides, HS8 5SD

Isle Of South Uist

Along the west coast of South Uist is an approx. 20 mile strip of stunning white beach and machair.

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Loch Bhurigh

Address

Berneray, Isle Of North Uist, Outer Hebrides, HS6 5BQ

Isle Of North Uist

Loch Bhurigh is easily accessible from the machair to the south of the island.

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Traigh Dhail Beag (Dalbeg)

Address

Dalbeg, Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, HS2 9AE

Isle of Lewis

Traigh Dail Beag (Dalbeg) is a lovely small bay and beach on the west side of Lewis.

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Balemore Beach and Machair

Address

Knockintorran, Isle Of North Uist, Outer Hebrides, HS6 5ED

Isle Of North Uist

Balemore Beach and Machair is easily accessible through the village of Balemore.

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Stilligarry Beach and Machair

Address

Stilligarry, Isle Of South Uist, Outer Hebrides, HS8 5RS

Isle Of South Uist

Along the west coast of South Uist is an approx. 20 mile strip of stunning white beach and machair. Access can be gained from the village of Stilligarry.

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Boisdale Beach and Orasay Island

Address

South Boisdale, Isle Of South Uist, Outer Hebrides, HS8 5TE

Isle Of South Uist

Along the west coast of South UIst lies around 20 miles of stunning white beach and machair.

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Shawbost Beach

Address

Shawbost, Shawbost, Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, HS2 9BJ

Isle of Lewis

A horseshoe beach with sand, good birdwatching and safe swimming. There are two access roads to the beach.

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Brue shore

Address

Brue, Barvas, Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, HS2 9QW

Isle of Lewis

A good access road and parking for a walk down to a boulder beach.

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Traigh Ghearadha

Address

Tolsta, Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides

Isle of Lewis

Triaigh Ghearadha is a beautiful sandy beach at the end of the B895 road in the unspoilt north east part of Lewis.

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Hougharry Beach and Machair

Address

Hougharry, Isle Of North Uist, Outer Hebrides, HS6 5DL

Isle Of North Uist

A stunning white beach and is easily accessible through the village of Hougharry.

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Drimisdale Beach and Machair

Address

Drimisdale, Isle Of South Uist, Outer Hebrides, HS8 5RT

Isle Of South Uist

Along the west coast of South Uist is an approx. 20 mile strip of stunning white beach and machair.

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Traigh Seilebost

Address

Seilebost, Isle of Harris, Outer Hebrides

Isle of Harris

Traigh Seilebost is a beautiful sandy beach on the south side of Traigh Luskentyre.

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Barvas Beach and Machair

Address

Barvas beach, Barvas, Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, HS2 0QR

Isle of Lewis

A good surfing beach with good access and pleasant walks.

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