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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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Traigh Iar Beach and Machair

Address

Sollas, Isle Of North Uist, Outer Hebrides, HS6 5BX

Isle Of North Uist

Sollas beach is a stunning white sandy beach and eaily accessible from the village of Sollas and Grenitote.

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Traigh Scarista

Address

Scarista, Isle of Harris, Outer Hebrides

Isle of Harris

Facing out into the Atlantic Traigh Scarasta has dramatic views over the Sound of Taransay from its white sand beach.

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Traigh Mhangurstadh (Mangersta Beach)

Address

Uig, Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, HS2 9HA

Isle of Lewis

Traigh Mhangurstadh (Mangersta) is a beautiful beach in the parish of Uig in south west Lewis.

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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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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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Baleshare Beach

Address

Baleshare, Isle Of North Uist, Outer Hebrides, HS6 5HG

Isle Of North Uist

Balleshare beach is easily accessed from the village of Baleshare.

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Kildonan Beach and Machair

Address

Kildonan, Isle Of South Uist, Outer Hebrides, HS8 5RZ

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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Ormiclate Beach & Machair

Address

Ormiclate, Isle Of South Uist, Outer Hebrides, HS8 5SB

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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Luskentyre

Address

Luskentyre, Isle of Harris, Outer Hebrides

Isle of Harris

The beach at Luskentyre is the largest and most spectacular of all the Harris beaches.

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Traigh Sgurabhal

Address

Eoligarry, Isle of Barra, Outer Hebrides, HS9 5YD

Isle of Barra

Great beach for a family outing or a quiet walk.

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Clachan Sands Beach and Machair

Address

Clachan Sands, Isle Of North Uist, Outer Hebrides, HS6 5AY

Isle Of North Uist

Clachan Sands beach is a stunning white sandy beach which is accessible via the village of Clachan Sands.

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Tràigh Mhòr

Address

Tolsta, Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides

Isle of Lewis

The Tràigh Mhòris a mile long sandy beach at North Tolsta in the unspoilt north east part of the Isle of Lewis

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Camas na Clibhe (Cliff Beach)

Address

Uig, Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides

Isle of Lewis

Camas na Clibhe (Cliff beach) is a quartz sand beach situated on the Valtos peninsular in the Uig parish of Lewis.

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The Braighe

Address

Braighe, Point, Isle Of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, HS2 0BQ

Isle Of Lewis

The Braighe is the stretch of land (isthmus) linking Point and the villages of Branahuie and Melbost. To the north of the main road there is a sandy beach and a pebble beach on the south side.

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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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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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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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Cleit Beach

Address

Cleit, Isle of Barra, Outer Hebrides, HS9 5XX

Isle of Barra

A great beach for all the family or a quiet walk. At low tide there are caves to explore at the far end.

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