You know you are travelling to a special place once you board one of the ferries to the Outer Hebrides. Before long you are sailing in the wide open seas of The Minch and this is where the adventure begins. Soon you will be treated with mesmerising seascapes, start to feel the stresses of day to day life disappear and quite possibly be treated to dolphins swimming alongside the ferry or catch a glimpse of a soaring golden eagle.

The Western Isles ferry services are run by Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac for short) and connect our islands to the mainland and our island-groups to each other offer a great opportunity to ease yourself into an island-hopping holiday and really feel like you are getting away from it all at the start of something special.

TOP TIPS

If you are taking a car across, you MUST book the ferry
We strongly advise that following booking accommodation, you then book your ferry
We also recommend both are booked as far in advance as possible, to avoid disappointment. Ferries and accommodation book up very quickly!
If you have trouble getting your car on a ferry, there are lots of car hire options on our islands
Sit outside to get the fresh sea air (you’ll sleep well) and you might spot some wildlife and perfect for taking great pics as the light changes quickly!

Lewis and Harris

Sail from Ullapool on the mainland, Uig on the Isle of Skye, or if you are already in North Uist sail from the island of Berneray.

Ullapool is a mainland port in the highlands of Scotland and services the main port of Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis. The sailing between Ullapool – Stornoway typically takes 2hrs 45mins. From Lewis you can journey south by road to Harris – the islands are connected.

Include the Isle of Skye in your trip and journey direct to Tarbert, Harris from the port of Uig in the north of Skye. From Uig the sailing is typically 1hour 40mins.

Alternatively, travel from Berneray (connected to North Uist) to Leverburgh (Harris). The sailing time between Berneray – Leverburgh is 1 hour.

Barra, South Uist and North Uist

The main ferry to Barra is from the mainland port of Oban. You will sail for 4 hours 45mins to Castlebay on Barra. To link with the northerly islands, sail over to the island of Eriskay via Ardmhor (Barra) and travel by road over the Eriskay causeway to South Uist.

A more direct route to South Uist exists via the mainland port of Mallaig, sailing to Lochboisdale in 3 hours 30mins.

Similarly, a direct sailing to North Uist exists from Uig (Skye) – Lochmaddy and takes just 1hour 45mins.

For your Sat Nav

Many of the ports that service the Outer Hebridean islands are in remote locations. To help you plan your trip here are a list of the postcodes by port to type into your sat nav.

Ullapool Port: IV26 2UR
Uig (Skye) Port: IV51 9XX
Mallaig Port: PH41 4QD
Oban Port: PA34 4DB

Island Hopping

With so much to see the Outer Hebrides are perfect for an island hopping adventure. The CalMac ticket Island Hopscotch® 8 takes you from Oban to Barra, and on to the Uists, Harris and Lewis, returning to the mainland from Stornoway to Ullapool, and you can go in the other direction too.

CalMac Bookings

CalMac Interactive Map

Highlights

Eat Drink Hebrides - Hebridean Jewellery Cafe

Enjoy Hebridean products served in our daily light lunch menu.

Eat Drink Hebrides - North Uist Distillery

Steeped in Hebridean history, but always forward thinking, our family run distillery produces some of the finest artisan spirits in Scotland from the beautiful Island of North Uist. Our special…

Eat Drink Hebrides - The Good Food Boutique

An independently owned Delicatessen & Speciality Food Store in Stornoway centre. Freshly prepared Coffee / Sandwiches / Salads made by friendly staff. Cheesemonger, Whole Foods, World Foods, Local…

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