Outer Hebrides Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
archipelago and council area off the west coast of mainland Scotland
About Outer Hebrides
The bedrock of all these islands is gneiss laid down 3 billion years ago, very hard-wearing and impermeable. On Lewis this lies flat, so a peat bog has built up over it, and on Harris it's contorted into gnarly hills; the Uists further south are a mixture more flat than gnarly. They are all a dismal prospect to farm. People have nevertheless lived here since prehistoric times, leaving their burial cairns, "dun" fortresses, and standing stones. They got about by sea in small craft that could draw up in little coves, as did the Celts and Vikings. During the Middle Ages the Vikings transitioned into the nation of Norway, and were forced to cede the Hebrides to Scotland after their defeat at Largs in 1263. Clan chiefs feuded with each other and with Edinburgh or London authority, but their bat
Top Attractions in Outer Hebrides
Explore the best things to see and do in Outer Hebrides:
- ★Hebridean Way
Outer Hebrides Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 12 sections including: