Some of Europe's best beaches. Europe's best archaeological sites. Britain's most exciting mountain climbing. Scotland's best distilleries. The islands off the west and north coasts of Scotland can boast all of the above yet receive relatively few visitors compared to Mediterranean island destinations. That's slowly changing, thanks to the Internet and promotion by Scotland's tourism board, Visit Scotland.
More and more people are heading to this wild northern corner of Europe, and by far the best way of combining one or more of them into a visit is to buy what is known as an island hopping pass, available from Scotland's chief ferry company, Calmac. This means you can experience many of Scotland's best ferry journeys to link up many islands in one holiday. Without buying a book, sending off for brochures or any trial and error, this is a guide to the best islands in Scotland to visit.
Visit Isle of Arran
Scotland in miniature is how this beautiful island off the Ayrshire coast is referred to. It's got great hill walking (in fact its centre is one huge mountain), photogenic villages and a great mix of neolithic history and golf courses. Its also easily accessible from Scotland's main city, Glasgow. Take the ferry from Ardrossan to Brodick, the island capital, thn leave during summer from Lochranza in the north on the ferry to the Mull of Kintyre.
Whisky on Islay
If you only get one island to visit during your stay in Scotland, Islay is a good bet. It's different from other Scottish islands: its scenery is gentler and it has bundles of indoor attractions for the bad weather (namely the eight distilleries which are considered to produce some of the world's finest whisky). There is also incredible beaches in the southeast and interesting bird life around Loch Gruinart in the north.
Isle of Jura
George Orwell came to Jura to write 1984. It's one of the wildest places in Scotland. There are more red deer than people. The reason to come here is the great wild walking and a glimpse of the Corrywreckan, one of the strongest whirlpools in the world.
Isle of Mull and Iona
Think picture postcard villages, gret walking, immense sandy beaches and proximity to the spiritual Island of Iona at its tip: Mull offers all this and more. It's quite touristy in the east (for a Scottish island) but in the middle you will barely see a soul. It also boasts some bizarre geology: supposedly the world's oldest fossilised tree and impressive rock arches.
Windsurfing on Isle of Tiree
TheIsle of Tiree is almost totally rimmed with beautiful white sand beaches. It's also very windy here. The result? Some of Europe's best windsurfing and kiteboarding.
Isle of Skye
It's a bit of a cliche to mention Skye: after all everyone has heard of it and invariably goes there if they want an island experience but are pressed for time (the Skye Bridge links it to the mainland). But Skye does boast plenty of great attractions, most notably Europe's most spectacular mountain scenery, the Cuillin Range. It's as dramatic as the Alps, only more unspoilt. There's plenty to do in the wet weather too: great castles, a distillery and pretty towns like Portree to look round.
South Harris, Outer Hebrides
It's simple: Scotland's (and Europe's) best beaches await. Not necessarily the warmest for swimming (although the Gulf Stream makes it bearable) but for sheer, vast, gorgeous expanses of sand with hardly a soul on them, this is your place. Check out Luskentyre or, further south, Scarista. South Harris is joined to North Harris, where you'll find one of the world's best ancient stone circles, Callanish.
Hoy, Orkney Islands
Hilly Hoy is very different to the other Orkney Islands which are mostly flat. Hoy has great hill walking, an interesting World War Two heritage, fascinating Neolithic history and surely Britain's most incredible coastal feature, the Old Man of Hoy, an enormous rock stack.
North Ronaldsay, Orkney Islands
There are many Orkney Islands worth checking out but if you get this far you'll have seen the mainland which has its own collection of sighs. North Ronaldsay is a bizarre place: it boasts the world's only seaweed-eating sheep and some truly great bird watching.
Unst, Shetland Islands
This island has more in common with Scandinavia, so far north is it. It has incredible bird watching and some interesting museums, including the Unst Boat Haven, a fascinating insight into the boats which used to ply these waters.
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