Barra

By plane

• Barra Airport

  address: Northbay HS9 5YD
  Small modern terminal building with toilets and a cafe, and it's reassuring that "Traigh Mhor", the runway area, translates as big beach. The round-the-island bus W32 runs to the airport three times a day routinely plus an extra late afternoon run on request. To Castlebay it takes 20 mins, fare £2, local taxis also available. Car hire available (see "Get around") but do pre-book, they have few vehicles. Private aircraft are welcome with prior permission.

By boat

• The Oban-Castlebay ferry takes 5 hours. Daily April-Oct, plus an extra Wednesday sailing via Coll and Tiree. Nov-March there's no Thursday or Saturday sailing or link to Coll or Tiree. One way fare is £15 per person plus £68 per car. Trains and buses from Glasgow connect with the ferries at Oban, so you can travel all the way in one day.

• Castlebay ferry terminal

  address: Castlebay HS9 5XD
  Open for all sailings, it's the small white-washed low building by the pier. With toilets and Wifi. 400 yards to shops and ATM. Free parking.
• Six miles north of Barra, Eriskay is a small island linked by causeway to South Uist, so this is nowadays the route to the main chain of the Western Isles. A ferry runs from on the north coast of Barra to Eriskay. This sails daily year-round, with up to 5 ferries per day, taking 40 minutes, single fare £3 plus car £11. A bus may connect on Barra, and on Eriskay a bus may connect all the way north via Lochboisedale, Benbecula and North Uist, with another ferry crossing to Harris. So by this Western Isles Overland Route you can travel in under a day between Barra and Stornoway on Lewis. The traditional ferry route from Castlebay on Barra to Lochboisdale on South Uist no longer sails.

• Bike hire is £16 for one day, then £10 a day.
• Buses run Mon-Sat, with a single fare of £1-£3.

• Arrange car hire through Barra Car Hire on 01871 890 313 (for on-island hire only) or Car Hire Hebrides on 01870 603 228 (they'll do off-island and one way hire across the Western Isles.)

• Campbell Taxis

  phone: +44 1871 810216
  address: 60 Tangasdale, HS9 5XW

• Barra Taxi

  phone: +44 1871 810012
  address: Garrygall, HS9 5UH
• Dans Taxi +44 1871 810497
• Barra Island Tours +44 1871 810255

• Kisimul Castle

  phone: +44 1871 810313
  address: Castlebay HS9 5UZ
  Small castle, reached by a 5-min boat ride from Castlebay, weather permitting. Built in late 15th C and showing its age, with the Great Hall closed for restoration. Wisely, the Clan Chief lives in Edinburgh.

• Barra Heritage Centre

  phone: +44 1871 810413
  address: Castlebay HS9 5XD
  Local history exhibition.
• Overlooking the ferry port, note the 19th C "Our Lady, Star of the Sea" RC church. Masses are held here Sat & Sun mornings, and at various times around the island.
• Along the west coast, is the best beach. The medieval ruin on the islet out on the bay is "McLeod's Tower" or "Sinclair Castle". There's a small standing stone near the roadside at Borve, and the Neolithic chambered burial cairn of Dun Bharpa in the hills above. On the hill just south of the turnoff for the golf-course is Dun Chuidhir Iron Age broch. On Grean Head to the north, Atlantic breakers pound against the cliffs.
  
  • A mile east along the main road from Castlebay towards Breivig is the start of the footpath up Heaval, see "Do". All along the more sheltered east side are views of the inner isles, and on a clear day the hills of Rhum and the peaks of the Cuillins look very close.
  • At a side lane branches north. Local artist Margaret Somerville has created a statue of St Barr, the island's saint, in the little bay here, as well as the shell pictures of seabirds and fish dotted around the island. The north end of Barra offers a vista of nearby uninhabited islands, as well as Eriskay and the Stack Isles, Ben More in South Uist, and on a clear day Benbecula and North Uist.
  • The lane continues north past the airport (toilets and cafe here) towards Eoligarry - a siren sounds when an aircraft's approaching and you need to get clear of the beach. This would be a really bad time for the dog to go hurtling after the seagulls.

  • Chapel of Cille Bharra

    address: Eoligarry
    3 or 4 chapels here, notably the 16th C burial chapel, restored in the 1970s. This contains a replica of a stone with Viking runes and Celtic design, commemorating the Christian burial of the Viking princess Thorgeth, Steinar's daughter. The original stone is in the National Museum in Edinburgh. The "main" chapel adjacent is now a ruin, the third chapel is a scrappy ruin, and the fourth has been obliterated. In the graveyard under a simple cross lies Sir Compton MacKenzie, whose best-loved work Whisky Galore was inspired by the running aground of the whisky-laden ship "The Politician" nearby in 1941.
  • From Castlebay a lane branches south, to cross a causeway to . This island has very fine beaches, and usually the best surfing and wind-surfing. Note the memorial to "Annie Jane", a ship from Liverpool taking emigrants to Montreal, wrecked in West Bay in 1853 with the loss of 350 lives. A number of Neolithic, Bronze and Iron Age remains are found on Vatersay, while offshore to the west is the inaccessible 236-foot stack of Biruaslum - with, incredibly, a prehistoric fort.
    

• No end of fine walks along deserted beaches.
• Climb

  HeavalIt's a short sharp ascent from the main road up the ridge to the summit at . The record for racing up it and back stands at 24 mins, but most folk take 40 mins each way. Two thirds of the way up is a statue of the Madonna and Child overlooking Castlebay. The view from the top takes in Mingulay and Barra Head lighthouse to the south; you might even see the hills of Ireland.

• Barra Golf Club

  address: Cleat, HS9 5XX
  Nine-hole course, the most westerly golf course in Scotland.

• Sea kayakingIncludes point to point kayak tours around the Hebrides, wild camping overnight.

• Boat trips run in calm weather to the uninhabited islands just south. The most spectacular is Mingulay, with its vast cliffs, and a tumult of sea-birds wheeling over the waters.
• Castlebay Community School has a swimming pool, a fitness suite, and a library with internet facilities.

• The BarrathonThe island's thirteen miles of main road make nicely for a half-marathon circuit. The "Barrathon" is held at the end of June; the next is on Sat 29 June 2019.

• MacNeil Clan GatheringIf you are a MacNeil then you are most welcome at the Clan Gathering, which is held in even years, the latest being in Aug 2018. Its various events are mostly held in Castlebay Community Hall. Arrangements for the 2020 Gathering have not yet been announced.

• Castlebay has ATMs and a filling station.

• Co-op

  phone: +44 1871 810 069
  address: Castlebay, HS9 5XD

• Grocer

  address: Main Street, Castlebay
  sells newspapers.

• Hardware store

  address: in Castlebay
• The local newspaper is Guth Bharraigh, which will tell you what's on.
• Buth Bharraigh is a local produce hub, at Unit 2, Castlebay Industrial Estate (M-Sa 10:00-18:00, Su 12:00-16:00).

• Hebridean Toffee

  phone: +44 1871 810898
  address: Castlebay HS9 5XD
  Scottish tablet made and sold here, with toffee and other local quality crafts and gifts sold all year round.

Budget

• For a quick snack there are cafés in Castlebay, and the village halls in Vatersay and Northbay offer coffees, teas, home baking and gifts.

• The Deck

  phone: +44 1871 810898
  address: Castlebay
  Good local food and drink and fresh home baking outside on the Deck: al fresco if warm, all freezo otherwise.

• Dualchas Café

  address: in the Heritage Centre, Castlebay

• Cafe Kisimul

  phone: +44 1871 810645 or +44 1871 810870
  address: Castlebay
  Offers Italian, Indian, traditional Hebridean and vegetarian options. Great staff with a trattoria-like atmosphere. Only about 6 indoor tables. It is advisable to book at weekends and in high season.

Mid-range

• Isle of Barra Beach Hotel

  address: Tangasdale Beach
  Restaurant with fine ocean views.

• Castlebay HotelThe food is reasonable value and quality especially the seafood. Friendly service.

• Craigard Hotel

  address: Castlebay
  Mostly sea-food. Occasional live bands and big screen football matches.

• Heathbank Hotel

  address: Northbay
  Mainly seafood.

• Each of the four hotels has its own bar or cocktail lounge. There are often dances and ceilidhs which are either licensed to sell alcohol or where you are expected to bring your own bottle.

• Castlebay HotelOften has live music late on Saturday Nights. The local group "The Vatersay Boys" are very popular locally and will get you up and dancing.

• Craigard Hotel

  address: Castlebay

• Halaman Bar

  address: Isle of Barra Beach Hotel.
  Architect designed, it looks really posh. Great place to watch the sunset.

Budget

• Camping: There are designated campsites (which take tourer caravans) at Borve on the west coast, Balnabodach on the east coast, and two at Eoiligarry at the north tip.

• Dunard Hostel

  address: Castlebay
  A 16-bed hostel which caters for families and solo travellers. Close to the ferry pier.

Mid-range

• Tigh-Na-Mara Guest House

  address: Castlebay HS9 5XD
  B&B open April-Oct.

• Castlebay Hotel

  phone: +44 1871 810223
  It's a few minutes walk from the ferry. Website also has general info on the island.

• Craigard Hotel

  phone: +44 1871 810200
  address: Castlebay HS9 5XD
  Friendly small hotel with restaurant.

• Isle of Barra Beach Hotel

  phone: +44 1871 810383
  Open May-Sept. In a lovely location next to Tangasdale Beach, 2 night minimum stay.
  Beware that Google map shows a duplicate of this hotel away up a rocky hill on Vatersay. No, nothing here but sheep.

• Heathbank Hotel

  address: Northbay
  Small hotel with bar and restaurant. Closes during October, otherwise year-round.
• Self-catering: At least two dozen places dotted around, including on Vatersay. They're mostly cottages plus a few static caravans, and generally let from Saturday to Saturday.

• The Hebridean Hopscotch ticket offers an opportunity to travel either north to Uist from Barra or south to Oban.
• Going north, you can take a ferry to Harris and drive or take public transport to the main town of Stornoway in Lewis. If you take a ferry from Lochmaddy in North Uist yiou can continue your holiday through Skye.
• Going south, you can choose a ferry once a week that will take you to Tiree or Coll, or go straight to Oban, from which ferry connections to islands such as Mull or Colonsay are easy. Bus and train connections are available from Oban to take you anywhere in Scotland.