The Hebridean Way

The official starting point of the trek is located opposite the local council building in Vatersay. From here, head north along the road. The route around the shores of Vatersay and the nearby island of Barra includes all the classic features of the Outer Hebrides: high hills, white sandy beaches, and fields covered with low grass and wildflowers. This plant carpet is called "Machir" in Gaelic and it is a fitting introduction to what lies ahead.

This is one of the more challenging days of the journey, involving a 275 metre climb over the shoulder of Beinn Tangabhal, which is also the highest point on the entire route. 

Today may be strenuous but the following day is almost entirely flat and will allow your leg muscles to recover easily. In Ardmore, there is a small seafood restaurant and several B&B options. You can take the ferry to the next island, where there are many more B&Bs, or set up a tent on the stunning beach.

Between Eriskay and the town of Howmore, the walk follows the Atlantic coast, above an almost unbroken stretch of white sandy beaches. It is an easy and pleasant section, with stunning scenery: to the west, the Machir grasslands bloom in spring, and to the east, fishing villages are tucked between bays and hills. 

The progress along the route is more impressive and enjoyable than expected. At your endpoint, Howmore, you will find a youth hostel and several B&B options.

Due to rougher terrain farther east, the path returns to the western coast. After crossing South Ford, the route continues on the island of Benbecula along the shoreline to the settlement of Bail nan Caileach. 

Here you’ll find several B&B options, or you can simply pitch a tent at Cula Bay, which is known for its striking turquoise waters. About 2 km north, in the nearby village of Balivanish, you'll find a grocery store, restaurants and additional accommodation options.

Despite its modest height, the summit offers wonderful views in every direction. Along the way, you can visit ancient sites in the villages of Cairinis and Langais. The route then crosses to the island of North Uist via two causeways, including a short passage through Grimsay Island, known for its local seafood industry. 

At your endpoint in Lochmaddy, you will find a hotel, a grocery store, and additional accommodation options (B&B).

On clear days, the summit offers sweeping views of the wide sands of North Uist and the many islands to the east. Later you’ll reach the tiny island of Berneray, a true gem, every bit as beautiful (perhaps even a little more) than Eriskay at the southern end of the island chain. 

Since this is a relatively short day, it’s worth taking some time to explore the island (don’t miss the solitary machair and the lovely beaches) before boarding the ferry to Leverburgh, the starting point for the next day. Berneray offers several B&B options, as well as a youth hostel and a small grocery store that also serves as a café and restaurant.

From there, you’ll reach open ground with views over white shell beaches along the Atlantic coast. This route is full of contrasts: it starts in the traditional fishing and farming village of Leverburgh and ends on the island’s western side, which is gradually turning into one large holiday area. In summer, the beaches are filled with visitors, but for the rest of the year the villages are relatively quiet. 

You’ll finish this short and pleasant day in Horgabost, an area blessed with beautiful beaches, cozy B&B options, a restaurant, and even a mobile sauna overlooking the Atlantic Ocean! (Check here for details - https://saltboxsauna.co.uk/book/ )

Today, as on the previous day, you will notice striking contrasts not only in the landscape but also in the way the land is inhabited and used. The flower-covered machair and white sandy beaches of the western coast gradually give way to bare rock, peat bogs, and a harsher, more rugged landscape on the eastern side of South Harris.

The change is reflected in the settlements as well. Instead of holiday homes and hotels, you will encounter small, modest villages scattered around deeply indented and remarkably beautiful sea lochs and bays.

The route passes through an area known simply as "the Bays." Many of the communities here were established by people displaced during the Highland Clearances of the 19th century, when large numbers of residents were evicted from their homes across Scotland. The dead were traditionally carried westward for burial along what became known as the "Coffin Route," sometimes passing through the village of Likisto on their final journey.

Beyond this area, the trail winds between the isolated settlements of the northern Bays, following a mixture of old goat tracks and narrow roads. Many of these roads form part of the famous "Golden Road," built during the 1930s. The name comes not from its appearance but from its enormous construction cost, which was considered extraordinary at the time.

You will follow sections of this historic road on your way to Tarbert, the main town on Harris. Here you will find plenty of accommodation options, restaurants, cafés, and shops where you can restock supplies before continuing your journey.

From the village of Urgha Beag, the route enters Gleann Lacasdail and climbs gradually toward the Bràigh an Ruisg pass. Along the way, there are excellent views of An Cliseam, the highest peak in the Outer Hebrides, as well as the village of Maaruig and the waters of Loch Seaforth below.

After crossing the main A859 road, the trail continues behind Cleit Ard before winding alongside the road and eventually entering the woodland of Aline. After several days of open moorland, coastline, and mountain scenery, the forest feels surprisingly different and makes a pleasant place to spend the night.

For those planning to camp, there is a designated campsite within the forest. If sleeping among the trees is not particularly appealing, consider stopping instead at one of the B&Bs around Ardvourlie, approximately 4 kilometres before reaching the woodland.

From there it leads deep into the moorlands behind Balallan, returns briefly to the road, then heads out once more into the bog for a short stretch before reaching Laxay, where you will find several B&B options.

 After crossing the A858 road, the walk continues on asphalt until the “official” end of the Hebridean Way in the gardens of Lews Castle in the town of Stornoway. 

Some hikers prefer to avoid walking along a road, but after so many days in the wild, others find it a welcome change. From Achamore, it is well worth making a short detour from the trail to visit the impressive ancient site of the Callanish Stones. (Details in the “Good to Know” section above )

At present, the Butt of Lewis lies approximately 48 kilometres north of Stornoway. The first half of the route follows roads, initially along the A857 through the suburb of Newmarket, then alongside the B895 through the villages of Tong and Back, before continuing to New Tolsta.

Those who make the journey to the northern tip of the islands will be rewarded with magnificent scenery, including views toward the mountains of the Scottish mainland and several beautiful beaches along the way. There is also a certain satisfaction in standing at the very edge of the Hebrides, looking out across the Atlantic with nowhere farther north to go.

That said, the long stretches of road walking are not for everyone and can become tiring. Those who prefer can shorten the journey by using the W5 bus line to bypass part of the route.

On a clear day, you can enjoy breathtaking views toward the mountain peaks north of Ullapool, across The Minch. The central section can be a bit muddy, and the trail is barely marked. Still, it’s hard to lose your way, just keep the coastline on your right and continue until the next waypoint. (Use the attached GPX file for reference.) 

Expect around 6 to 7 hours of walking today, so even with breaks, viewpoints, and rest stops, you should have enough time to catch the afternoon W1 bus returning from the island’s northernmost point back to Stornoway.