The biggest wow factor of my Outer Hebrides road trip were the Outer Hebrides beaches. Honestly, they were just incredible. From the photos I’d seen preparing and planning the trip, I knew the beaches in the Outer Hebrides would be amazing, but from seeing them for real I know that photos just can’t quite do them justice. 

It was actually the beaches in the Outer Hebrides I’d seen on Instagram that inspired me to go over in the first place – look at them!  

– Traigh a Bhaigh Beach in Vatersay

I tried to capture them – I even naively took my drone hoping to get the best of them – but the wind on the sunny September days I visited was too much for my Mavic Mini and I couldn’t fly it on Harris and Lewis. Did manage a few pics further south in Barra and Varetsay though. 

With the state of the world at the time of my visit (September 2020), many attractions in the Outer Hebrides were closed. And so the Outer Hebrides beaches ended up becoming our focus for the trip.

I wanted to show off some of my pictures and locally tried and tested knowledge to help you plan your trip, or even inspire a trip, to what I think are some of the best beaches in the UK. Long white sand beaches await, as do rugged cliff flanked ones too.

And you definitely won’t get the crowds of Cornwall, Bournemouth and Margate up here – barely a soul to be seen!

Best Outer Hebrides Beaches

Varetsay Beaches

1. Traigh a Bhaigh Beach

I loved Traigh a Bhaigh Beach, in fact, I think it was my favourite beach in the Outer Hebrides. Just head for the Vatersay Community Hall cafe and walk down, you’ll see it. Great as there are toilets at the cafe too, and food. You can wild camp here. 

It was very quiet and a herd of cows came on the beach too. 

I didn’t go and look but if you head over the dunes to Traigh Shiar, there’s apparently an amazing beach there too. 

This pic was taken from a bus turning area. I’m not entirely sure I was meant to be there, but the views were amazing. 

Berneray beaches, South Uist

2. West Coast Beach

Soft white sand runs the entire 20-mile edge of Berneray along the Atlantic coast. Fringed with machair grasslands, it’s one of the most peaceful beaches in the Outer Hebridges. 

Not only do you get views overlooking Boreray and certain points that are shadowed by the main summit of Beinn Schleibhe; the beach is crowd-free and at least a mile from the nearest road. 

Most people access it via a 20-minute walk from Borve village hall.