Flights from Stornoway with Loganair. starting at £63*

Gateway to the Hebrides – and tranquillity

Fly to Stornoway and you escape to the isles of the Outer Hebrides, scattered in a glorious arc down the western edge of Scotland’s Atlantic seaboard. As the main town of the island chain, Stornoway is a bustling place, clustered around its harbour, with attractions including imposing Lews Castle and the An Lanntair Art Centre. And in Stornoway you have the ideal jumping-off point for any exploration of the Isles of Lewis and Harris, which are not two islands but one. Lewis in the north is mostly flat with scores of lochans, while Harris is more mountainous with an eastern coast so strikingly dramatic it features in the epic sci-fi movie 2001 A Space Odyssey.

Discover beaches you will remember all your days...

... gems include Luskentyre and Huisinish on Harris, and Mangersta and Uig on Lewis. Take in the cliffs, sea stacks, dunes and machair (seashore meadows) by walking, cycling, birdwatching, kayaking, coasteering, surfing or on boat trips. Cruise to remote UNESCO Heritage island St Kilda. Follow the Hebridean Way’s 185-mile route the length of the whole Outer Hebrides. Mark your visit with purchases of Harris Tweed and Harris Gin.

Music and song are big features of everyday life, as is the Gaelic language, and local produce is key to delicious dishes and popular eateries – the Eat Drink Hebrides Trail provides an appetising guide. It’s easy to relax here, and one trip will prove it.

Lews Castle and Grounds

Great walking and cycling paths around this restored building. Overlooking Stornoway harbour, the impressive gothic-revival style castle was built in the mid 1800’s, served as a hospital during WW2, a college, a school and now hosts the new Museum Nan Eilean with its famous Lewis Chessmen – 12^th century walrus ivory chess pieces which were discovered on the coast of Lewis in 1831, buried in a sand dune.

The Calanais Standing Stones

The Calanais (Calannish) Standing Stones are an extraordinary cross-shaped set of stones erected over 5,000 years ago. There is a lot of mystery surrounding the stones establishment but many think they were a place of ritual activity.