Handa Island

Island and Nature Reserve in Sutherland

For an unforgettable day trip, the island of Handa is hard to beat. The island is internationally renowned for its nesting seabird colonies and magnificent sea cliffs. Each May, June and July the cliffs come alive when a big proportion of the UK’s razorbills and guillemots gather to breed alongside thousands of kittiwakes and fulmars and hundreds of puffins. Great skuas and arctic skuas also gather on the island in great numbers. Visitors to this lovely island may also be rewarded with sightings of whales and dolphins offshore, as well as grey seals and otters on the shoreline. The paths on Handa can be steep and rough in places, so sturdy footwear is essential, as are warm and waterproof clothes as the weather can change quickly. The passenger ferry goes from Tarbet pier and the ticket price includes a donation to the Scottish Wildlife Trust which manages the island as a reserve together with Scourie Estates.

Visiting Handa Island

Hours:

Admission charge for ferry crossing

Ferry runs from April – September, Monday

to Saturday – last departure to Handa at

1400 hours.

Duration: 20 minutes

Tours and Activities from Sutherland

Fingal’s Cave and Staffa

Island in Isle of Mull

Staffa Ahead — GNU 1.2 / Hartmut Josi Bennöhr

Staffa is an island of the Inner Hebrides in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. The Vikings gave it this name as its columnar basalt reminded them of their houses, which were built from vertically placed tree-logs. It is famous for the sea cave Fingal’s Cave which is known for its natural acoustics and basalt columns, in fact the entire island features incredible basalt columns. If you’ve been to the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland, you will find it quite similar but in an island kind of way.

If you are visiting between May and August, you will also be able to see the puffins.

Visiting Staffa island

You will need to book a boat tour lasting 30 and 45 minutes to get there from Tobermory or Fionnphort. If you also want to visit Iona on the same day, you should take it from Fionnphort.

Visiting Fingal’s Cave and Staffa

Duration: 3 hours

Tours and Activities from Isle of Mull

Ness Islands

Island and Walk in Inverness

The Ness islands are a collection of natural islands that sit in the middle of the River Ness, connected from the river banks and throughout by beautiful Victorian footbridges. Just a short stroll away from Inverness city centre it is a place of natural beauty to take a breath, get some exercise or just watch the world go by.

You can walk from one end of the islands to the other entering on one side of the river and exiting on the other winding your way around the paths through imposing tall pines and matures trees.

You’ll pass by the red-sandstone towers of St Andrew’s Cathedral, which dates from 1869, and the modern Eden Court Theatre, which hosts regular art exhibits.

Visiting Ness Islands

Duration: 20 minutes

Tours and Activities from Inverness

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