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A calm sea loch with layered hills rising beyond the far shore, and a foreground of golden dune grass.
Outer Hebrides

Luskentyre Beach, Harris

The largest and most spectacular of the Harris beaches, a great bay of white sand and turquoise water below the North Harris hills.

Welcome

Harris is famous for its beaches, and Luskentyre is the largest and most spectacular of them all.

The bay bites deep into South Harris a few miles south of Tarbert; at low tide it is a vast spread of white sand and turquoise shallows, with the North Harris hills behind and Taransay to the west.

A single-track road runs along the north side of the bay, between huge dunes that hide the beach, to a small car park; a path goes on to Tràigh Rosamol. For the finest view, go back to the main road and take the south side of the bay: a little beyond Seilebost School you look north along the line of the dunes and the sand bar that reaches into the mouth of the bay. In the right weather it is hard to believe there is a better beach anywhere.

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Before you go

For the beach itself, take the single-track road along the north side of the bay to the small car park at its end.

For the classic view, take the A859 along the south side of the bay and stop a little beyond Seilebost School.

Getting there
CalMac ferry from Uig on Skye to Tarbert, or from North Uist to Leverburgh.
Car park
At the end of the Luskentyre road.
The view
From the A859 beyond Seilebost School.

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Did you know

An aerial view of a curved sand spit reaching into turquoise water, dune grass covering its spine and hills rising across the bay beyond.
Did you know

Under the sea at high tide.

At high tide much of Luskentyre Bay disappears under the sea and becomes part of the Sound of Taransay.

An aerial view of a long straight beach where pale turquoise waves break against golden sand, dune grass to one side and hills rising beyond a calm bay.
Did you know

Beaches beyond the beach.

A path from the car park leads on to Tràigh Rosamol, which carries the sands on to the north-west, facing Taransay.

A single hill rising beyond a calm sea loch, seen across a shoreline of rock and grass with golden dune grass in the foreground.
Did you know

Almost an island.

Harris all but becomes an island at Tarbert, a few miles north of the bay, where the land narrows between two seas.

Hidden Scotland

From our guide to Outer Hebrides

Luskentyre is the great bay on the west coast of South Harris, a few miles from Tarbert, and at low tide it becomes a huge spread of white sand and turquoise shallows. The hills of North Harris rise behind, and Taransay sits out to the west. A single-track road follows the north side of the bay between tall dunes to a small car park. For the classic view, go back to the main road and look across from the Seilebost side. On a fine day, it is very hard to leave.

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Where it is

Luskentyre, west coast of South Harris, off the A859 south of Tarbert.

Close byOn the west coast of South Harris.
  1. Seilebost's curve of white sand and turquoise surf below a conical hill, from above.Seilebost Beach, HarrisA white beach on the south side of Luskentyre Bay, looking over the water to Taransay and Ben Luskentyre.5 miles 7 min by road
  2. Nisabost beach from the rocks, white sand and turquoise water below green dunes.Nisabost Beach & MacLeod’s StoneA white-sand beach on the west coast of Harris, with a tall prehistoric standing stone on the headland above.7 miles 8 min by road
  3. The deck at Talla na Mara, picnic benches looking out over turquoise water and white sand to the hills of Harris under a blue sky.Talla na Mara Community CaféThe West Harris Trust's community café at Talla na Mara, with soup, sandwiches and baking, and a deck looking over the sea to Taransay.7 miles 9 min by road
  4. Chris plating lobster on blue plates in the Flavour kitchen, a row of dishes ready on the counter.FlavourA small restaurant in Tarbert where every table is a chef's table for an eight-course tasting menu.7 miles 9 min by road
  5. The green wooden shed at Croft 36 in Northton, doors open, with coffee, soup and baking chalked on the doors and the honesty box inside.Croft 368 miles as the crow flies
  6. The Golden Road winding past small lochs through the grey rock of South Harris, the sea beyond.The Golden RoadThe single-track road of 1897 along the rocky east coast of South Harris, through a string of tiny townships.9 miles 11 min by road
Directions
Scarista House, a white Georgian manse with tall chimneys, lit gold by the evening sun behind a stone wall.HotelScarista House9.8 miles
Rows of Harris Tweed cushions fill a shelving wall, running from soft greys through mustard, rose and teal.ShoppingHarris Tweed Isle of Harris, Tarbert10 miles
A bedroom at Hotel Hebrides: a white bed under a tall paisley headboard, tartan curtains and timber-effect walls, a window onto Tarbert.HotelHotel Hebrides11 miles
Essence of Harris tote bag hangs beside shelves of bottled products in the shopShoppingEssence of Harris, Tarbert11 miles
The Harris Hotel in Tarbert, a long white building with gables and dormers, above a garden of purple flowers under a blue sky.HotelHarris Hotel11 miles
A winding tidal channel cuts through saltmarsh grass beneath a cloud-capped hillAttractionsNorthton Salt Flats13 miles
A flight of four Isle of Harris Brewery beers, from pale to dark, on a wooden board by the taproom window.RestaurantsIsle of Harris Brewery Taproom16 miles
A plate at North Harbour Bistro: a langoustine laid over fish on toast, with sauces and crisp seaweed on a dark plate.RestaurantsNorth Harbour Bistro17 miles
Tweed scarves, "Love, Faith, Hope" boxes and Harris Tweed eggs on a shop counterAttractionsGrannie Annie's, South Harris17 miles

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Stay nearby

Places to stay near Luskentyre, and when each is next free.

A curved timber-roofed house glows with lit windows at dusk, chairs set on the gravel and decking outside.Harris Hideaway
  • Sleeps 2
  • In Cliasmol
  • 4 miles from Luskentyre
Free 16–23 NovPlaces to stayEvery stay in the Outer HebridesAll our places to stay nearby, to search by date and by who is coming.See them all
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Read on

What we have written about it, the collections it is in and more in the Outer Hebrides.

ArticleHow a Day Trip to Harris Turned into a Three-Year BuildArticleHarris, Lewis and the Long Road to ArdnamurchanArticle7 interesting things you maybe didn’t know about Lewis and HarrisCollectionScotland's Best Beaches
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