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Curious corners
in the Outer Hebrides.

It’s 20:05 in the Outer Hebrides.
Outer Hebrides

A beach runway and a whale's jaw.

At the north end of Barra, small planes land on the wide sands of Traigh Mhor, and the flights to Glasgow are timed by the tide, because at high water the runway is under the sea. On the west side of Lewis, the jawbones of a blue whale that came ashore in 1920 make an arch in a garden at Bragar, with the old harpoon hanging from the top. Near the Callanish Stones, a small charity cares for alpacas and rescued farm animals, each with a name of its own. Check the day's flight times if you want to watch a landing on the beach.

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From our guide9 hours ago

Callanish Alpacas.

A short way from the stones, Callanish Alpacas is a small charity that cares for a whole farmyard of rescued and rare-breed animals. The alpacas are the stars, often wearing bright coats against the weather, but there are pigs, ducks, chickens, four-horned sheep and a showy peacock too. Entry is free, and a guided tour introduces you to each animal by name. Afterwards there is coffee in the café and a shop full of alpaca goods. Donations go towards the animals' care, so leave a little something if you can.

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Place of the day3 hours ago

Barra Airport.

The only airport in the world with scheduled flights landing on a beach, on the sands of Traigh Mhor at the north of Barra, with flights to Glasgow timed by...

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From our guideJust now

Whalebone Arch.

In a garden by the road at Bragar, two huge jawbones of a blue whale stand together as an arch. The whale drifted into the bay dead in 1920, with a harpoon still lodged in it whose explosive head had failed to fire. The local postmaster, Murdo Morrison, took the bones and the harpoon. The charge finally went off some time later, and luckily nobody was hurt. The harpoon now hangs from the top of the arch. It makes a quick stop on the drive between Arnol and Callanish.

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