Frequently Asked Questions - General

To find out more about Culture, Fishing, Golf, Walking, Cycling, Outdoor, Film, Roots (genealogy) and Wildlife in the Hebrides, run your cursor over the logo menu at the top of this page to link in to nine websites dedicated to each! You'll find specific FAQs for each topic within each of the web sites.

The Hebrides is a chain of islands 30 miles off the North West coast of Scotland; part of Great Britain, at the very edge of Europe! Approximately 120 miles in length, the Hebrides lie between 57 and 58 degrees North and although they are surprisingly close to the mainland they feel like a world away once you are here.

The North Atlantic Drift keeps the water temperatures around our islands relatively high. This year-round current which originates in the Caribbean gives us relatively mild temperatures which means it very rarely goes below freezing in the winter and that we don’t experience the uncomfortable heat of some inland locations in the summer. Cool sea breezes and clear blue skies characterise our summers and although the winters are mild you can occasionally experience some of the wildest and stormiest gales around. Find out more in our Weather section.

There is year round activity in the Hebrides and with our mild climate there is never a bad time to visit, but depending on what you are looking for, some months of the year are better than others. Weather-wise, you will get the best temperatures between May and September but the winter months are equally beautiful as you experience the full force of the Atlantic pounding on our shores. There is year-round wildlife activity from sea and moor land birds in the summer to whales, seals and dolphins in the winter. On the social side June, July and August are the busiest with lots of cultural music festivals, dances and events happening. The Christmas and New Year period is a fun one with dances and fireworks displays. On the activity side, the surf gets better from September onwards and pursuits like golfing, walking, fishing (especially sea angling) and film trails are available all year round.

From walking the hills to surfing the waves, we have it all. Click on the following links for information about things to do: www.culturehebrides.com
www.wildlifehebrides.com
www.walkhebrides.com
www.cyclehebrides.com
www.golfhebrides.com
www.fishhebrides.com
www.rootshebrides.com
www.filmhebrides.com
www.outdoorhebrides.com

See our Events section for a listing of the major events which take place in the islands.

You can get around the Hebrides by bus, car, on foot, by bike, by boat, yacht or ferry! Click here to find out more...

There are direct flights to Stornoway from Inverness, Glasgow and Edinburgh and to Barra and Benbecula from Glasgow. The flight times are as follows:

For ferry times please visit www.calmac.co.uk

You can purchase products from the Islands online at www.hebrideancottage.co.uk
If you are looking for a more specific product the best thing to do is call the Tourist Information Centre in Stornoway on 44(0)1851 703088, or e-mail info@visithebrides.com

The old distilleries of the islands are no longer in use and there is no whisky now produced in the Outer Herbrides, but it is in ample supply in the pubs and restaurants around the islands. However, you can sample our own "Islander Strong" and "Clansman Ale" beers from Lewis’ Hebridean Brewing Company!

To find out more about accommodation, look at our Accommodation section. If you are travelling during peak holiday periods or to a special event, it is advisable to book in advance. If you arrive without accommodation, staff in our Tourist Information Centres will be pleased to help you.

The Tourist Information Centre ( info@visithebrides.com) in Stornoway will be happy to help with any information you require about coming to the islands and will also pre-book accommodation for you if you wish. If you would like to take the stress out of organising your trip then click on our package holidays link.

Stornoway, being the Hebrides’ largest town, has the main concentration of pubs, clubs and restaurants. However, there are really good pubs and restaurants all over the islands and village halls and community centres hold regular themed evenings, from traditional Salt Herring nights, to Italian and Indian nights, and all are welcome; ceilidhs are to be found all over the islands all year round. Visitors will be surprised to find how lively it gets at the weekends here and during the summer it can be positively buzzing!

All our local estate agents are online, you can reach them at the following addresses:
www.western-isles-property.co.uk
www.anderson-macarthur.com
www.kenmacdonaldlawyers.co.uk

• The Stornoway Gazette prints weekly employment vacancies: (www.jobstoday.co.uk) telephone +44(0)1851 702687.
• The local employment office in Stornoway can be reached on +44(0)1851 763100
• You may also find useful information and help from Work Global (www.work-global.com ), the local authority (Comhairle nan Eilean Siar - www.cne-siar.gov.uk) and the local enterprise company ( www.wie.co.uk )