Beaches & swimming in Na h-Eileanan SiarNa h-Eileanan Siar, Scotland

Miles of white shell-sand and turquoise shallows against the Harris hills — routinely voted among the best beaches in Europe, and empty most days of the year.

White-sand Eriskay bay where Bonnie Prince Charlie first set foot in Scotland in 1745.

Three-mile stretch of empty white sand and dunes voted among Europe's most beautiful beaches.

Huge tidal sweep of sand backed by the Uig hills, where the Lewis Chessmen were discovered.

Curving white-sand bay on Vatersay with views to Heaval and Castlebay.

Mile-long west Lewis beach (Traigh na Beirghe) fringed with machair wildflowers on the Valtos peninsula.

Broad tidal sands of turquoise shallows facing Luskentyre across the estuary on Harris's west coast.

Sweep of white sand (Traigh Hamara) on Barra's west coast with views to the Atlantic.

Quiet grass-backed sandy beach on south-west Harris with panoramic Atlantic views.

Sheltered pink-white cove on Great Bernera beside a reconstructed Iron Age house.

Shallow sheltered sandy bay (Traigh Lingeigh) on the north coast of North Uist.

White-sand beach on the west coast of Benbecula backed by machair near Nunton.

Small, dramatic Atlantic-facing cove (Dail Beag) on the west side of Lewis.

West Lewis surf beach (Dail Mor) with strong Atlantic swell set between headlands near Carloway.

Sandy family beach near the northern tip of Lewis, close to the Butt of Lewis lighthouse.

Golden Lewis beach (Traigh Ghearadha) with dramatic sea stacks and caves near the 'Bridge to Nowhere'.

Wide surf-washed west-coast Barra beach (Tangasdale) below the Isle of Barra Beach Hotel.

Golden Harris beach with machair camping and views to Taransay, next to Luskentyre.

White-sand beach at the end of a spectacular single-track road in north-west Harris.

Wild sandy cove beneath cliffs and sea stacks on the far west of Lewis near Uig.

Cluster of machair-fringed sandy bays on the Northton peninsula of south Harris.

Three-mile arc of golden sand on south-west Harris looking across to the island of Taransay.

Rocky-and-sand west Barra bay at Cleat known for basking grey seals.

Long Atlantic-facing dune beach on the north tip of Barra, opposite the airport beach.

Wide machair-backed west-coast beach of North Uist beside the Balranald nature reserve.

Na h-Eileanan Siar

Remote hidden white-sand beach reached on foot from Hushinish, facing the island of Scarp.

Broad tidal cockle strand that doubles as Barra's airport runway, the only beach used by scheduled flights.

Vast sweeping golden-sand bay on north-east Lewis, backed by dunes and machair.

Atlantic-facing white beach back-to-back with Vatersay Bay across a narrow machair neck.

Twenty-mile run of dune-backed Atlantic beach, ranked among Lonely Planet's top beaches in Europe.