Places to explore in Na h-Eileanan SiarScotland · Highlands and Islands

The Calanais stones, the white beaches of Luskentyre and Seilebost, Harris Tweed weavers and the mountains of North Harris

2,138 km²

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.

The village street on Hirta, abandoned in 1930, under Britain's highest sea cliffs, with huge gannet colonies on Boreray and its stacks

17 km² · Na h-Eileanan Siar

Cruciform Neolithic stone setting on Lewis.

Low island of countless lochans and machair beaches, with RSPB Balranald's corncrakes, Barpa Langass chambered cairn and Taigh Chearsabhagh arts centre

298 km²

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

Twenty miles of machair and beach down the west side, Hecla and Beinn Mhòr to the east, and Flora MacDonald's birthplace

305 km²

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.

Victorian castle above Stornoway harbour set in wooded grounds — a rare woodland on treeless Lewis — with a museum.

Towering Atlantic sea stacks and cliffs on the far west coast of Lewis near Mangersta.