Ferry to Outer Hebrides
How to travel to the Outer Hebrides by ferry
The Outer Hebrides consist of many islands. That's a lot of small islands and a few bigger ones. The large islands have bridge connections with other islands. As a result, the Outer Hebrides consist of 3 areas. Those are:
- Lewis
- North Uist & South Uist
- Barra
Two ferries run between the islands, making almost entire outer Hebrides easily accessible once you are there.
To get to the Outer Hebrides from mainland Scotland, you can book various ferry services. Boats run from Ullapool, Uig, Mallaig and Oban. Which boat is best to take can be clearly seen on the ferry map on this page.
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Ferry to Lewis
The largest island of the Hebrides is Lewis. From the mainland there are two ferries to this island and you can also take a boat to this island from North Uist.
Ferry to North Uist & South Uist
North Uist & South Uist are connected with a bridge. So you can also travel to a different island than your final destination.
Ferry to Barra
Barra is a smaller island which can be reached by ferry. One ferry sails from the mainland and another ferry connects Barra and South-Uist.
The Outer Hebrides
As can be seen in the image above, the outer Hebrides is made up of a few larger islands. Stornoway is the main town on the island.
Steòrnabhagh / Stornoway
Stornoway is a small town where the ferry from Ullapool docks. Being the only town of any size on the islands, Stiornoway is also considered the area's capital. Yet the town only has a little over 5,000 inhabitants.
Frequently Asked Questions
The ferry crossings are operated by Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac).
