Katie Featherstone

Bradt’s Skye & the Inner Hebrides is the new, thoroughly updated, second edition of the most detailed standalone travel guidebook to this group of Scottish islands. Author Katie Featherstone, who loved the Inner Hebrides so much she moved there, features 20 inhabited islands, from the Isle of Skye in the north to community-owned Gigha in the south, plus the gateway towns of Oban and Mallaig on the Scottish mainland. 

Ransacked by Vikings, caught between warring clan chiefs and exploited by mainland nobility, the ongoing survival of Inner Hebridean communities testifies to the strength of their character. Reclaiming an identity through their native Gaelic language, ceilidh dancing and traditional industries remains a struggle, but despite only around 20,000 people living across the region, each inhabited island has a distinctive history, character and culture. 

With a bridge to the mainland, Skye sees the most visitors; it boasts the most varied landscape and most obvious attractions, including its Highland Games. Other, smaller islands remain relatively remote and less affected by the outside world. Pious Iona, Islay with its whisky, and Canna – where the village shop still runs via honesty box – all have their own individual charm.

Beyond cultural intrigue, the Inner Hebrides are renowned for their wild places, striking a perfect balance between feeling remote and being accessible on any budget. Scotland’s ‘right to roam’ provides infinite walking possibilities. Away from the villages, miles of intricate coastline, with sandy beaches and towering cliffs, enclose swathes of heathery moorland and hills. Hikers can enjoy Mull’s dramatic rock formations or Jura’s ‘Paps’, with only a herd of red deer or a soaring eagle for company. On Skye, you can go beachcombing in the morning, then watch the Highland Games in the afternoon. Wildlife-watchers can snorkel with basking sharks off Coll, listen for corncrakes on Tiree, admire wintering geese on Islay or spot dolphins off Mull.

With extensive listings of accommodation and eating options, detailed transport advice, walking routes and packing lists, plus insights into history, myths and lifestyle, Bradt’s Skye & the Inner Hebrides is the ideal companion for an enjoyable visit.

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