Lewis, Skye, or Mull for a road trip in Scotland?

Hi there, I’m planning to spend two short weeks in Scotland in June, renting a car in Edinburgh with the goal of focusing on the islands. If I can only see two (due to tight timing) out of Lewis, Skye, and Mull, which would you recommend?

I was thinking something like this:

Nantes Edinburgh Flight Edinburgh Ullapool Car Ullapool Lewis / Stornoway Ferry Lewis Car Harris / Tarbert Skye / Uig Ferry Skye Car Skye Scotland Car via the bridge So, I don’t think I’ll have time for Mull.

Thanks for your traveler tips! Daniel

Hi Daniel,

Great idea to explore the Outer Hebrides. Fifteen days is perfect for a road trip like this. Mull is still very wild, except for the western part, which has been somewhat marred by clear-cutting in the forests. You’ll see entire areas replanted with tiny trees. It’s not my favorite island, but it’s great for hiking, just like Skye—though Skye is much more touristy.

If this is your first time visiting the islands, I’d lean toward Skye and especially Lewis and Harris. For me, the most beautiful beaches in the world are in South Harris, and the Gaelic culture is still very much alive there. If you’ve read Peter May’s trilogy, you’ll feel like you’re right there on Lewis and Harris. Just let the wind guide you.

You’re thinking of going via Ullapool to cross over to Stornoway—why not? But what seems much better to me, with a shorter crossing, is to go to Skye by bridge, then cross the island. You can stay there, then head up to Uig and take the ferry to Tarbert. That way, you can explore Harris and Lewis at your own pace and return via Stornoway to Ullapool, Inverness, etc. Basically the reverse of what you’re planning. Make sure to check the ferry schedules. In June, the broom will be in bloom along the single-track roads—it’s stunning.

Have a great trip, savor every moment.

Dom

Hi Daniel,

Great idea to explore the Outer Hebrides. Fifteen days is perfect for wandering around. Mull is still very wild, except for the western part, which has been notably disfigured by clear-cutting in the forests. You’ll see entire areas replanted with tiny trees. It’s not my favorite island, but it’s great for hiking, like Skye, which is much more touristy.

If this is your first time visiting the islands, I’d lean more toward Skye and especially Lewis and Harris. For me, the most beautiful beaches in the world are around South Harris, and the Gaelic culture is still very much alive there. If you’ve read Peter May’s trilogy, you’ll feel right at home on Lewis and Harris. Just let the wind guide you.

You’re thinking of going via Ullapool to cross over to Stornoway—why not? What seems much better to me, with a shorter crossing, is to go to Skye by bridge, then cross the island. You can stay there, then head up to Uig and take the ferry to Tarbert. That way, you can explore Harris and Lewis at a relaxed pace and return via Stornoway to Ullapool, Inverness, etc. Basically the opposite of what you’re planning. Make sure to check the ferry schedules. In June, the broom will be in bloom along the single-track roads—gorgeous.

Have a great trip, savor every moment.

Dom

Hi Dom, Thanks for your message. It was indeed Peter May who inspired us to come here. The trip was originally planned for spring 2021. But well, we know what happened! I’ll look into the best way to do Skye and Lewis. If you have any B&B recommendations, I’d love to hear them. Daniel

I’m sorry I can’t help with the details.

On Harris, we stayed about twenty minutes from Tarbert on the island of Scalpay, right at the very end. The connection is a bridge. I don’t remember any of the names, but it was a little dream of a place on a cliff with free-roaming sheep and seals in the coves below.

If you go back to Scotland, make sure to visit the Orkney Islands—they’re really surprising, completely flat with no trees, battered by the wind, and totally disorienting. Tourism is so low-key that people welcome you with open arms—it’s really unusual and amazing.

And of course, a little further on, the Shetland Islands with their absolute peace and quiet.

Dom

Good evening, ALL the islands in the west of Scotland are wonderful... no doubt Harris and Lewis are the most exotic (it's been a long time since I last went). However, I think visiting them after Skye or Mull would be better than the other way around.

Be careful with Skye—it's a victim of its own success: far too crowded in recent years, and in high season (which starts as early as May), access may simply be denied if you don’t have pre-booked accommodation....

Personally, I’ve preferred Mull for a long time now—less crowded, more intimate, if I may say so. And with landscapes almost as stunning and less famous than the "must-see" Old Man of Storr! A very biased viewpoint: Benmore is just as worth it!

It’s a shame about the deforestation, but it’s worth knowing that those very artificial coniferous forests were a real scourge in terms of soil acidification (as in many areas of the Highlands or even Wales). Let’s hope replanting is done in a more environmentally friendly way...

Two weeks is right—limit yourself. Next time, you can discover Arran, Jura, Islay, or even Colonsay. And maybe the next time after that, the Orkneys, and then....