By Andy Hayes
Many visitors to Scotland come for the medieval feel and cobblestone streets of Edinburgh, the capital city. Some venture briefly into the Highlands to see Loch Ness and have a look around for Nessie, the monster. But those who make the effort to head further afield are rewarded with stunning islands with gorgeous beaches, charming villages, and a peaceful experience where time slows down.
You'll most likely need to rent a car to make the most of your time, although in a few select cases you'll be able to find a bus tour of the area. The countryside is expansive and there few public transport options, so just select a few key places to focus your attention, or otherwise you'll spend all your time travelling. To get you started, here are a few of my favourite islands which you should consider on your next Scottish tour.
ISLAY
Islay, pronounced "eye-la," is one of the best known of a groups of islands off the west coast of Scotland, known as the Hebrides. Islay is home to nine distilleries, including some of Scotland's most popular whisky exports like Laphroaig, Bowmore, and Bunnahabhain. Explore the sandy coastline and relax in one of the quiet villages. Islay has some of the best views of the snow-capped mountains on neighbouring island, Jura (see image above).
If You Go: The ferry journey is an hour and a half from the mainland; ferries depart from Tarbert, which is 2.5 hours west of Glasgow. The best time of year to visit is May or June, especially since the Islay Whisky Festival takes place at the end of May.
SKYE
Skye is one of the largest islands off the West coast of Scotland, and its popularity has increased with the construction of a car/rail bridge connecting it to the mainland, making it easy to travel to. Because of this, there are a number of tourist attractions on the island, such as estates, castles, museums, boat tours, and even a music festival in June. Don't miss the amazing landscape either, from the Old Man of Storr (probably the most famous rock formation in Scotland) to Kilt Rock and its steep waterfall.
If You Go: Tour operators run round-trip bus tours to Skye from Edinburgh. You can access the island via car directly or via rail from a connecting service in Inverness or Glasgow. Although you can visit Skye year-round, June is one of the best months to take advantage of decent weather and long amounts of daylight; keep in mind, though, that even during the nicest summer day the weather can turn sour so pack appropriately.
THE ORKNEYS
'The Orkneys' refers to an archipelago of nearly 70 small islands clustered off the North coast of Scotland where the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean meet. These islands are very quiet places (only 21 of them are inhabited), and the countryside is so remote that there's even been talk of The Orkneys devolving from Scotland and becoming its own country. The most popular tourist sights are the Neolithic structures, such as the village of Skara Brae, which dates back 5,000 years and is said to have been inhabited before the Egyptian pyramids were built. Otherwise just relax and soak up the subdued ambience of being in the wilds of nature.
If You Go: You'll need to travel across the entire mainland of Scotland – the southernmost ferry departs from Aberdeen and is a six-hour sailing. Other ferries depart from Scrabster, Gills Bay, or John O'Groats. If you don't mind dark, cold nights then you should consider visiting in January for the Up Helly Aa festival in Lerwick. Up Helly Aa is the largest fire festival in Europe, celebrating the region's Viking heritage. Otherwise, head over during the summer for extremely long days and short nights.
Photo Credits: Skye Sunset by g.naharro; The Paps of Jura seen from Islay by glenfinlas; Camasunary, Isle of Skye by Simaron; Yesnaby Castle by thornypup. All images via Flickr (Creative Commons).
