The '''Outer Hebrides''' (also know as the Western Isles) are the westernmost chain of islands in the [[Hebrides]], west of the [[Scottish Highlands]].
The '''Outer Hebrides''' (also know as the Western Isles) are the westernmost chain of islands in the [[Hebrides]], west of the [[Scottish Highlands]].
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==Regions==
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==Islands==
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These are all separate islands, except Lewis and Harris which together form one island.
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*[[Lewis]] and [[Harris]]
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*[[Lewis]]
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*[[Harris]]
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*[[Berneray]]
*[[Berneray]]
*[[North Uist]]
*[[North Uist]]
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==Towns and villages==
==Towns and villages==
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* [[Balivanich]] - the biggest village on [[Benbecula]]
* [[Balivanich]] - the biggest village on [[Benbecula]]
* Castlebay - the main village on [[Barra]]
* Castlebay - the main village on [[Barra]]
* [[Lochmaddy]] - the main village on [[North Uist]]
* [[Lochmaddy]] - the main village on [[North Uist]]
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* [[Nunton]]
* [[Stornoway]] - the only town, on the Isle of [[Lewis]]
* [[Stornoway]] - the only town, on the Isle of [[Lewis]]
* [[Tarbert (Harris)|Tarbert]] - the main village in [[Harris]]
* [[Tarbert (Harris)|Tarbert]] - the main village in [[Harris]]
The Outer Hebrides[1] are a fascinating destination. The scenery is beautiful. The landscape is rocky and mountainous, but also lush and verdant - due in no small part to the large amounts of rain which tend to fall. It is easy to find a quiet peaceful spot.
The Gaelic language and culture is appealing. At a practical level this means that place names on road signs are in Gaelic, but the bus timetables use the English names!
Religion still plays an important part in many people’s lives. In Lewis and Harris this is often in the form of Protestant Free Presbyterian Churches. As a result the Sabbath (Sunday) is respected, so you are unlikely to find shops etc open on a Sunday. Activities happening on a Sunday often are opposed locally. In contrast Barra and South Uist are mainly Catholic, and Sunday opening is much more likely.
In the Outer Hebrides, there are airports in Stornoway in Lewis, Benbecula and Barra. These airports provide direct flights to Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness. The airport in Barra is one of the most spectacular in the world, with planes landing on a three-mile beach at low tide, but this does mean that the flight times vary with the tide.
Many of the islands are linked by road causeways and bridges, which have progressively been built over the last 50 years or so. Most recently causeways have been built to Eriskay from South Uist, and to Berneray from North Uist.
