Berneray

Click pictures to enlarge

How do I get to Berneray?   You can fly to Benbecula with Flybe from Belfast, Barra, Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Exeter, Glasgow, Guernsey, Inverness, Isle of Man, Jersey, Kirkwall, London (Gatwick), Manchester, Norwich, Southampton, Sumburgh and Stornoway. Most of these flights are via Glasgow or Stornoway. From here it is about an hours drive to Berneray. There is no direct ferry to Berneray. The nearest is the Caledonian Macbrayne Car Ferry from Leverburgh on Harris to Otternish next to the causeway between North Uist and Berneray. Also, there is the larger Caledonian Macbrayne Car Ferry from Uig on Skye that lands at Lochmaddy on North UIst. To travel throughout Scotland and the UK, you can book your tickets through The Trainline.

How do I get around Berneray?   The local Bus stops at Ardmaree Ferry Terminal and also at the Hostel on it's way south to North Uist. However, most visitors prefer to walk or cycle. Tours of the Outer Hebrides - including Berneray are available through Shearings Holidays.

What's worth visiting on Berneray?  The Old Nurse's Cottage in Backhill provides current and historical information about the island. Telford's Church, are the ruins of a church built by Thomas Telford which included two doors at opposite ends of the church. One of these was for the residents of Berneray, and the other for the residents of the nearby island of Pabbay. (This Church was recently renovated for the 'Restoration Man' series on Channel 4). Berneray has some fantastic beaches; believed to be some of the best in the Hebrides.

Where can I stay on Berneray?  There is Bed and Breakfast accommodation at Seal View. There is also a Hostel run by the Gatliff Trust, where camping is also allowed. Self-catering accommodation is available at The Smiddy and at Tigh Na Creige.

Are there any books/DVD's about Berneray?  Uists and Barra (Pevensey Island Guide) by Francis Thompson, The Outer Hebrides by Malcolm MacGregor, Expeditions to the Hebrides by George Clayton Atkinson and David A. Quine

Any other information on Berneray?  Angus Macaskill, known as the Nova Scotia giant was born on Berneray in 1825. At the southern end of the island, there is a plaque on a pillar that commemorates his birthplace.

Other islands in Outer Hebrides: See pages for Barra, Benbecula, Eriskay, Grimsay, Harris, Lewis, Mingulay, North Uist, South Uist, Taransay, Vatersay