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Island and community in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland
Photo: Colin Smith, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
North Uist (Gaelic Uibhist A Tuathis) is an island in the Western Isles or Outer Hebrides of Scotland. It measures 20 miles north-south, 25 miles east-west, and is separated from Benbecula to the south by a tidal ford, nowadays bridged by a causeway. It's poor farmland, boggy, low-lying and dotted by innumerable lochans or small lakes. In 2011 the population was 1619.
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Excellent art centre with a museum and gallery, a cafe, post office and a shop. Built in 1741 as an inn, it became an arts centre in 1993.
Hut of the Shadows
The hut is open 24 hours but is only worth visiting on a sunny day. Enter the stone chamber and within is projected a view of Lochmaddy. Close the gate, or the sheep will get in.
A stout Iron Age broch, built circa 100 BC to 100 AD, but in the medieval period converted to a rectangular hall. It's on an islet reached by causeway from the larger islet of Eilean na Mi-Chomhairle, in turn reached by causeways from either north or south banks of the loch. Sticir means "skulker". In 1602 Hugh MacDonald of Sleat was a fugitive here after planning to murder his clan chief. The loch is tidal, so the causeways flood at high tide and are in poor repair.
An octagonal Georgian folly built circa 1830, obliterating a broch. It's on an islet that can be reached at low tide, otherwise you see it fine from shore, it's derelict within. And they call this small tower a folly, when the council is considering spending megabucks to turn Scolpaig into a spaceport??
Where corncrakes can be heard, if rarely seen. Allow 2 or 3 hours for the circular walk.
Trinity Church
Ruins of a 13th-century church and Augustinian nunnery, derelict after the Reformation. The Battle of Carinish, fought nearby in 1601, may have been the last battle fought with bows and arrows in Britain. It was part of a feud between Clan Macleod of Dunvegan and Clan Macdonald of Sleat; the Macdonalds won the day and the overall conflict.
A 5000-year-old burial chamber, partly collapsed but you can still enter. There may be two more chambers amidst the rubble. After seeing it, you can walk south past Langass Lodge to reach Pobull Finn.
A stone circle, the best on the island, not least for its setting. It's more like an ellipse, and dates to around 2000 BC. Pobull Fhinn means Finn's tent or shieling - same word as Peebles in the Borders.
Good cafe for a lunchtime stopover or coffee and cakes. It also has a small shop selling postcards, knitwear and local books etc. It's in an old schoolhouse now used as a day nursery.
Well-stocked inn with good meals, dog-friendly. They no longer have rooms.
Bunkhouse, campervan pitches and camping pods. Open all year, dog friendly.
Simple friendly hotel open all year with 15 en suite rooms (9 with sea view). The restaurant serves non-residents, good local cuisine plus bar-meal takeaways. They also issue fishing permits, with priority to their own guests.
Comfy hotel open year-round, dogs welcome. The restaurant serves non-residents, quality hit-and-miss.
Cozy hotel, dog friendly, good restaurant open to non-residents.
Small friendly hotel on coast near causeway to Benbecula, open all year except mid Dec to mid Jan.
Pleasant B&B in a cottage on the north coast.
Small supermarket with Nisa groceries (no alcohol) and newspapers once they arrive about noon. Gulf self-service filling station is across the road.
Supermarket with 3 aisles.
Convenience store with a good selection, and microwave for reheating purchases.
For excellent peat-smoked salmon and other smokery gifts.
By boat
Lochmaddy has Calmac ferries from Uig on Skye, with one or two per day year-round taking 1 hr 45 min.
By road
The Uists have long been linked by causeways. The road across these is well clear of the sea and passable in all tides and weathers except for the worst Atlantic winds and waves.
Taxi
Taxis are scarce on the Uists and the distances are large, so don't expect that the drivers will be willing to take every fare.
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Balivanich · Regional · BEB
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