Experience remote island walking shaped by time, tide, and wide Atlantic skies.
Scotland’s islands feel like a world apart. Raw, weather-shaped, and steeped in memory, they form one of the UK’s most evocative regions for walking holidays, scattered across the Atlantic and North Sea where land breaks into long, sea-facing edges. From the machair of the Outer Hebrides to the high cliffs of Shetland and the stone-built heart of Orkney, these are landscapes where nature and history remain inseparable.
This is slow, elemental self-guided walking — where paths cross moorland, machair, beaches, and cliff edges, pass through crofting villages, and thread between standing stones, burial cairns, and ancient settlements. Routes like the Hebridean Way link entire island chains by causeway and ferry, while shorter coastal paths reveal quiet bays, wild headlands, and ever-changing light shaped by tide and weather.
The islands are also deeply rewarding for outdoor adventures. Sea kayaking along empty shorelines, wildlife watching around seabird cliffs and grey seal colonies, cold-water swimming in sheltered coves, and island-to-island travel by ferry all form part of the rhythm of life here. In Orkney, prehistoric stone circles sit beside tidal races and open sea, creating a rare meeting of archaeology and wild nature.
They also lend themselves beautifully to cycling holidays, with quiet single-track roads, gentle rolling terrain, and low traffic across much of the year. The Outer Hebrides, Orkney Mainland, Hoy, Shetland, and Arran all offer outstanding multi-day cycling routes linking beaches, villages, harbours, archaeological sites, and big open coastal viewpoints.
And when the day begins to settle, you’ll find characterful places to stay close to coastlines and trailheads — from traditional croft cottages and harbour-side guesthouses to small island hotels and eco-lodges in Stornoway, Kirkwall, Stromness, Lerwick, and remote ferry-linked communities across the archipelagos.
A long-distance island trail linking ten islands by causeway and ferry along a continuous walking route. Expect moorland, crofting land, Atlantic beaches, Gaelic heritage, and wide-open horizons shaped by sea and sky.
Clifftop walking between wave-cut shores, working farmland, and Neolithic stone circles. The West Mainland coastal routes, alongside paths on Rousay and Hoy, pass through the Heart of Neolithic Orkney UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Bold, sea-facing routes on Britain’s northern edge. Discover seabird colonies, volcanic headlands, sea stacks, and Norse echoes along paths around Eshaness, Hermaness, and Unst.
Walking in the Scottish Islands is an act of attention — a slow movement through land, water, and story. Let the weather guide you, the paths ground you, and the islands leave their mark.
You can walk coastal and island trails, visit Neolithic and Norse heritage sites, explore wildlife-rich headlands, go sea kayaking and cycling, and experience island culture through local food, music, and history.
The Hebridean Way, Orkney’s West Mainland coastal paths, and Shetland’s Eshaness, Hermaness, and Unst trails are among the most scenic and memorable.
Yes. Alongside walking you’ll find sea kayaking, cycling, wildlife watching, diving, boat trips, cold-water swimming, and coastal exploration.
Late spring to early autumn offers the most reliable weather. May and June are especially good for wildflowers, birdlife, and long daylight hours.
Yes. Specialist operators offer guided and self-guided walking holidays with ferry connections, accommodation, and luggage transfers for multi-island journeys.