Scotland's Captivating Beach In The Hebrides Is An Overlooked Escape With Stunning Water

The Outer Hebrides are a chain of craggy, mountainous islands off Scotland's west coast. One of the best places in the entire country to find remote beaches of unmatched beauty, the Outer Hebrides make an excellent option for those travelers looking for a slice of Scotland outside of the already stunning and tourist-heavy destinations on the mainland. And if anyone is looking for a truly captivating Hebrides beach experience, they need to head to the Isle of Harris and seek out Traigh Mheilein beach.

The southern part of the main Hebridean island of Lewis and Harris, the Isle of Harris is a place rich in tradition and scenery. Known for its signature Harris tweed, strong seafaring culture, excellent gin, and amazing beaches, the Isle of Harris is the perfect location for an Outer Hebrides adventure. Traigh Mheilein beach is located in the northwestern corner of Harris. You'll pass by several quaint villages and hotels on your way and each makes for a great place to stay. Glorig Croft House, a cottage located a short drive from Traigh Mheilein, is especially cozy. For more of a proper village feel, check out the town of Tarbert, where the famous Harris Hotel has been welcoming travelers to the island for over 100 years. It's a great place to use as a home base for your journeys across the Isle of Harris.

Before making it to the sands and waves of Traigh Mheilein, you need to make it out to the Isle of Harris first. There are two ways you can do this: by sea via ferry, or by air. Taking the ferry into Tarbert is an excellent option, especially if you want to take in some of the great Scottish scenery up close. Caledonian MacBrayne Ferry Service operates the main ferry line from the town of Uig on the Isle of Skye to Tarbert in Harris. The ferry takes about an hour and 10 minutes and departs from Uig twice daily most days in the morning and afternoon.

Flights to the island take you into Stornoway Airport, which is an hour north of Tarbert on the Isle of Lewis. You can get flights to Stornoway from Glasgow, the must-see European destination for art lovers, as well as Edinburgh, Inverness, and Benbecula. At the airport, you can rent a car or hop on public transport to get where you need to go on the island.

If you have set yourself up in Tarbert, getting to Traigh Mheilein is an easy 40 minute drive west on the A858 and B887 roads to the town of Huisinis. There you can find the Huisinis car park and take a short walk straight to what has to be one of the most beautiful beaches ... in the world.

Unlike Traigh Mhor beach on the fellow Herbreidean Isle of Barra, which doubles as a both a public beach and municipal airport, the uniqueness of Traigh Mheilein lies in the fact that it is more outwardly Carribean in character than Scottish. This is immediately evident to visitors by the fact that the waters of Traigh Mheilein are a striking shade of turquoise. This makes you feel more like you've stumbled upon some tropical paradise than the outer edge of a remote corner of the North Atlantic ocean.

From viewing alone, Traigh Mheilein is an amazing beach. Across the small isthmus is the uninhabited island of Scarp, which gives some beautiful, green mountain scenery that makes the coast all the more beautiful. The beach is not overly large, but that doesn't really matter. See, Traigh Mheilein is often overlooked in favor of the nearby beach of Crabhadail. This means you are more likely to be sharing the beach with just a few other people, or have it all to yourself.

The calm waters between Traigh Mheilein and Scarp make them perfect for swimming, kayaking, or paddle boarding. The soft sand of the beach makes it an excellent place simply to relax. Note of warning: The waters of the North Atlantic are much colder than they look. Keep that in mind if you are planning to swim this amazing little beach on this remote outpost of western Scotland.