Isle of South Uist

Scotland > Western Isles > Isle of South Uist

The three main central islands in the Outer Hebrides are Benbecula, sandwiched between North and South Uist, all of which are connected by causeways.

South Uist is 20 miles long and the road runs down the whole of the western shoreline. In places (elevated ones!) St Kilda can sometimes be seen 60 miles out in the Atlantic.

The mountains of Thacla (606m) and Bein Mhor (620m) lie to the east of the island along with a number of lochs with some fairly foxy brown trout if you are that way inclined! Bonnie Prince Charlie sheltered in a forester's hut for three weeks in 1746 hiding from the Red Coats (Hanovarian Troops).

To the south is the little island of Eriskay. This is where Bonnie Prince Charlie first set foot on Scottish soil on his endeavour to win back the crown for his father.

The three main central islands in the Outer Hebrides are Benbecula, sandwiched between North and South Uist, all of which are connected by causeways.

South Uist is 20 miles long and the road runs down the whole of the western shoreline. In places (elevated ones!) St Kilda can sometimes be seen 60 miles out in the Atlantic. This west coast has some excellent beaches, plenty of 'machair' land and many small lochans. This is also where most of the crofting communities lie on the west coast but at the heads of the three east coast sea lochs , Loch Sgiopoirt, Loch Aineort and Loch Baghasdail (Lochboisdale).

The mountains of Thacla (606m) and Bein Mhor (620m) lie to the east of the island along with a number of lochs with some fairly foxy brown trout if you are that way inclined! Bonnie Prince Charlie sheltered in a forester's hut for three weeks in 1746 hiding from the Red Coats (Hanoverian Troops).

To the south is the little island of Eriskay. This is where Bonnie Prince Charlie first set foot on Scottish soil on his endeavour to win back the crown for his father.

Eriskay is also the true location of the Whisky Galore story usually, and wrongly, associated with Barra. The SS Politician went aground on rocks off Eriskay in 1941 losing its cargo of whisky to the elements, the sea and the local populace!

The administrative centre of South Uist is Lochboisdale. The ferry to Barra (Castlebay) and Oban sails from here. The town is well known for its fishing.

In the Outer Hebrides, the further north you go, the more Free Church the religious communities become. The further south you go, the more Roman Catholic they become. These communities were heavily suppressed after Culloden in 1746 for the aid given to Charles Edward Stuart but the Catholic beliefs have endured despite the purges and the enforced clearances of the populace.

These are strong communities , some might say remote communities but that is 'remoteness' to someone born and bred in this excellent way of life? Many from the south of the UK have learned the true value.

It is a pity that this value was not respected by others in the UK. The Ministry of Defence for example. South Uist is also covered in 'Danger Area' signs , these being remnants of the rocket range experimentation on Benbecula in decades past. The Hill of the Miracles near Geirinis to the north has a statue to the Madonna and Child , pity about the Min of Defence material there as well! Respect!

Just south of Flora Macdonald's birthplace at Mingarry stands (or used to stand) Ormacleit Castle, onr of the last to be built in Scotland in 1708. The story is that it was accidentally destroyed by fire in 1715 after a party. Some party.