18 Best Isle of Lewis Beaches (2024)
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Looking for the best Isle of Lewis beaches? Then this post is for you.
The photos in this post will convince you that the beaches on Isle of Lewis are under-appreciated. They have a perfect mix of dramatic cliffs and white sandy bays that are good for swimming.
Every beach below is accompanied by a picture and a description containing all the information you need to plan a visit.
What Is the Nicest Beach in Lewis?
The most beautiful beach in Lewis is Ardroil beach in Uig on the West coast of Lewis. Ardroil beach is also often called Uig Sands which is a good name since at low tide the whole of Uig bay is sand.
How Important Are Tide Levels?
Tide times matter less for the beaches on Lewis than for the beaches on Harris. Two other beaches where tide really matters are Seilebost on Isle of Harris and Luskentyre on Harris. Having said that, try to be at Ardroil beach close to low tide.
Isle of Lewis Beach Map
Isle of Lewis Beaches
Given the size of the island of Lewis the beaches are divided into three geographical areas:
- Around Stornoway (beach 1-2)
- Between Port Ness and Dalmore beach (beach 3-10)
- Around Uig (beach 11-18)
There are so many beaches and small bays to discover that you can spend at least a full day exploring each area.
Beaches Around Stornoway
Stornoway is the largest town on Lewis. When looking at how to get to Isle of Lewis you will find that all the direct routes take you to Stornoway.
The beaches in Stornoway are not quite as impressive as the ones on the west coast if you are looking for for long stretches of white sand. However, there are two that should definitely be on your list of beaches to visit.
Depending on which ferry to Lewis you arrive with you can probably fit in a visit to the best Isle of Lewis beaches around Stornoway either before or after getting the ferry.
1. Garry Beach – Traigh Ghearadha
If you only see one Isle of Lewis beach on the east coast this should be it.
Garry beach in Stornoway is one of the best beaches in Isle of Lewis for swimming. But also interesting to visit in colder weather to see the sea stacks.
Parking and beach access: There is a car park behind the beach. It often gets full during school holidays and when the weather is warm. From here it is less than 500 metres down to the beach
Photos: Any time
Tide level: At low tide you can walk amongst the sea stacks
2. North Tolsta Beach – Traigh Mhor
The longest and most impressive beach on the east coast. It is perfect for walking and bird watching.
Parking and beach access: At the northern end of the beach is a car park with toilet facilities. A short walk leads down to the beach
Photos: Any time
Tide level: Not important
To plan your visit read my guide to the beaches near Stornoway
Beaches From Port Ness to Dalmore beach
3. Port of Ness Beach
The village of Port Ness has two beaches right next to each other. One is in the harbour and the other is right next to it.
These are two of the busier beaches in Isle of Lewis, especially if the weather is sunny when they are popular for swimming.
Parking and beach access: You can park in front of The Breakwater Café. From here steps lead down to the beach. The road by the Harbour View Gallery also leads to the beach
Photos: The Breakwater Café terrace overlooks the beach. The sun will be behind you in the afternoon
Tide level: Not important
4. Port Stoth Beach
Around the Butt of Lewis lighthouse the coastline comprises a long line of cliffs. This makes the beach difficult to see from the road. Unless you know where to look you might drive right past it.
It is quieter than the other beaches close by and it feels like a hidden beach which most people don’t know about.
Parking and beach access: The beach is about two thirds of the way driving from Eoropie to the Butt of Lewis lighthouse. Park where the road turns sharp left. The beach is right by the road
Photos: Best lighting from midday onwards
Tide level: Not important
5. Eoropie Beach – Traigh Shanndaigh
A large beach with white sand that is well suited for surfing and swimming. However, the currents can be strong so take care when swimming.
It is close to Eoropie Dunes Park which is a play area for children. This means that the beach and the area around it can get busy.
Parking and beach access: Ample parking by Eoropie Dunes Park. A 5-minute walk takes you to the beach
Photos: Any time
Tide level: Not important
6. Swainbost Beach
There are plenty of pretty beaches along the west coast of Lewis. Many of them get busy on a nice summer’s day. Swainbost and Traigh Chrois (see below) are the exceptions.
They are less known so you will probably have the beaches to yourself even on a sunny day.
Parking and beach access: Travelling south take the right turn in Swainbost village. Drive to the end of the road. On the grassy clifftop there is plenty of space to park.
A steep path leads down to the beach
Photos: Any time
Tide level: Best at low tide
7. Traigh Chrois
Traigh Chrois feels like a secret beach since it is not marked on most maps. The fact that it is a 30 minute walk also means that you are likely to have the beach to yourself.
This makes it one of the best beaches on Isle of Lewis.
Parking and beach access: Driving south, take the right turn by Ness Free church in North Dell. Where the asphalt ends there is a small car park.
From here walk down to the sea and keep right. The walk to the beach is 30 minutes along the coast.
Although the beach is not marked on Google maps, the app maps.me shows it. The app also shows the path to get to the beach
Photos: Any time
Tide level: Not important
8. Shawbost Beach
Shawbost beach is a thin line of sand and rock which is good for swimming.
On the other side of the beach is an open loch. This attracts a wide range of birds. An information board about the bird species that are often seen here can be found at the southern end of the beach.
Parking and beach access: Parking is available at either end of the beach. The southern end has picnic tables
Photos: At the southern end, a path travels along the shore away from the beach. Turning around after a few hundred metres you get a view of the bay and the loch behind. Lighting is best from lunchtime onwards
Tide level: Not important
9. Dailbeag Beach – Traigh Dhail Beag
The beach is a horseshoe shaped bay with tall cliffs all around. For terrific views of the bay walk along the cliffs either side of the beach.
In July don’t miss the pond next to the carpark since it will be full of waterlilies.
Parking and beach access: There is a large car park at the end of the road down to the beach. The parking is right next to the beach.
On your way stop by The Beach House Gallery which sells handmade original paintings, prints, greeting cards and crafts. It is on the main road by the turn off to the beach
Photos: Go in the late afternoon and at sunset for the best light
Tide level: Not important
10. Dalmore Beach – Traigh Dhail Mhor
On most days large waves roll in from the Atlantic Ocean making Dalmore bay a favoured spot for surfers. However, it is just as good for a walk along the wild beach.
Look out for the rabbits that live by the cemetery.
Parking and beach access: From the main road it is a 1.5 mile drive down a track to the parking area. From here it is a short walk to the beach. Halfway down to the beach are picnic tables
Photos: Time of day is not important. At the northern end are several sea stacks. These are interesting to explore and photograph at low tide
Tide level: Not important
Visiting Lewis? To find out what else there is to do in addition to beaches read my post on the best things to do in Lewis.
Beaches Around Uig
11. Bosta Beach – Traigh Bhostadh
Bosta beach on Great Berneray, is on an island off Lewis. Since a bridge links the two and it is so easily accessible it has been included on this list of best beaches on Lewis.
One of the most recognisable features is the iron age house at the edge of the beach. Although it looks old, it is a reconstruction from 1996. During the summer months it is possible to enter the house for £2.
Parking and beach access: The beach is at the tip of the island of Great Berneray. There is car park where the road ends. Next to the car park are toilet facilities.
The walk down to the beach takes 10 minutes past the iron age house
Photos: Any time
Tide level: Not important
To plan your visit read my guide to Bosta beach
12. Cliff Beach – Camas na Clibhe
Cliff beach, Reef beach and Valtos beach are on the same peninsula. A drive stopping at all the beaches is a pleasant way to spend half a day.
For the best views drive in a clockwise direction. That will reflect the order of the beaches as described here.
Please note that it is not safe to swim at Cliff beach. Isle of Lewis has many good swimming beaches. Others have dangerous currents and the weather can change quickly so always check with a local that it is safe to swim.
Parking and beach access: Driving clockwise around the peninsula take a left before the road goes uphill. Keep right and the road takes you to a large car park. The car park looks out over the beach and you will often find motorhomes parked up.
The car park is right next to the beach
Photos: As the name indicates the beach is surrounded by high cliffs. From the cliffs on the northern side of the beach you get panoramic views
Tide level: Best at low tide
13. Valtos Beach
Valtos is a protected bay for swimming and water sports. There are several self-catering rental cottages in the area so the beach gets busy when the weather is good.
Parking and beach access: Finding parking can be difficult in Valtos. Isle of Lewis generally has good parking facilities – but not here. It is easier to visit Reef beach and Cliff beach nearby since both have better parking
Photos: Any time. To look back onto the beach (as in the photo above) walk down to the harbour
Tide level: Not important
14. Reef Beach – Traigh na Beirigh
Islands offshore shelter Reef beach from most of the weather and there are rarely large waves. This makes the beach popular for swimming and water sports such as paddle boarding and kayaking.
There is a large caravan park by Reef beach. Lewis has good facilities for camping and motorhomes but this must be one of the most scenic camping areas.
If you are not camping then this might make the beach less attractive since it often gets busy.
Parking and beach access: Travelling down the steep road to Reef beach cars park on the grassy verges on both sides of the road. A little further on is the caravan site which also has parking
It is easy access onto the beach from both of the parking areas
Photos: From the grassy car park you have a higher elevation. The sun will be behind you in the afternoon. At the opposite end is a small hill. From here the sun will be behind you before midday
Tide level: Not important
15. Ardroil Beach – Uig Sands
At low tide the whole of Uig bay is sand. It is the perfect place for a walk and people often bring their dogs.
The headlands protect against large waves so when the tide is in the beach is good for swimming. It is also popular for other water sport activities such as kayaking and paddle boarding.
Parking and beach access: There are several places where it is possible to access the beach. To combine beach access with easy parking go to Ardroil campsite
Photos: Any time
Tide level: This is the one beach in Lewis that you should make sure you visit at low tide
To plan a visit read my guide to Uig Sands
16. Carnish Beach
Carnish beach is a pretty bay but is overshadowed by being located next to Ardroil beach. If it was in a different location it would be much more visited.
Don’t make the same mistake as everybody else. Take the time to do the small detour to the beach.
Parking and beach access: Driving south take the right turn by Abhainn Dearg Distillary. At the end there is space to park two or three cars. If this is full park in one of the laybys along the road and walk back.
A wooden sign with “beach” written on it points to a path by two houses. It might seem like an unusual start for the walk to the beach but it is the correct route. It is about 300 metres to the beach
Photos: Any time
Tide level: Best at low tide
17. Mangersta Beach – Traigh Mhangurstadh
Nearly every day large waves roll in at Mangersta beach. It is therefore not very suitable for swimming but it is the best beach on Lewis for surfing.
Parking and beach access: Park along the B8011. The path starts by a metal gate. It is an easy 5 minute walk down to the beach.
It is also possible to park in Mangersta village and approach from the other side, as described below. However, from this side you cannot get down to the beach
Photos: Any time from the beach. Go in the afternoon if approaching from Mangersta village
Tide level: Best at low tide
18. Unnamed Beach by Mangersta Village
Many of the Outer Hebrides beaches are only visible at low tide and completely disappear at high tide. That is the case for this beach.
Lewis is full beaches that are not marked on the map. Exploring these little bays along the coast is one of the highlights of any trip to the island.
How to get there: Park in Mangersta village and walk to the cliff edge
Photos: From midday onward to avoid shooting against the sun
Tide level: At high tide most of the beach is gone
FAQ on Isle of Lewis Beaches
How to Get to the Best Beaches on Lewis by Public Transport
Public transport in the Outer Hebrides is limited so I highly recommend booking a rental car for your trip.
Book your car hire with Rental Cars
Buses operate Monday to Saturday. There is no service on Sundays. Check the bus schedule for the route you are planning on travelling in advance. Some routes are infrequent and certain journeys and stops need to be requested.
The safest is to check the return times with the driver on the day.
Most bus routes go to and from Stornoway. To travel around Lewis by bus book accommodation in Stornoway.
Around Stornoway
The bus route from Stornoway going to North Tolsta is called “W5A Back and Tolsta”. There are no buses to Garry beach but from North Tolsta bus stop it is a 15 minute walk to North Tolsta beach.
Port Ness to Dalmore Beach
There are two useful bus routes for this area, the “W2 West Circular” and “W1 Ness”.
The W2 West Circular route goes past Dalmore, Dailbeagh and Shawbost beach. The bus stops are on the main road so it is a fair walk to all the beaches.
The W1 Ness bus takes you to Port of Ness beach, Eoropie, Swainbost and Traigh Chrois. This bus also stops on the main road. There is no bus out to the Butt of the Lewis so it is a long walk on a single lane road to Port Stoth beach.
Around Uig
The “W4 Stornoway to Uig” bus route travels past all the beaches listed above. However, the bus only passes Cliff beach, Valtos beach and Reef beach on school days.
Where Are the Best Beaches on Harris and Lewis?
The best beaches in Lewis are around Uig for dramatic landscape and the Butt of Lewis lighthouse for white sandy bays good for swimming.
On Harris the top beaches are Seilebost and Luskentyre beach which both have fabulous turquoise coloured water when the tide is right. For swimming try Huisinis beach on Harris.
Harris has the best beaches in the Outer Hebrides but Lewis is not far behind. Since the beaches look very different between Harris and Lewis it is worth visiting both areas during your trip.
To read more about the beaches in Harris read my Isle of Harris Beach Guide.
What Are the Best Places for Beaches on the Isle of Lewis?
The best places for white sandy beaches where you can swim are at the northern end of Lewis close to the Butt of Lewis lighthouse.
For the most dramatic beaches, surrounded by cliffs or large open sandy bays, go to the area around Uig.
Does Lewis Have a Beach?
Yes, Lewis has a beach. In fact, Lewis has lots of beaches. This post show 18 of the best beaches but there are many more. The beaches on Lewis are one of the main reasons to visit the island.
LOOKING FOR MORE ON THE OUTER HEBRIDES?