10 Best Isle of Harris Beaches (2026)
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Looking for the best Isle of Harris beaches? Then this post is for you.
The below list includes the 10 beaches you should not miss on your trip to Harris.
To help you plan your itinerary the post has a map, description and photos of each beach. Isle of Harris has significant tidal differences. Since tide times are so important for some of the beaches a section detailing the best tide level to visit is also included.
The 10 best beaches on Harris are listed from north to south but have been split into two main areas. The first is around Hushinish and the second is along the A859 on the west coast of Harris.
There are no sandy beaches along the east coast.
Isle of Harris Beach Map
Below are the top 10 Harris beaches. Scotland has many great beaches but the beaches in the Outer Hebrides are the best.
- Crabhadail Beach
- Tràigh Mheilein
- Hushinish Beach – Huisinis Beach
- Luskentyre Beach – Traigh Rosamol
- Seilebost Beach – Traigh Sheileboist
- Horgabost Beach – Traigh Horgabost
- Nisabost Beach – Traigh Lar
- Scarista Beach – Sgarasta Mhor
- Beach by Teampaill Ruins – Traigh an Teampaill
- Northton Beach – Traigh na h-Uidhe
Isle of Harris Beaches – Around Hushinish
Part of the attraction of a visit here is not just the beaches listed below but everything you can see along the way driving out to Hushinish.
1. Crabhadail Beach
What’s special: The remoteness and wild scenery
Best for: Walking
Crabhadail is the most remote beach on Isle of Harris. It is a 45-minute walk from Husinisi car park so very few people make it all this way.
The feeling of remoteness, surrounded by mountains often covered in mist, makes it very atmospheric.
How to get there: There is only one way to get to the beach and that is on foot. At the back of Husinisi car park walk in the opposite direction to the beach and take a right. From here a clear path hugs the coastline.
After a while the path forks. Keep right and climb over the hill and into the next valley. After passing a lake and a desolate house it is a short walk along a grassy plain to the beach.
Best viewpoint: On a clear day you get 360-degree views from the top of Oireabhal but be warned – it is not often you get a view from the top of the mountains here. It is normally covered in cloud.
Photos: Should you be lucky enough to be here on a clear, sunny day the sun will shine in the right direction before lunchtime for photos from the top of Oireabhal.
From lunchtime onward, when approaching the beach from the grassy moorland the sun shines at the beach and mountains behind.
Tide times: Makes little difference for this beach.
2. Tràigh Mheilein
What’s special: The surprise factor – a large beach not marked on the map
Best for: Walking
From Husinisi a silver tongue of white sand is visible in the distance but as you round the corner of the Traigh Mheilein beach it is surprisingly large. Especially considering this beach is not marked on most maps.
How to get there: Walking towards Crabhadail beach the path forks after hiking for about 30 minutes. Take a left to get down to the beach.
Best viewpoint: At either end of the beach. Surprisingly little of the beach is visible from the path or the top of Huiseabhal Beag.
Photos: When it is sunny the water is aquamarine, so the weather, rather than time of day, is most important for photos.
Tide times: best at low tide.
Buy the Cicerone Guide to Walking on Harris and Lewis
3. Hushinish Beach – Huisinis Beach
What’s special: The remote feeling of the Huisinis peninsula and the village
Best for: Machair (wildflowers)
Huisinis beach is a pretty bay at the end of the B887 with silvery sand and green waters.
Despite being a 30 minute drive from the main road Huisinis beach is busier than you would imagine. Perhaps it is because of the camper van site close by, the large car park, toilet facilities and van selling hot food.
From May to July the grassland between the car park and sea is full of colourful machair (wildflower fields). It is some of the most colourful on Harris island. Beaches along the west coast are covered by buttercups, daisies, red cloves and birds foot trefoil.
Also look out for the highland cattle that often roam around the beach and the village.
Huisinis beach is often described as the best beach in Harris, I don’t agree. For me Luskentyre is the best beach. Isle of Harris has so many amazing beaches, visit as many as you can and pick your own favourite.
How to get there: From the A859 it takes 30 minutes to drive the 12.5 miles on the narrow and twisting road to Huisinis. The last few miles are single track but with plenty of passing places.
Don’t let the drive put you off since the drive itself is one of the highlights of a trip out to Huisinis. The road passes the Harris hills where you can stop to see Golden Eagles, colourful crofts sitting along rocky inlets and Amhuinnsuidhe castle.
Best viewpoints: A hundred metres or so before arriving at the car park stop along the road (or walk back) for the view of the beach in the photo above.
Photos: Any time of day. Taking photos out over the beach towards Ceapabhal and Harris you will be shooting against the sun in the afternoon.
Tide times: The beach is much wider at low tide but it is not worth trying to time a trip with the tide. Save a day with nice weather at low tide for Luskentyre and Seilebost beach.
To plan a road trip to Hushinish read my Hushinish Guide.
Isle of Harris Beaches – Along the A859
Had your fill of beaches? If the answer is yes, there are a couple of historical sites in Lewis such as the Calanais Standing Stones and the Uig Chessmen that should not be missed.
Read all about the best things to do in Isle of Lewis.
4. Luskentyre Beach – Traigh Rosamol
What’s special: Incredibly picturesque
Best for: Walking
When looking at the above photo there is no question as to why Luskentyre beach is regularly voted one of the prettiest in the world in Tripadvisor awards. In my view it is the best beach on Harris.
It is by far the most famous Isle of Harris beach. Scotland has a few beaches that feature in different rankings. Another famous one is Berneray West beach.
At low tide it is possible to walk for miles from Luskentyre beach at one end to Seilebost beach in the other. The whole bay is one large area of white sand.
How to get there: Exiting the A859 by Seilebost village, a narrow road called Luskentyre Road takes you the last 2 miles out to the beach. At the end of the road is a spacious car park and toilet facilities.
A short walk through grassy sand dunes leads to the beach.
Best viewpoints: From the top of Beinn Dhubh (the hill behind Luskentyre beach) the views are spectacular.
Photos: The direction of the sun doesn’t matter but the weather and tide levels make a significant difference. Come when it is sunny and the tide is out for some iconic Isle of Harris beach photos.
Tide times: Together with Seilebost, Luskentyre is the beach on the west coast of Harris where it is most important to visit at low tide.
For detailed information on how access the beach, where to park and viewpoints read my Luskentyre Beach Guide
5. Seilebost Beach – Traigh Sheileboist
What’s special: The blue and green colours of the water
Best for: Swimming and paddle boarding
Seilebost beach is very tide and weather dependent. The extraordinary shades of water, which range from green to turquoise to navy, are most visible when it is sunny and a couple of hours before or after low tide.
Online weather forecasts for Harris are not that reliable and the weather changes quickly. Keep an eye on where the sky looks clear and when it is blue over Seilebost. That is the time to go.
How to get there: The beach lies between Luskentyre Road and the A859. At low tide you can get down to Seilebost beach from Luskentyre Road.
Best viewpoints: Along the A859, driving from Tarbet towards Scarista village, there is a viewpoint a couple of hundred metres after Seilebost village. A few cars can park along the road.
It is not possible to get down to the beach from here but the views from the side of the road are stunning.
Photos: From the layby mentioned above the sun shines in the right direction for photos from midday.
Tide times: This is the beach on Harris where tide times matter the most.
Try to visit twice. Once to walk on the beach at low tide. And a second time to see the spectacular colours of water in the bay.
The viewpoint described above is best in between low and high tide when there is a little bit of water in Seilebost bay.
For detailed information on how to access the beach, where to park and viewpoints read my Seilebost Beach Guide.
6. Horgabost Beach – Traigh Horgabost
What’s special: The views of the Harris hills
Best for: Camping and Caravans
Another beach with pure white sands, dark blue waters and the South Harris hills in the background.
The downside is that the beach is right next to a busy campsite, also called Horgabost. As a result it can get crowded. Or at least crowded by Outer Hebrides standards, which means that there will be a few other people on the beach.
A food truck is parked next to the car park and serves the typical greasy spoon food you would expect. There are not many places to stop for lunch in these parts but Temple Café in Northton is a much better option.
How to get there: Parking is at the campsite right by the beach.
Photos: Good lighting all day.
Tide times: Not important.
7. Nisabost Beach – Traigh Lar
What’s special: The sunset views
Best for: History (standing stone)
The views towards Ceapabhal and Taransay make for a nice change from the backdrop of the Harris hills.
On the headland on the other side of the beach is the MacLeoyd’s standing stone. The stone is 5,000 years old and represents the link between the land and its ancestors.
When the stone was erected it is believed that the area was farmland and open woodland. Look around and think how much the landscape has changed.
How to get there: The beach is right next to the road and a couple of cars can park along the A859.
To get down to the beach use the stile next to the layby. A short but steep scramble leads down to the beach.
Best viewpoints: Either end of the beach provide fantastic views.
Photos: Any time of day. The sun sets over Caepabhal so from the standing stone the lighting is perfect around sunset for atmospheric shots.
Tide times: The beach is much wider and more impressive at low tide. However, it is fairly small so it is less important to be here at low tide than at Luskentyre and Seilebost.
8. Scarista Beach – Sgarasta Mhor
What’s special: Waves crashing in
Best for: Surfing and walking
The sand at Scarista beach are more golden than most of the other beaches on this list. What it lacks in terms of white sands and turquoise water it makes up for with the large waves rolling in from the Atlantic.
How to get there: Running the length of Scarista village the mile-long beach can be difficult to get down to unless you know where the access points are.
One entry point is across from Scarista House and one is at the end of the village.
The Scarista beach parking is also hard to find unless you know where to go. The best place to park is at the end of the village.
Best viewpoints: For panoramic views of the beach and the Harris hills nothing beats climbing Ceapabhal.
Photos: From the beach and the top of Ceapabhal any time from midday onwards has the best sun conditions.
Tide times: Makes little difference for this beach.
For detailed information on how to access the beach, where to park and viewpoints read my Scarista Beach Guide.
9. Beach by Teampaill Ruins – Traigh an Teampaill
What’s special: The scenic ruins
Best for: Walking
If it wasn’t for the ruins at the tip of the island this would be just another pretty beach. What remains of a stone chapel dating from 1528 makes the beach very picturesque.
Until the 16th Century the stone chapel was a parish church. It served the people living on Harris as well as the islands Pabbay and Berneray on the other side of the straight. Today nobody lives on Pabbay and only 130 people on Berneray.
How to get there: Traig an Teampaill is another beach that is only accessible by foot. It takes about 30 minutes to walk the 1.5 miles from Northton village to the beach. It is an easy walk on flat ground.
On the way you will pass highland cattle and Hebridean sheep grazing, and another small beach called Traigh na Cleabhaig.
Best viewpoints: From the path. Shortly before arriving at the beach you get the view shown above.
Photos: Before lunch time the sun shines on the ruins as shown in the above picture.
Tide times: At high tide the beach is very narrow.
10. Northton Beach – Traigh na h-Uidhe
What’s special: Northton has it all – lovely beaches, hikes and a cafe
Best for: Chocolate brownies at nearby Temple Cafe
As the name Northton beach suggest the beach is in Northton village. It is a small bay with white sand and views towards the islands of Pabbay and Berneray.
The beach and village are often overlooked. However, this part of Harris is one of the most interesting areas to visit.
There are 3 beaches close to each other (in addition to Northton beach Traigh na Cleabhaig and Traig an Teampaill are a short walk away), the nicest café on the island (Temple Café) and an impressive hike to a panoramic hilltop (Ceapabhal).
How to get there: Park along the road after passing Temple Café. At the end of the village a sandy lane on the left leads down to the beach.
Best viewpoints: Walk up the little hill at the southern end of the beach. The views back towards the beach shows how narrow Northton is, sandwiched between Scarista beach and Northton beach.
Photos: Early in the day the sun is hidden behind a hill so arrive from mid-morning onwards.
Tide times: Best at low tide.
For detailed information on how to access the beach, Harris’ cutest cafe, where to park and viewpoints read my Northton Beach and Village.
How to Get to Isle of Harris
The best way of getting to Isle of Harris is by ferry. There are two ferry routes to the island:
- Ferry from Uig to Tarbert: This ferry goes from Isle of Skye to the largest town on Harris and takes 1 hour and 40 minutes.
- Berneray to Leverburgh ferry: goes from the small island of Berneray which is just south of Harris. The ferry takes 1 hour.
How to Get Around the Isle of Harris Beaches
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
Car Rental
Rental car is by far the easiest way to get around both Harris and the rest of the Outer Hebrides. Relying on public transport is far too limiting and sometimes close to impossible.
The airports on the islands – Stornoway, Benbecula and Barra – and the ferry ports of Stornoway and Tarbert have car rental agencies.
However, the best prices and choice of car models is at the car rental agencies at the airport in Inverness, Glasgow or Edinburgh. Click here to check prices and availability.
Public Transport
The buses on Harris have a very limited timetable so using public transport requires planning. Always check the latest bus schedule before travelling.
The most useful routes to see the beaches on Isle of Harris are:
W10A – Tarbert to Leverburgh and Rodel via Spine Route (along the A859 to Northton village):
There are roughly 5 departures per day excluding Sundays. Note that the scheduled departure times are more tailored to school children than tourists.
By advance request most of the departures on W10A can also stop at Luskentyre village, which is close to what in my view is the best beach. Harris’ limited public transport system means that a bit of planning is required to see the beach.
Otherwise all departures stop at the Luskentyre Turn which is nearly 3 miles away. But the walk is worth it. It is largely along Seilebost beach and at low tide much of the walk can be done on the beach.
W12 – Tarbert – Hushinish Beach:
During school term a bus makes the 50-minute journey in the morning and afternoon Monday to Friday.
During school holidays bus schedules are split between summer (end of April to mid-October) and the rest of the year. In the summer period the bus runs on Tuesday and Friday. The timetable leaves you 4-5 hours to explore the area.
At other times of year there is no public transport during the school holidays.
There are no departures on Saturday or Sunday at any time of year.
FAQs on Beaches in Harris
How Many Days Do You Need on Harris?
The beaches close to the road can be seen in a day. To explore the beaches which are only accessible by foot, do some of the scenic hikes and to plan around tide times, spend one day around Hushinish and a minimum of two days along the A859.
Which Hebridean Island Has the Best Beaches?
Isle of Harris is the Hebridean island with the best beaches. Isle of Harris wins because of beaches such as Luskentyre and Seilebost, which are difficult to beat.
Other islands to consider for their beaches are Lewis and North Uist.
Although close to each other geographically the Lewis and Harris beaches are surprisingly different. The best beaches in North Uist are more similar to Harris.
Most beaches in Lewis have cliffs or mountains surrounding them. One such example is Uig bay, another is Bosta beach which also has an iron age house close to the beach.
The best beaches in Harris are more open and have turquoise water colours when the sun is out.
Lewis and Harris are often described as two islands, but it is actually one. Given the difference in scenery consider a day trip to explore the beaches on the different part of the island to where you are staying.
How Many Beaches Are in Harris?
There are 13 sandy beaches in Harris. Some are small and nearly disappear at high tide.
LOOKING FOR MORE ON THE OUTER HEBRIDES?
