Exactly How to Get the Leverburgh to Berneray Ferry
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On a road trip through the Outer Hebrides there are two stretches that require taking a ferry. The Leverburgh to Berneray ferry is the only way to get from Harris and Lewis in the north to the islands further south.
From Berneray you can drive on causeways down to Eriskay where you need to take another ferry to Barra.
The Berneray to Leverburgh ferry journey takes 80 minutes. Due to the number of islands in the Sound of Harris the sea is often calmer than on longer routes. The ferry is also a reliable service, especially during the summer when bad weather is less common.
Below you will find everything you need to know before getting the ferry from Leverburgh to Berneray, or the other way around.
How Long is the Ferry From Leverburgh to Berneray?
The ferry takes 1 hour 20 minutes.
What Is the Cost of a Leverburgh to Berneray Ferry Ticket?
A one-way ticket for two adults and one car costs £22.65.
How to Book the Leverburgh to Berneray Ferry?
The ferry from Leverburgh to Berneray is operated by Calmac. Book tickets via the Calmac website.
Do I Need to Book Tickets in Advance?
When travelling with a car I recommend booking ferry tickets in advance. As a foot passenger there is normally always space on the day.
Pets, bikes, kayaks etc also require their own ticket. These tickets are free but must be added during the online booking process.
It is important to note that anyone with a motorhome or caravan cannot use the standby lane. You must book a ticket in advance.
Tickets are flexible and you can change the departure time or date by calling Calmac. They will move you to a different sailing at no cost as long as there is space.
Should you want to cancel your pre-booked ticket an admin fee will be deducted from the refunded amount.
I highly recommend renting a car with RentalCars.
When Does Check In close?
Check in closes 20 minutes before departure for both foot passengers and cars.
At check in you need the QR code which is shown on your ticket. You can either display it on your phone or print it.
Make sure you have one QR code for each car, passenger, bike, pet etc. When printing the tickets it is easy to miss some of the QR codes due to page sizing.
You don’t need any ID to check in.
Can I Bring My Dog on the Ferry?
Yes, you can bring your dog. It is free to bring pets, but they need their own ticket. You can add this during the online booking process.
Pet tickets allow you to either bring your pet into the passenger lounge or for the pet to remain in the car. The ferry from Leverburg to Berneray is a shorter sailing so it is less important to get one of the lounge tickets for your pet.
Lounge tickets for pets are limited but you are guaranteed to get a ticket for your pet to remain in the car.
Are There Food and Drinks Available Onboard?
There is a small kiosk onboard, but the selection is limited. You are better off either going to one of the food trucks at Leverburgh ferry terminal or at the Berneray Shop and Bistro.
Ferry Times – Berneray to Leverburgh
Leverburgh to Berneray Ferry Timetable (Summer Schedule)
The Berneray to Leverburgh ferry timetable shown below is from a previous year.
The times rarely change but only use this as a guide for planning your trip. There is no guarantee times won’t change. The new summer timetables are released in the middle of January every year.
Leverburgh to Berneray Ferry Times (Winter Schedule)
The below is a previous year’s ferry times, they rarely change but please use the below as a guide only.
What to Do if the Ferry is Cancelled?
None of the other Outer Hebrides ferries are a good alternative if this service is cancelled. The two options shown below are time consuming and if the cancellation is due to bad weather these routes will likely be impacted as well.
Both routes are described starting from Leverburgh but can be done in reverse starting in Berneray.
Best alternative route: Take the Tarbert ferry to Skye and another ferry from Skye to North Uist. However, the ferry from Harris is often sold out in the summer.
Except for the ferry to Lewis described below, there is no other way to travel to Harris with a car.
Second alternative route: Travel to Stornoway for the ferries from Stornoway to Ullapool on the mainland.
On the plus side this ferry is easier to book. The downside is that there is 3-3.5-hour drive from Ullapool to Mallaig or Uig on Skye where you can get a ferry back to the Uists.
The two ferries to the Uists are:
- Ferry from Uig to Lochmaddy on North Uist
- Ferry from Mallaig to Lochboisdale on South Uist
Some of the ferries from Stornoway also depart very early in the morning. This means you have to stay overnight in one of the hotels in Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis on the way.
Book your car hire with Rental Cars
Berneray Ferry Terminal
How to Get To the Terminal
Berneray Ferry Terminal is located on the right shortly after you pass the causeway from North Uist to Berneray. It is well sign posted but should you pass Berneray Shop and Bistro you have gone too far.
Buses operate both from Berneray village and the islands further south. The bus is called W16 or W17 Spine Route. The bus stop for the Berneray ferry terminal is called Berneray Slip. Check the latest schedule before travelling.
From Berneray village it is a short walk to the ferry terminal.
Services
At the terminal there is a waiting room with toilets. There is nowhere to buy food or drinks. Services onboard are also limited.
If you want a meal before or after your journey stop at Berneray Shop and Bistro. It is one of the best restaurants in the area so book a table in advance during the summer months. It gets very busy for lunch and dinner.
Things to Do Whilst Waiting for the Ferry
- West Beach: One of the most famous Hebrides beaches and was recently voted one of the top beaches in Europe by Lonely Planet.
- Dun an Sticir: On the northern end of North Uist is the ruins of an iron age stone house. It is set on a small island which you can walk out to using two causeways.
- Clachan Sands: The prettiest beach on North Uist and it is close to the causeway to Berneray. It is well worth the detour.
Where to Stay for the Ferry Terminal
There are not many places to stay on Berneray so I recommend staying on North Uist instead. Read my post on the best North Uist accommodation.
Leverburgh Ferry Terminal
How to Get To the Terminal
Leverbrugh Ferry Terminal is on the western end of Harris in the small village called Leverburgh.
The W10 and W13 buses run from Tarbert to the terminal. The bus schedule is limited and there are no buses on Sundays.
Services
The terminal building has toilets and a waiting room. There are no restaurants, but there are a couple of food trucks at the ferry terminal. The trucks even have inside seating!
The closest café is Temple Café close to Northton beach.
Things to Do Whilst Waiting for the Ferry
- Rodel Church: A 10-minute drive from Leverburgh is a stone church from the late 15th or early 16th Century. It is free to visit.
- Scarista Beach: When driving from Tarbert to Leverburgh stop at Scarista beach on Isle of Harris.
To plan your trip to Harris read my Guide to the Best Isle of Harris Attractions
Where to Stay for the Ferry Terminal
There are not many hotels or B&B’s on Harris so book well in advance.
Luckily there is an excellent guest house in Leverburgh called Grimisdale.
FAQ on Ferry Leverburgh to Berneray
Is There a North Uist to Harris Ferry?
It is a bit misleading that Calmac often calls the route described here “North Uist and Harris” since the ferry actually docks in Berneray. Leverburgh to North Uist is not an actual ferry route.
To travel between these two places take the North Uist and Harris ferry to Berneray and drive to North Uist. Berneray and North Uist are connected by a causeway and it is only a 5-minute drive from the Berneray ferry terminal to North Uist.
The only ferry to North Uist is from Uig on the Isle of Skye.
How to Get From Leverburgh to Stornoway?
The drive from Leverburgh to Stornoway is 1.5 hours. Lewis and Harris are actually a single island so there is no need for a ferry.
You can get from Leverburgh to Stornoway by bus. The W10 (Spine Route) and W13 (Bays Route) run from Leverburgh to Tarbert pier. Change here to the W10 bus (called Tarbert & Balallan) to Stornoway.
Check the latest bus schedule before booking your ferry. There are no buses on Sundays.
Final Thoughts on the Leverburgh Ferry
It might seem complicated to take the Leverburgh to Berneray ferry for a day trip or as part of a road trip through the Outer Hebrides. In reality it is straight forward.
Many people don’t travel south of Harris and Lewis but don’t make this mistake. The islands further south are wonderful and much less visited.
LOOKING FOR MORE ON THE OUTER HEBRIDES?
The Ultimate Guide to Berneray
Top 10 Best Isle of Harris Beaches
