The Complete Guide To Visit Tiree

Visit Tiree With Families

A tiny island at the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, the Isle of Tiree is definitely special. It’s the most Westerly of the Inner Hebrides and often referred to as the Hawaii of the North! You aren’t going to find big attractions such as theme parks or huge museums on the Scottish islands. But what you will find are stunning landscapes, beautiful turquoise sea and lots of wild play opportunities. Visit Tiree in the Inner Hebridean Islands and you will leave feeling refreshed and relaxed. And did you know that the island of Tiree is one of the sunniest places in the UK?

The low-lying island of Tiree is known for it’s sunshine and wind, so despite it being frequently sunny, you are going to want layers and a woolly hat to keep warm! With little legs you can simply explore the coastline, without going on longer walks. Although there are plenty of walks that would be no problem for most active kids over 6-7 years old. There’s always something interesting on every walk!

Getting To Tiree

Before you can explore the small island of Tiree you need to get there! Most people catch the ferry from Oban. It’s a 3-4 hour journey around the Isle of Mull, to Tiree. There is a short stop at Coll (Tiree’s neighbour) to let vehicles off and on the ferry, before it arrives at Scarinish on Tiree. It’s also worth noting that you can easily arrive at Oban, right by the ferry terminal, by train from Glasgow.

The alternative is to fly to Tiree using a scheduled Loganair flight from Glasgow to Tiree airport. The flights are frequent, normally twice a day. Obviously you won’t have transport once you arrive, so it’s great to know that there is a Tiree car hire company. This is a great way to arrive if you have limited time. You can also fly to Tiree from Oban or neighbouring isles using Hebridean Air Services.

Accommodation For Visiting Tiree

Tiree has a variety of accommodation available, although you definitely need to book in advance. In Scarinish (the main village) there is the Scarinish Beach Hotel, which has 7 bedrooms and a recently refurbished restaurant. The other hotel on Tiree is the Tiree Lodge Hotel, just around the coast on Gott Bay. There are 15 rooms, plus a bar and restaurant.

There’s a huge range of self catered properties throughout the island. Check out the listings on Discover Tiree webpage for more information, including thatched cottages. You can also check out AirBnb for other self catered options. Cheaper accommodation is also available at the Millhouse Hostel, available for group of individual bookings.

For the budget option there is Balinoe campsite, which has 20 pitches for tents, campervans and caravans. Both grass and hard standing is available, plus an indoor area with cooking facilities, fridge, freezer and even wifi. If you don’t need any facilities there are also the croft sites managed by the Tiree community Development trust, which are simple grassy fields. These also need booked in advance and although they aren’t serviced there us free chemical waste disposal in Scarinish. Wild camping is only allowed without vehicles, such as walkers, cyclists and kayakers. They must follow the countryside law and leave no trace.

Eating Out on Tiree

Eating out on Tiree is not quite as easy as on the mainland! During the summer everywhere is busy and you will have to wait for a table or come back in half an hour or so. For the hotel restaurants you can book dinner in advance, which is recommended. You can also buy food and drink supplies at the Co-op in Scaranish or the general store at Crossapol. 

Yellow Hare is a small cafe with just one indoor table, but several picnic benches outside. you can choose from hot and cold drinks, homemade cakes and ice cream.

Scarinish Beach Hotel is near the beach in Scarinish (as the name suggests). They change menus throughout the year, so it’s a bit of a surprise to what is available! The food is delicious, although there weren’t any children’s options or half portions available when we visited.

Tiree Lodge Hotel looks out over Gott Bay. There are plenty of tables indoors, plus a bar next door. A variety of meals available including smaller kids options. We had a delicious dinner here one evening!

Aisling’s Kitchen at the Cobbled Cow is beside the airport on The Reef. it’s a small cafe with tasty lunches or hot drinks and cake. A good stop to fuel up with lunch.

The Farmhouse Cafe Balemartine is on the way to Hynish. Another good option fir lunch, with a variety of meals and cakes.

Chocolates and Charms is a small gift shop that also sells hot drinks and cakes. Plus some delicious handmade chocolates!

Things To Do When Visiting Tiree

You definitely don’t come to Tiree for big attractions like them parks and large museums. But if you enjoy a slower pace of life and being outdoors (with beautiful beaches) then you will absolutely love visiting Tiree!

There are a couple of big events on Tiree, these are the Tiree Wave Classic in October each year and the annual Tiree Music Festival in July. You will need to book accommodation and tickets on the ferry well in advance as it‘s understandably busy then.

Walking

One of the most popular things to do is take a few walks. We went for various walks each day, in better weather we chose longer walks and in the rain it’s best to go for short or sheltered walks. If you’re catching the ferry over I recommend picking up a copy of the Tiree walks book. It’s on the rack in the small ferry shop. You can also buy the Tiree walks book on Amazon here.

Our favourite walk was a longer one, which we made into a loop from Gott Bay to the Ringing Stone, Dun Mor Broch and then back to Gott Bay. We also found thousands of cowrie shells on the Ringing Stone beach and the beach afterward. The ringing stone is a lot of fun, testing out different rock to hear the metallic ringing sound from this ancient rock!

Although there are no mountains on Tiree, there is a small hill, Tiree’s highest point! It’s called Ben Hynish and is 141m high. Atop of the hill is the gold ball shaped radar station. However, it’s the view across to Skerryvore lighthouse that you climb the hill for!

The other walk we particularly enjoyed was a short walk from Hynish to Happy Valley. Visit when the tide is out to explore the fantastic rock formations, smoothed by the sea. Please note that the path isn’t clear as someone has put temporary fencing over part of the pathway.

Tiree is blessed with many beaches, so you will definitely want to explore as many as you can! Perfect to wander along, look for pretty stones and shells and watch the wildlife and waves. The birdlife is amazing on Tiree, with no land predators you will hear a cacophony of bird song and enjoy watching them fly nearby. Also look out for the many hares darting out of their hiding spots!

Watersports

For a more adrenalin filled trip you can try watersports with either Wild Diamond or Blackhouse Watersports. You can take surfing, kite surfing, wind surfing and paddle boarding lessons. There’s also the possibility to hire kayaks.

We chose to try surfing with Wild Diamond. They were great and we all stayed warm in the 5mm wetsuits we hired. The eldest was particularly good at catching the waves and standing up!

Museums and Historical Sites

There are several small museums and historical places to visit. I’d first recommend visiting the little red tin house, An Iodlhann, in Scarinish, which is a small museum about the history of Tiree. It has some interesting displays and also houses a small library of books about the island. Plus if you are descended from a Tiree family this is where to find information on family history.

You can also find history dating back to St Columba, with the name Tiree meaning the Land of Corn. This is because Tiree provided the monastery of Iona with grain. There are also several ruined monastic buildings on Tiree.

In Hynish you will find the old lighthouse community, with a lovely little museum about Skerryvore Lighthouse. The community was built to house the families of the lighthouse keepers and on a clear day you can just make out the lighthouse itself. A faint line on the horizon. Listen out for Corncrakes in the spring and summer, this is a great spot to hear them. If you’re extremely lucky then you may even see one!

There are several historical sites to visit. The broch near Vaul is definitely a great place to stop on a walk. There is a sign explaining what the broch would have looked like just outside a fence if you approach from the East. Nearby is the ancient ringing stone with cup marks, another sign is on the machair above the beach, explaining what it was used for.

The island also played an important point in WWII, with over 2000 people stationed at the RAF base. whilst the war in the Atlantic was continuing RAF Tiree was important as a base for protecting the North Atlantic. There are several concrete lookouts, now used by sheep, around the Balevullin area.

Sea Tours

In good weather you can take a boat tour to nearby Coll or across to Staffa and the Treshnish Isles. The weather was too windy when we visited, but we’ve previously visited all these islands and it’s definitely worth the trip if the weather is in your side. You may also be lucky enough to see dolphins or even Minke whale. Check out Tiree Sea Tours, office is based at the airport, or book online in advance.

In Spring and summer you can visit the puffins on Lunga, which is still a favourite trip of ours! The puffins are used to humans and you can get very close to them!

Shopping When Visiting Tiree

Co-op food is the main food shop on Tiree, located in Scarinish it’s an easy stop after you arrive by ferry. They have a huge selection of tins, packets, fresh fruit and vegetables, frozen meals, plus alcohol, bakery and snack items. it’s easy to buy most of what you need for a week there, unless you need specialist produce.

There are also many small businesses on Tiree, each of them well worth visiting!

Just beside The Reef is the Tiree Post Office and shop, which also has a variety of food produce and kids beach toys. Another good place to stock up with food.

The Yellow Hare in Scarinish is a small cafe, only one small table inside, but various picnic benches outdoors. You can pick up hot drinks, cold drinks, ice cream and home baked cakes. There are also a range of gift items throughout the shop, including items with the Tiree flag.

Chocolates and Charms is a fantastic little gift shop with a small cafe for hot drinks and cakes. The gift shop has a large variety of items, from kids wooden and soft toys, to beautiful jewellery and ceramics. This is definitely a good place to find something for anyone on your list.

Whalesong Tiree is a tiny gift shop open on certain days throughout the week. There are mostly beautiful pieces of handmade jewellery and hanging items. But there are also t-shirts and other items available too. The emphasis is on reusing waste items or locally sourced shells and driftwood.

Dot Sim Jewellery designs beautiful silver and gold jewellery pieces. She has exhibited her work all over the world. You can find stunning pieces that reflect the beauty of the landscapes of Tiree.

At Loch Bhassapol you will find Wild Diamond shop. They have a selection of hardwear for watersports, including kite surfing items, neoprene clothing and bodyboards for kids. You can also buy locally branded t-shirts and other items.

Hebridean Roast is a local coffee company who produce delicious roasted coffee. You can buy takeaway coffee at the shop or take a pack home to remember your trip to Tiree.

Tiree Distillery sells both Tiree whisky and Tiree gin. Perfect stop to test some locally made alcohol, particularly if you enjoy a good whisky! You can also book a distillery tour, with free sample to take home with you or try distilling your own gin at the distilleries Tyree Gin School!

Here Are All My Guides To Visiting The Scottish Islands!

• Shetland Islands – The most Northernly islands in Scotland, but so much to see!
• Orkney Islands – Beautiful islands filled with history and wildlife.
• Isle of Skye – Popular with tourists, great to visit in the quieter shoulder season.
• Isle of Tiree – Popular for Watersports, it has plenty of beaches and hikes.
• Isle of Mull – Rugged island with amazing wildlife, beaches and hikes.
• Isle of Iona – Famous for St Columba, it has fab beaches and hikes.
• Isle of Islay – Often referred to as the whisky island, it also has fab wildlife.
• Isle of Gigha – A small island, but so much to offer, beaches, trails and views.
• Isle of Bute – Great island close to mainland, don’t miss Mount Stuart!
• Isle of Kerrera – A small island with excellent tea room, great for a day trip from Oban.
• Inchcolm Island – Tiny island in the Firth of Forth, great day trip from Edinburgh.

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