Scotland’s remote coastal escape with cosy pubs, whisky and white beaches

For many people, Stornoway is a brief stop-off as they travel through its ferry port or airport en route to adventures in the Outer Hebrides. Canny visitors stay a little longer, soaking up the atmosphere of a town that is not just a tourist gateway, but the heart of a vibrant island community and an active fishing port. Although English is the dominant language here, Scottish Gaelic is still spoken. Walking along the attractive harbourfront, holidaymakers may notice that the town’s street signs are written in both languages. Stornoway is the largest town in the Outer Hebrides and capital of the island of Lewis. Indoor attractions include the lively An Lanntair arts centre, which hosts traditional music sessions and arts workshops; and Lews Castle Museum, whose collection includes six of the 12th-century Lewis Chessmen – chess pieces made from carved walrus ivory and whales’ teeth, which was featured in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Shorts There is also a cluster of traditional pubs hosting live music and an eclectic range of boutiques selling local artworks and clothing and accessories made from the islands’ Harris Tweed. The real draw, though, is the great outdoors, and you’ll want to lace up your boots for a romp along the island’s quiet white-sand beaches, with your eyes peeled for sea eagles. For more, see visitscotland.com The Essentials: How to get there and where to stay Nearest station: Inverness (which has train services from Scottish cities and direct from London). Buses and ferries: Travel from Inverness to Ullapool in the Highlands on a Citylink coach. This is timed to link up with the car-and-foot passenger CalMac ferry to Stornoway. Public transport on the island is limited, so it is worth hiring a car from Stornoway Car Hire from £36. Flights to Stornoway are available from airports including Edinburgh and Glasgow. Stay: Lews Castle stands above Stornoway harbour in Gothic-revival splendour. The building dates from the mid-19th century, and the rooms and apartments upstairs come with period features such as herringbone parquet floors and sash windows. The self-catering apartments come with well-equipped kitchens. It is a 10-minute walk down to the town centre through pleasant woodland. The one-bedroom Portrona and Harris apartments have wheelchair-accessible bathrooms and can be reached via lift. Room-only doubles from £89, self-catering apartments from £109. Lews Castle is a 19th-century baronial mansion (Photo: Visit Scotland) Day one: Where to start If staying at the castle, you only need to head downstairs to visit Museum nan Eilean. There are video exhibits in which local people recount stories of the isles and explain their culture, and displays of artefacts found around the island, including flint axes, ancient jewellery and pottery fragments. And of course don’t miss the Lewis Chessmen. Best places to shop The Outer Hebrides are the home of Harris Tweed, woven from British wool by self-employed weavers around the islands. You can buy tweeds by the roll at Harris Tweed Hebrides on North Beach or browse the clothing and accessories. Further along the harbourfront, on Cromwell Street, you will find organic skincare products made from the island’s abundant seaweed at Ishga, while EJayDesign is the studio of local artist Eilidh Jamieson, who creates watercolour maps, mainly of the Scottish islands. Best place for a drink The Lewis Chessmen are intricately carved medieval chess pieces discovered in 1831 (Photo: Visit Scotland) Join locals at The Star Inn on South Beach, which has a claim to being the oldest pub in the Outer Hebrides (it dates to the 18th century). Settle in for a dram of Isle of Harris single malt whisky Hearach by the fire. Where to go for dinner On the harbourfront, looking straight across at the castle, The Boatshed serves fresh-off-the-boat seafood, including Hebridean langoustines, chargrilled Hebridean scallops and pan grilled Scottish salmon. There is a wide-ranging list of affordable wines, too, plus a good selection of single malt whiskies. The best seats are in the windows, for harbour views, and the service is of the friendly Hebridean sort that makes dinner here feel like dining with friends. Day two: The best beaches The coast north of the town stretches up the more sheltered section of the island’s east side. The beaches here are vast and smooth, with biscuit-coloured sand and turquoise water. From town, it is a 10-minute drive or 20-minute bus ride (catch the W5A) to Coll Beach (Tràigh Chuil) and five minutes further to Gress (Tràigh Griais). Both have free parking behind the sand dunes and picnic tables with beach views. Visit at dawn when the sun seems to emerge straight from the ocean. Or, for one of Lewis’s most striking beaches, drive half an hour (around 40 minutes by bus, and foot) to Gary Beach (Tràigh Mhòr). Traigh Mhòr beach on the Isle of Lewis (Photo: FedevPhoto/Getty) Best place for lunch Back in town, find a spot on one of the banquettes at No9 Coffee & Restaurant on Bank Street for tacos filled with crispy calamari, freshly battered haddock and chips or a smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel. Don’t miss Head back to the castle for a stroll around the grounds, a fine example of a Victorian ornamental landscape. Take the path along the waterfront for views back to the town and the chance to spot Atlantic grey seals following the fishing fleet in the harbour. Alternatively, walk through the woodland to the Victorian sunken garden and Matheson Monument, erected in memory of Sir James Matheson who was responsible for building the castle in 1863. There is also the 18-hole Stornoway Golf Club, while the Isle of Lewis Sports Centre has a sauna, steam room and hot tub. Best place for a final treat The Hebridean Bakehouse on Church Street has freshly made doughnuts in tempting flavours, including dulce de leche and Biscoff white chocolate, plus biscuits, cakes and traybakes. The sausage rolls are delicious, too.