Why Should I Visit The Isle of Tiree?
With its glassy blue waters, and pearly-white sand beaches, the Isle of Tiree sits atop many a travel bucket list. Within a day’s travel for much of the UK, it’s unique position in the Atlantic Ocean makes it a sunny and spectacular trip even in the depths of winter. Whilst it looks like we won’t be travelling in the very near future, we believe now is the perfect time to start considering where to go once restrictions begin to relax – think revitalising, rejuvenating and a place to let your hair down after an unpredictable 12 months.
Tiree is one of the few places in the UK you can experience true peace, its quiet shores a considerably contrast from the crowded beaches the mainland sees. Visitors can expect relaxation in its purest form, and evenings spent with their toes in the sand. For us, it has provided much needed solitude and a chance to reconnect with ourselves and our environment. The sun beating down on bare arms, water gently lapping at sea-shell beaches and drives past rolling green hills and shining white blackhouses.
We think the list of reasons why you should visit the Isle of Tiree is endless, so many so that we couldn’t fit them all in one blog post – so we narrowed it down to our top seven. In no particular order:
1. The people: Expect a warm welcome from passionate islanders looking to make this little island flourish.
2. Wilderness and wonder: There’s very few places quite as wild and wonderful as the Isle of Tiree. Think Tolkien-esque views and unkempt machair land to fill your romantic soul.
3. A surfer’s paradise of a sea: And what a sea it is. If you’re into surf sports, the Isle of Tiree is the place for you. Our waves reach awe-inspiring heights, often clean in their form and sparkling in the summer sun.
4. The weather: Not only are we the sunniest place in the UK, but we also boast some of the most incredible and dramatic weather. Stand out on the beach in autumn in just a jumper and bask under our clear blue skies.
5. Music and Culture: Think Scottish Folk, passion, and live sessions and ceilidhs for any wandering traveller to delight in.
6. Outdoor Activities: The Isle of Tiree is a dream destination for ultrarunners, cyclist and windsurfers alike. An outdoor mecca for enthusiasts, you’ll be sure to find an activity you enjoy on our beautiful island.
7. Incredible wildlife sightings: If you’ve never seen wild Dolphins in the Scottish sea, then that is reason enough alone to visit Tiree. Tiree is home to a vast array of wildlife and fauna.
To answer your question, Why Should I Visit the Isle of Tiree, we think you should visit for the beautiful and wonderful characteristics that make this island unique. Hidden amongst the larger Hebridean islands, Tiree is just as bewitching and often much quieter than its more infamous neighbours. The blue seas sparkle as soon as the sun peeks over the horizon, and the memories made on this speck of paradise are ones that will stay with you for life.
Visit for the Sense of Community
The Isle of Tiree is growing, and businesses and the community are flourishing as we welcome new visitors to the island yearly. Tiree has long since held a sense of companionship in its local population, and on your visit to the island you will be greeted with open arms – whether it’s your first time here, or you’re returning.
Whilst the island has only a few pubs and restaurants, they’re all always bustling and lively. The community is full of joy, and passion for the island – small businesses are flourishing into beautiful gems tucked away on this Hebridean paradise. From the ferry ride past Coll, to arriving at your accommodation, and for the remainder of your trip, we believe you will experience a true and proud Scottish community.
Experience True Wilderness on the Isle of Tiree
Despite being considered an ‘Inner Hebridean Island’, Tiree sits out in the brute force of the Atlantic Ocean. The weather it experiences, and the way in which the land has been kept for the last hundred years, ensures a truly wild, beautiful, and unkempt wilderness.
A designated special area of conservation, machair grassland makes up 24% of the total land on Tiree. One of Scotland’s most unique and awe-inspiring landscapes, machair is a combination of habitats than can be found only in the Northwest of Scotland and Ireland.
Tiree is one of the most wildlife-rich islands to experience this unique habitat because it has a low-lying coastline, a strong history of crofting which has allowed grazing animals to develop the land, and strong winds that come directly off the Atlantic – but with less rainfall than the mainland.
A Surfers Paradise
If you’re a surfer, paddleboarder or wind surfer – you should visit Tiree for the great Atlantic swell. The Hebrides are well known for their consistent, next-level surf and the Isle of Tiree is no different.
Huge sets roll in from the Atlantic Ocean, often perfect in formation and sparkling with potential. The Island has beaches facing every direction, and is surrounded by over 40 miles of coastline, so there is very rarely a swell that isn’t firing. Expect monstrous waves, a heavy power that fires you down the line, and set after set of emerald thrill.
Every year Tiree is also host to the Tiree Wave Classic. The Tiree Wave Classic is the UKs biggest windsurfing competition and pulls in top athletes from all over the world.
We’re big believers that Tiree is one of the best places to windsurf in the UK, as not only is it the sunniest destination but also the windiest. The island is perfectly set up for all surf sports, and the surf culture on Tiree is growing into a stoked community passionate about our immaculate waves.
Tiree is the ‘Hawaii of the North’
Did you know the Isle of Tiree is often known as the ‘Hawaii of the North’? Not just for the surf, sea and sand – As we’ve already mentioned, Tiree just happens to be the sunniest place in the United Kingdom, and often boasts much balmier temperatures than the mainland.
That’s not to say its bikini weather all year round, but one of the many joys of Tiree is its stunning dry weather. Even in the depths of winter, the sun still sits high over the sky and bathes us in a golden light.
For us, this idyllic Scottish island is a must visit because, despite being only hours from mainland Scotland, it’s Caribbean-esque feel and rich and wonderful scenery is one you would struggle to find anywhere else on the British Isles. White Sandy beaches encircle the island like a pristine halo, and the sea sparkles in the summer sun. There is little to distract from its natural beauty, and with a small but passionate population and fewer visitors than its Infamous Hebridean neighbours, Tiree is unspoilt and peaceful.
Experience Hebridean Music and Culture
Tiree has a longstanding and history-seeped relationship with folk music. For decades, passed down through generations, there have been musicians on the island that have celebrated their craft in its pubs and restaurants. Even now, local groups celebrate their history with the island by sharing folk music and ceilidhs – Folk sessions are not uncommon, and a love for Scottish tradition sits at the very heart of this joyful passion.
The Isle of Tiree is also home to one of Scotland’s best small music festivals. Every year, the island comes truly alive with folk music for the Tiree Music Festival. This unique experience invites folk musicians and passionate folk fans from all over the country to a small and intimate festival, celebrating the absolute best of music.
With a max capacity of 2000, and a vast and rich line-up of incredible artists, the Tiree Music Festival is a highlight in the Island calendar and an answer to ‘Why should I visit the Isle of Tiree?’ in its own right.
The Isle of Tiree is the Perfect Place to Visit for Outdoor Enthusiasts
Cycling, running, surf sports, swimming – the Isle of Tiree has it all. If you’re looking for an outdoor adventure, we think this might be a little further up you ‘Why I should Visit Tiree’ list.
For outdoor enthusiasts, the number one reason you should visit Tiree is that it is one of the most wild and wonderful destinations for all your outdoor sports. You can push your limits, and strive for endurance excellence, all with the most awe-inspiring backdrop of rolling green hills and sparkling blue seas.
Home to the Tiree Ultramarathon, the island has multiple vast-distance routes to keep you entertained. If you’re looking for outdoor fun for all the family, smaller loops will take you around some of our beautiful beaches – or the surf school can introduce you to surf sports, thrill, and unique and memorable memories of safe surf experiences.
There is bike hire on the island, available for a day or for your whole trip, and the roads are often incredibly quiet (through the islands quietest period, it’s unusual to come across a single car whilst on a journey) so you can expect a safe and peaceful environment to enjoy.
Incredible Wildlife Sightings:
Picture the scene; It’s the height of summer, and the sun is high in the sky. It’s early in the morning, and you have the beach to yourself. The white sand is almost warm underfoot, and the air is still.
The off-season for surfing, the sea remains a calm oasis – and off in the distance you see a splash. And then another, and another.
With all the elegance of a ballet troupe, a group of Bottlenose Dolphins start throwing great arcs into the air, only 100m or so from the coastline. For them, it is playtime. For you, a memory that will stay with you for the rest of your life.
The Isle of Tiree is frequently known as ‘the land below the waves’, and it truly has the sea life to really own the name. The island is regularly visited by dolphins, minke whales and basking sharks. These graceful creatures cruise our bounty rich seas and can often be spotted from the beach.
There is no better way to experience these magnificent animals than in their natural habitat, and the reward for your spotting efforts is a magical and precious moment in which you can truly connect with the environment and nature.
If you’re asking yourself ‘Why should I visit the Isle of Tiree’, we believe there are more answers than we can count. The Isle of Tiree is a bewitching Hebridean island, with beautiful scenery and incredible wildlife to offer you unforgettable memories for decades to come. Culturally rich, and with a vast array of accommodation for any needs, the only truly conclusive answer to why you should visit Tiree that we could come up with is; The Isle of Tiree is an utterly unique place and your life will be enrichened each and every time you arrive on these pearly white shores.