Castlebay

Castlebay is the main settlement on Isle of Barra. It is practically a small village built around a harbour - the main ferry terminal for the island, and one of two. With a small population of just above 300 people, it is located on the southern edge of the circular road that goes around the island. This is where you will find the majority of the few facilities that are available on Isle of Barra (accommodation, shops, restaurants, etc.).

Getting to Isle of Barra …

Once on the Isle of Barra, you’re either in Castlebay already or very close to it. So it would be more useful if I went over the few different options to get to Isle of Barra, from the mainland or other Hebridean islands.

… by ferry

If you are driving to Isle of Barra from elsewhere in the Outer Hebrides, then you can travel by ferry with CalMac Ferries from either Lochboisdale in South Uist (1h45min sail time to Castlebay) or Eriskay (40min sail time to Ardmhòr). Check timetable and prices on their website.

During the summer season, there are about 5 ferry crossings a day from Eriskay to Ardmhòr - this is the shortest and cheapest travel option. From the Ardmhòr ferry terminal on Isle of Barra, it’s a 15min drive to Castlebay. Personally I think this is the best option if travelling by ferry.

Even though Barra is indeed a very small island, I would really advise bringing your car along rather than leaving it at the point of departure, unless you plan on cycling instead. Barra’s main attractions (Traigh Mhòr, Castlebay, Vatersay) are dispersed and you really need a car/bike to get from one point to another.

It is also possible to reach the Isle of Barra by ferry from the mainland, Oban specifically, via Lochboisdale or direct. The sail time for the direct ferry is around 5 hours.

… by plane

The other way to get to Isle of Barra, and definitely the more interesting one, is to fly in with Logan Air from Glasgow. This is different to any other flying experience because you get to land on the actual beach! Find out more about Barra Airport here.

From the airport, it’s a 20min drive to Castlebay.

Kisimul Castle

One should not be surprised to hear that there is a castle in the bay of Castlebay.

That’s right, the main attraction of Castlebay is Kisimul Castle. The name kisimul is derived from the Gaelic ciosamul, and is just as literal, meaning castle island. The castle lies in the middle of the bay and so it can only be accessed by boat, and tours are available during the summer season. Kisimul is actually the only remaining medieval castle in the Outer Hebrides.

Kisimul is currently under the care of Historic Scotland. The castle was abandoned in the 19th century, after which its condition deteriorated. Clan MacNeil later purchased it and brought it back to its former glory. Supposedly in 2001, the castle was leased by Clan Macleod to Historic Scotland for 1,000 years for the sum of £1 and a bottle of whiskey per year!

Isle of Barra Distillers

This family-owned distilling business started out in 2016. But the actual distillery in Castlebay has only been open since 2019. Their Barra Atlantic Gin is lovely and comes in a really nice bottle. The business is growing at a fast pace, and they recently unveiled ambitious plans for expansion by building a new whiskey and gin distillery and visitor centre just north of Barra Airport.

Vatersay

From Castlebay, you can easily reach Barra’s sister island of Vatersay, linked to Barra through a 200m long causeway. Find out more about Vatersay here.

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