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Raasay: A pretty island of stunning walks, wonderful whisky and acres of golden sands

© Hazel ThomsonRaasay as seen from neighbouring Isle of Skye
Raasay as seen from neighbouring Isle of Skye

Boasting stunning vistas and first-class whisky, you can’t go wrong with Raasay.

Nestled between Skye and mainland Scotland, Raasay is 14 miles long and five miles wide, with around 160 people living on the island.

Reached by a 25-minute ferry ride from Sconser, on Skye, Raasay’s many highlights include the golden sands of Inver Bay and the delightful Dùn Caan hill, which rises to 1453ft.

Dùn Caan will take around two to three hours to walk and provides fantastic views of Skye and the mainland.

Other walking trails include Hallaig which, prior to the Highland Clearances, was Raasay’s largest settlement. A reminder of this tragic period are the ruins of more than 40 houses, yet it still makes for a beautiful coastal stroll.

Indeed, poet Sorley MacLean was born and raised on Raasay. His famous poem Hallaig is a moving nod to the settlement depopulated in the Clearances.

Although Raasay means “isle of the roe deer”, it is famed for its pigs, which roam free – you’ll spot road signs indicating their presence.

The island is also the place to be for whisky lovers, with the local distillery offering a classic single malt and a visitor centre for a look behind the scenes.

Whether you’re there for walks, scenery or whisky, Raasay is certainly an island worth a visit this summer.


Raasay facts

Royal heritage

The island was the birthplace, in 1813, of Angus McKay, the first piper to Queen Victoria, who later disappeared in Dumfries.

Literary history

Dr Samuel Johnson and James Boswell were guests at Raasay House. They wrote, ‘We found civility, elegance, and plenty’.

House burnt down

The original Raasay House was burnt to the ground in 1746 by government troops after Culloden.

Disaster strikes again

Raasay House went up in flames again in 2009, only opening back up to the public in 2013.

Forging ahead

In 1911, William Baird & Co. Ironmasters bought the estate to operate an iron ore mine.

Natural wonder

The island boasts its own species of vole, the aptly named Raasay vole, or Clethrionomys glareolus erica to be scientific.

Water Ways

When the tide’s out it’s possible to walk to the island of Fladda, a crofting community until the mid-20th Century.