Luskentyre

The basics

While it’s worth visiting Luskentyre for the views, a walk along the beach or through the grassy dunes provides different perspectives of the surrounding scenery and toward the island of Taransay. The beach’s calm waters are good for kayaking and swimming, but despite its tropical appearance, the sea is chilly. Stops at Luskentyre are typically included in day tours of Harris and multi-day tours of the Highlands and islands from Edinburgh.

Things to know before you go

• A small, free parking lot is just steps from the beach.

• Do not park in the cemetery parking lot reserved for community members.

• Biting midges are a common summertime nuisance in the Scottish Highlands and islands; pack repellant and long sleeves.

How to get there

Luskentyre Beach is close to the A859 on South Harris and can be accessed via the minor road Losgaintir, which joins the A859 close to Loch Fincastle. The drive from Stornoway takes around one hour. From Stornoway, you can take the W10 bus to Tarbert, then change to the W10A bus to Leverburgh and get off at Luskentyre Turn; on public transportation, the journey takes around 90 minutes.

When to get there

Spring and summer are the best times to visit Luskentyre and see the beach at its warmest. The seasons also offer the advantage of optimal weather and long daylight hours that stretch well past 10pm. In July and August, wildflowers carpet Harris’ grasslands, known as the machair.

The white ponies of Luskentyre

Keep your eyes peeled for a pair of pale ponies that often wander across the sands of Luskentyre Beach to the delight of photographers. Although they may appear wild, the pair (a Highland pony and an Eriskay pony, one of the U.K.’s oldest and rarest breeds) are owned by a local family who run a bed and breakfast by the beach.