Local Attractions

The islands of South Uist, Benbecula and Eriskay offer some of the finest trout and salmon fishing in Europe. The unique combination of machair and hill lochs providing a varied and challenging environment that will suit beginners and experienced fishermen alike. The Fish Hebrides website brings together all the information you need to plan a fishing trip to the area,including loch grid references, how to obtain permits and book boats and ghillies. click here for more information <<<<

Inspired by the the machair in Uist, which is a unique habitat of semi natural grassland along the west coast of the island. It supports a variety of rare and interesting species including the Corn Bunting, Belted Beauty Moth the Great Yellow Bumblebee and of course that elusive Corncrake. The rich profusion of wild flowers makes a dramatic back drop for the Skylark and Lapwing which are still common in Uist.

William Neill is a superb wildlife and landscape artist based in the Isle of South Uist in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. His paintings aim to capture the individuality of the birds whilst exploring their relationship with each other and their environment; the environment we all share.
Many of the titles of  his paintings are intentionally minimal.  Treat your self to an experience by visiting his local Studio Gallery in Askernish, South Uist.  http://www.william-neill.co.uk/

Hebridean Jewellery are manufacturers of silver and gold jewellery from the Pictish and Celtic periods through to the new millennium range.
This quality jewellery is manufactured in the township of Iochdar on the silver strands of the North West coast of the Isle of South Uist in the Outer Hebrides. http://www.hebrideanjewellery.co.uk/

In addition to the above artist, click on http://www.uistarts.org/art-on-the-map/  to find what the other local artists have created.

The Kildonan Museum and Heritage Centre, houses South Uist artifacts collected in the 1950s and 1960s by Father John Morrison, a local priest. On your left when you enter is a simple exhibition with concise and unsentimental descriptions of living on South Uists that reads, "However we interpret it there is nothing surer than history has as much to do with the present as the past." The simple details, like how people filled their mattresses or the names for the tools they used in their houses are what makes this place interesting. http://www.kildonanmuseum.co.uk/

South Uist is home to the Askernish Golf Course. The oldest course in the Outer Hebrides, designed by Old Tom Morris, who also worked on the Old Course at St. Andrews. The course, which existed intact until the 1930s, is now  restored to Morris's original design, although this is being held up by disagreements with local crofters. Part of the course was destroyed to make way for a runway, and its identity remained hidden for many years before its apparent discovery, but the claim is disputed by many locals.http://www.askernishgolfclub.com/

South Uist was clearly home to a thriving Neolithic  community. The island is covered in archaeological sites including chambered tombs, Beaker sites, a Bronze Age  hoard, roundhouses, brochs, cairns, ogham inscriptions, Viking settlements, medieval longhouses and post-medieval industry. 

After the Norse occupation, South Uist  and Benbecula was held by Clanranald, a very powerful and  dominant family in South Uist. They were descendants of the first Lord of the Isles, who was also a MacDonald. The island's connections with Clanranald came to a sorry end,in 1837 when it was sold, along with Benbecula, to pay off bad debts !

The land was bought by  the infamous Lieutenant-Colonel John Gordon Cluny, it is claimed that he was a very curl man indeed! Though all the southern isles suffered during the brutal clearances of the 19th century, the experiences of people on South Uist were particularly cruel and inhumane. Between 1849 and 1851 over 2,000 were forcibly shipped to Canada.

The population records indicate that  South Uist fell from a total of 5093 in 1841 and has since struggled to regain the population, its present average population level is approximately 2285 !

All the land in South Uist  is NOW owned by the crofters themselves. South Uist, along with the adjacent islands of Eriskay and Benbecula, pulled off Scotland’s biggest community buy-out in 2006 when they purchased 92,000 acres of sporting estate for £4.5m. It’s now run by a community company called Storas Uibhist, which is working on making it pay for its self!. Part of the excitement of Storas Uibhist is remodeling  a forgotten golf course on the dunes at Askernish. The course was initially  designed by “Old Tom” Morris, who had a hand in the world renown "Old Course" at St Andrews

The Ceòlas music summer school is held annually in South Uist. It aims to integrate traditional music and dance in a community setting. It has strong links with tutors from Cape Breton in Canada, where old styles of Scottish fiddling and step dancing have been maintained. The school attracts students from around the world. for more information please click on http://www.ceolas.co.uk/