Handa Island
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Handa Island

Handa Island

Scottish wildlife island of sandstone cliffs and dense summer seabird colonies off Sutherland.

Handa is a small island off the coast of Sutherland, formed of ancient Torridonian sandstone and managed by the Scottish Wildlife Trust as a nature reserve. In summer it holds one of the most impressive seabird colonies in northwest Europe — guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes, fulmars, puffins, and great skuas all breed here in numbers that can overwhelm the senses.

The island's most dramatic feature is the Great Stack on the north coast: a detached pillar of reddish sandstone rising 120 metres from the sea, its ledges packed with nesting birds through June and July. The clifftop walking route — a circular three-mile path — takes in the Stack viewpoint and the full sweep of the western cliffs before looping back to the landing beach. Two to three hours is comfortable; birders routinely spend the full day.

The island has no permanent residents. The last community — around 65 people — left in 1847 after famine and emigration hollowed out their numbers. Their ruined houses stand near the landing beach, the village that was once governed by a "Queen" — the oldest widow — who chaired the daily assembly that decided each day's fishing and work rota. The great skuas, known locally as bonxies, have filled the vacuum. They nest across the moorland and will mob anyone who strays too close to their chicks; the wardens recommend holding a stick above your head when crossing the interior.

Access is by passenger ferry from Tarbet, a hamlet a few miles north of Scourie, on the coastal route between Ullapool and Durness. The crossing takes ten minutes and runs on demand; there is no booking system.

Guide

Getting There

Handa Island is reached by passenger ferry from Tarbet, a tiny hamlet on the mainland coast roughly four miles north of Scourie. Tarbet is reached via a single-track road turning west off the A894, which runs along the coast between Ullapool and Durness. The road to Tarbet is unmarked on most road signs; look for the turning about two miles south of the hamlet of Laxford Bridge.

There is no booking system — the ferry runs on demand from around 9am to 2pm during the season (generally April to early September, weather permitting). You pay the ferryman at the dock. The crossing takes around ten minutes. There is a small car park at Tarbet but it fills quickly on fine summer days; arriving early in the morning is advisable.

The nearest towns with accommodation and fuel are Scourie to the south and Kinlochbervie to the north. Inverness, the nearest city with rail connections, is about two and a half hours away by road.

Guide

Things to Do

Handa is first and foremost a seabird island, and almost everything worth doing here involves the cliffs and the wildlife that colonises them each summer. The Scottish Wildlife Trust has laid out a circular walking path of about three miles that covers all the main viewpoints, including the cliffs above the Great Stack on the north side and the sandy beaches near the landing point. It takes two to three hours at a comfortable pace, though serious birders tend to linger far longer.

Guide

When to Go

Handa Island is only accessible during the seabird nesting season, roughly April to early September. The ferry from Tarbet does not run outside these months.

May and June are the peak months for seabirds. The cliffs are packed with guillemots, razorbills, and kittiwakes at maximum density, and puffins are most active around their burrow entrances. Great skuas have chicks and are at their most aggressive. The days are very long this far north — in late June, it barely gets dark.

July is still excellent for birds and tends to have slightly warmer weather. The great skua chicks will be fledging by late July and adult behaviour starts to calm.

August and early September see the birds departing rapidly — by mid-August the cliffs thin noticeably. But the weather can be more settled than in early summer, and the walking is still fine.

The northwest Highlands are notoriously wet and windy regardless of season. Come prepared for rain and strong winds; on rough days the ferry may not run at all. The best weather windows tend to be brief and hard to predict, so flexibility in your itinerary helps.