Islands · Scottish Islands
Barra Head
Barra Head — southernmost island of the Outer Hebrides in Scotland, UK.
Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 4 h–12 h
- Free entry
- Family-friendly
- Dog-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
Getting there & planning your visit
Barra Head is an island located in the Scottish Highlands, and it does not have a railway station or postcode. Entry to the island is free, but accessibility is limited for wheelchair users.
About
Barra Head is a island in the United Kingdom. It covers approximately 204 km². Owned by National Trust for Scotland. Managed by National Trust for Scotland. Named after Barra Head. Part of Outer Hebrides. Wikidata describes it as: "southernmost island of the Outer Hebrides in Scotland, UK". Coordinates: 56.7849°, -7.6359°.
Photo gallery
From the Wikipedia article
Barra Head, also known as Berneray (Scottish Gaelic: Beàrnaraigh), is the southernmost island of the Outer Hebrides in Scotland. Within the Outer Hebrides, it forms part of the Barra Isles archipelago. Originally, Barra Head only referred to the southernmost headland of Berneray but is now a common name for the entire island. The highest point of the island is Sotan, a Marilyn. There are numerous prehistoric structures on the island and permanent occupation by 20–50 individuals occurred throughout the historic period, peaking in the 19th century. The economy of the residents was based on agriculture, fishing and fowling. The cliffs provide nesting sites for seabirds in such profusion that Berneray has been designated as a Special Protection Area. The Barra Head Lighthouse, designed by Robert Stevenson, has operated since 1833. From 1931 to 1980 Barra Head was inhabited only by the lighthouse keepers and their wives but the lighthouse is now automated and the island completely uninhabited. The rough seas that surround the island have been used to test prototype lifeboats.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
Berneray was inhabited from prehistoric times until the 20th century; Historic Scotland have identified eighty-three archaeological sites on the island, the majority being of a pre-medieval date. There are four chambered tombs, five cists and five other sites assumed to be burial cairns, suggesting a significant settlement in the Neolithic and Bronze Age. The fort of Dùn Briste (the broken fort) lies to the north west and a second site nearby dating to the Iron Age was largely destroyed during the construction of the lighthouse. A century later Edward MacQueen wrote that he believed it had served "as a pharos or watch tower". There is also the presumed site of a chapel near MacLean's Point…
Description
<div style="float:left; margin-right: 1em;"> {| class="wikitable" ! Year ! Population (a) ! Population (b) |- | 1764 | 20 | |- | 1794 | 3 families | |- | 1841 | 21 | 30 |- | 1851 | 28 | 44 |- | 1861 | 20 | 33 |}</div><div style="float:left;"> {| class="wikitable" ! Year ! Population (a) ! Population (b) |- | 1871 | 20 | 38 |- | 1881 | 21 | 56 |- | 1891 | 17 | 36 |- | 1901 | – | 17 |- | 1911 | 0 | 5 |}</div> Notes:
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 56.7849, -7.6359
Sources
- wikidata: Q1732919 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Barra Head (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Barrahead.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
Sotan
Mountains & hills · 0.6 km
Barra Head Lighthouse
Lighthouses · 1.1 km
Sròn an Dùin
Mountains & hills · 1.1 km
Berneray
Vineyards · 1.2 km
Berneray, Dun Briste
Vineyards · 1.2 km
Gearum Beag, dun site
Archaeological sites · 1.5 km
Mingulay, Geirum Mor
Vineyards · 1.5 km
Heacla
Mountains & hills · 2.1 km
Hèacla
Mountains & hills · 2.1 km
Arnamul
Mountains & hills · 2.3 km
Mingulay, Dun Mhiughlaigh
Vineyards · 2.5 km
Gunamul
Mountains & hills · 2.6 km
Nearby
📷 5📷 3Lighthouses · Scottish Islands
Barra Head Lighthouse
Barra Head Lighthouse — lighthouse in Outer Hebrides, Scotland, UK.
📷 5Mountains & hills · Scottish Islands
Sròn an Dùin
Sròn an Dùin — a hill or mountain in scotland highlands.
📷 5Vineyards · Scottish Islands
Berneray
Berneray — a UK vineyard in scotland highlands, producing English or Welsh wine from cool-climate grape varieties.
📷 5Vineyards · Scottish Islands
Berneray, Dun Briste
Berneray, Dun Briste — a UK vineyard in scotland highlands, producing English or Welsh wine from cool-climate grape varieties.
📷 3Archaeological sites · Scottish Islands
Gearum Beag, dun site
Gearum Beag, dun site — a archaeological in scotland-highlands, United Kingdom.
Where to eat & stay near Barra Head
Places to stay
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Dunard Hostel
Dunard Hostel — a hostel in scotland highlands.
📷 5Campsites · Scottish Islands
Borve Camping and Caravan Site
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📷 5Campsites · Scottish Islands
Wavecrest Campsite
Wavecrest Campsite — a campsite in scotland highlands.
More places run by National Trust for Scotland
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📷 3Museums · Scottish Highlands
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📷 3Castles · Scottish Highlands
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Brodie Castle — castle in Moray, Scotland, UK.
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Flagship📷 5Frequently asked questions
- Where is Barra Head?
- Barra Head is in the Scottish Highlands, United Kingdom.
- What is Barra Head?
- Barra Head — southernmost island of the Outer Hebrides in Scotland, UK.
- How do I get to Barra Head?
- Its coordinates are 56.7849°, -7.6359°.
- Who runs Barra Head?
- Barra Head is operated by National Trust for Scotland.
- Is Barra Head free to visit?
- Yes, Barra Head is free to enter.