BEAUTIFUL BENBECULA
Destinations: BENBECULA
Length of trip: 1 Day
Distilleries: NORTH UIST DISTILLERY
North Uist Distillery visitor centre is in the historic Nunton Steadings, just a stone’s throw from Culla Bay. After learning more about their whisky journey and tasting their iconic Downpour gin, go for a horseback ride on the beach, visit the ruins of an important mediaeval castle, and snorkel!
BEAUTIFUL BENBECULA
Destinations: BENBECULA
Length of trip: 1 Day
Distilleries: NORTH UIST DISTILLERY
North Uist Distillery visitor centre is in the historic Nunton Steadings, just a stone’s throw from Culla Bay. After learning more about their whisky journey and tasting their iconic Downpour gin, go for a horseback ride on the beach, visit the ruins of an important mediaeval castle, and snorkel!
Morning
North Uist Distillery is a family owned business working towards production of heritage barley whisky, founded in 2019 by Jonny Ingledew and Kate Macdonald, who moved home to Uist to fulfil a long held dream of bringing legal whisky production back to the islands they had grown up on. Visit historic Nunton Steadings to see the excitement as we bring whisky back to the island. We offer tastings of our award-winning Downpour gin and a cocktail masterclass, and our distillery shop has lots of goodies for you to take away.
Afternoon
North Uist offers a variety of things to do for the adventurer. The distillery is just a stone’s throw from Culla Bay, known for being a surfer’s paradise. Uist Community Riding School offer beach rides, beach paddles and longer treks for the more adventurous. Benbecula Freedive and Fitness offers diving, adventure snorkeling and spearfishing.
Accommodation and Dining:
The six islands collectively known as Uist, including North Uist and Benbecula, are interconnected by bridges. From the southern part of Eriskay to the northern tip of Berneray only takes an hour and a half to drive, so accommodation on any of the islands isn’t very far away.
Transportation:
There are several ferries and even an airport that will take you to Uist. Fly into Benbecula Airport direct from Glasgow or Stornoway. Inverness and Edinburgh airports offer flights to Stornoway, if those are more convenient.
CalMac Ferries offer many options to Uist. From the south, a ferry goes north from Barra to Eriskay, home of the rare Hebridean Eriskay Ponies. Lochboisdale on South Uist can be reached from Mallaig on the mainland. Lochmaddy on North Uist is served by Uig on Skye. From Harris, it’s a short ferry down to Berneray.
Helpful tips:
Opening hours vary at North Uist Distillery, so be sure to call ahead to confirm opening times.
Benbecula Distillery hopes to finish the visitor centre this year, please check back soon.