Visitors to Luskentyre Beach on the Isle of Harris would be forgiven for thinking they had magically been transported to a Caribbean island. With its miles of white sand and bright blue-green sea, this beautiful location on the western coast of the island is a magnet for locals and visitors alike.

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Luskentyre looks out to the isolated island of Taransay which was used in the BBC’s Castaway reality show in 2000 that threw together volunteer castaways from a wide variety of backgrounds to form their own community.

The programme was compelling viewing as the first UK show to use that reality format and it launched the career of Ben Fogle, who regularly returns to the area.

Harris’s hills and mountains overlook Luskentyre which falls inside the boundaries of the community-owned West Harris Trust area.

The Trust purchased 7,225 hectares belonging to the Scottish Government in 2010, in a bid by local islanders to save the community with the population having dwindled to just 119 residents, the local school becoming unsustainable and zero job opportunities.

Since it was bought, the Trust has released land for housing, built an impressive community hub – Talla na Mara – and invested in renewable and tourism projects to create jobs and revenue streams.

The population now stands at 150 with the area now considered a thriving part of the islands and popular with visitors due to its scenic splendour and the lure of beaches including Luskentyre, Seilibost and Niseabost.

Although it has its own distinct island identity, the Isle of Harris is actually joined with the Isle of Lewis to the north with the two land masses separated by hills and mountains.

The island still boasts a strong Gaelic culture with the picturesque village of Tarbert serving as the main centre in Harris.

It is home to social enterprise The Isle of Harris Distillery and is the departure point for the ferry to the Isle of Skye and the onward road link to the Scottish mainland.

Harris’s beauty is clear as you travel south through epic, rocky landscapes on the island’s east coast, accessible along the winding Golden Road, which gets its name from the amount of money it took to build. The island’s main west-coast route offers awe-inspiring views of Luskentyre and neighbouring beaches.

To the south of Harris is Leverburgh where it is possible to catch the ferry to the Uist islands and also the village of Rodel which is home of St Clements Church, built for the Chiefs of the MacLeods of Harris and dedicated to Pope Clement I. It was featured in the 2019 Call the Midwife Christmas Special.

Harris is peppered throughout with artist studios, local crafts made from the world-famous Harris Tweed and interesting places to eat and sample local produce. It is also a perfect spot for spotting birds and wildlife.

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Luskentyre Beach is one of the largest and most spectacular on Harris, according to Visit Scotland. It has also been named one of the UK’s best beaches in the TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards.

Though it is a huge draw for locals and visitors, access to Luskentyre can be tricky with congestion at busy periods.

Residents who want to visit the local cemetery use the same route and have dedicated parking spaces, which in summer can be taken up by visitors to the beach.

This year has seen people with loved ones buried at the cemetery launch a campaign to encourage visitors to respect the dedicated parking and to be mindful Luskentyre is not just a holiday beauty spot, but also a place of rest.

But with so many picturesque beaches, visitors to the Isle of Harris are spoilt for choice with Scarista, Borve, Horgabost, Seilebost and Huisinis all accessible.

Explore-harris.com says beaches are probably the feature of Harris which impresses most visitors with the colour of the sea – even on a dull day – and the purity of the sand being “simply stunning”.

For more information, go to visitouterhebrides.co.uk or visitscotland.com

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