The Cycling Scot
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Route Map
  • Where to go in Scotland
    • Aberdeenshire
    • Angus
    • Argyll and Bute
    • Central Scotland
    • Dumfries and Galloway
    • East Lothian
    • Edinburgh and Midlothian
    • Fife and Clackmannanshire
    • Glasgow and the Clyde Valley
    • Islands
    • Perthshire
    • Scottish Borders
    • Sutherland and Caithness
  • Advice About Cycling in Scotland
    • What kind of bicycle?
    • Cycle Clothing
    • What gear to buy
    • Taking your bike on the train
    • Coping with traffic
    • Best cycling guide books
    • Best novels about cycling in Scotland
    • Family-Friendly Bike Holidays in Scotland
    • Mountain Biking Guide
  • Travel Writing Projects/Working with Me
  • Best Cycling Books
  • Diary of a Cycle Commuter

Lewis and Harris voted number one island in Europe

9/3/2014

7 Comments

 
Callanish standing stones on Lewis
Callanish standing stones on Lewis
Scotland has again been recognised for its outstanding scenery with an award for Lewis and Harris from TripAdvisor. They were voted number one of the ten best islands in Europe. Two other Scottish islands made it to the list- Orkney and Isle of Mull.

Top 10 islands in Europe

1 Lewis and Harris, Scotland, UK

2 Naxos, Greece

3 Island of Gozo, Malta

4 Mainland, Orkney, Scotland, UK

5 Milos, Greece

6 Cephalonia, Greece

7 Santorini, Greece

8 Island of Capri, Italy

9 Isle of Mull, Scotland, UK

10 Paros, Greece
Picture
Blackhouse village on Lewis
Lewis and Harris was also ranked the fifth best in the world. Here is the list:

Top 10 islands in the world

1 Ambergris Caye, Belize

2 Providenciales, Turks and Caicos

3 Bora Bora, French Polynesia

4 Marco Island, Florida, US

5 Lewis and Harris, Scotland, UK

6 Naxos, Greece

7 Aitutaki, Cook Islands

8 Nosy Be, Madagascar

9 Easter Island, Chile

10 Ko Tao, Thailand

Picture
Luskentyre beach, Harris. Image from undiscoveredscotland.co.uk
Scotland also featured prominently in the UK’s best island list:

Top 10 islands in the UK

1 Lewis and Harris, Scotland

2 Mainland, Orkney, Scotland

3 Isle of Mull, Scotland

4 Jersey

5 Isle of Skye

6 Isle of Arran, Scotland

7 Isle of Man

8 Islay, Scotland

9 St Mary's, Isle of Scilly, England

10 Anglesey, Wales

It is wonderful to see Scottish islands feature on these lists. I have cycled on all of the islands that have made these top ten lists and can attest to their beauty and fine range of things to see and do.

I have written about my journey to Lewis to see the Callanish standing stones, pictured in the first image on this page. Although it was the stones that I was excited about seeing I ended up falling for the far north of the island at the Butt of Lewis with its lighthouse and crashing waves.
Picture
Butt of Lewis lighthouse
Read about my journey to the Isle of Lewis

Read about my journey to the Isle of Islay

Read about my mishap on the Isle of Harris

7 Comments
Alasdair MacCaluim
10/3/2014 09:37:20 am

The Scilly Iales are in Kernow/Cornwall and not England as stated above!

Reply
Richard link
11/3/2014 05:19:06 am

I've never been a big tripadvisor fan, and doubt I'd enjoy Lewis as much as some of the Greek islands in that list!

Reply
Colin Baird
11/3/2014 07:38:52 am

I am not the biggest TripAdvisor fan either, but it is nice to see Scotland mentioned. I have never been to Greece, but would love to one day. All these types of lists don't really take into account that visitors are looking for different things. Am sure that visitors to Greek islands expect sunshine and swimming in the sea, but this is unlikely on Lewis!

Reply
Alasdair
11/3/2014 05:47:31 am

The people who voted the Long Island number one have clearly never visited the Airdrie on Sea/ Stornoway!

Reply
Colin Baird
11/3/2014 07:41:34 am

Poor Stornoway! I was not there long enough to form an opinion- one hour tops. But I don't think it would detain me for long and I would much rather get up to Port of Ness, the standing stones, brochs and black houses.

Reply
Alasdair link
11/3/2014 07:56:17 am

I agree. There's so much more to see than Stornoway.

Alasdair
11/3/2014 06:52:27 am

The people who voted the Long Island number one have clearly never visited the Airdrie on Sea/ Stornoway!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    My name is Colin Baird and I want to see all of Scotland by bicycle. Follow my blog on Facebook:

    Categories

    All
    Aberdeen
    Aberdeenshire
    Addiewell
    Airdrie
    Airdrie To Bathgate Cycle Path
    Airth
    Alba Cola
    Alloa
    Alloa To Dollar Cycle Route
    Altnabreac
    Angus
    Architecture
    Argyll
    Auchterarder
    Aviemore
    Baird Monument
    Bakery
    Balerno
    Ballater
    Bathgate
    Beach
    Bed And Breakfast Reviews
    Beer Reviews
    Bettyhill Hotel
    Biggar
    Bike And Go Cycle Hire At Stations
    Bike Clothing
    Blackness Castle
    Bonawe Iron Furnace
    Bo'ness And Kinneil Railway
    Book Review
    Bookshops
    Borders Railway
    Bowhill House
    Branklyn Garden
    Brechin
    BrewDog
    Bridges
    Broch
    Broughton
    Cafes
    Cairngorm Brewery
    Cairn O'Mount Road
    Caithness
    Caledonian Railway
    Carnwath
    Castles
    Chocolate
    Christmas Food & Drink
    Coffee
    Colinton Tunnel
    Colonsay
    Commuting
    Copenhagen
    Craigmillar Castle
    Crichton Castle
    Cupar
    Currie
    Cycle Routes
    Cycling Books
    Cycling Mirror Review
    Cycling To Work
    Cycling With A Buddy
    Dawyck Botanic Garden
    Deeside Way
    Deskford
    Disused Railway Paths
    Disused-railway-paths
    Dollar
    Dornoch
    Dornoch Castle Hotel
    Doune
    Drem
    Drummond Castle Gardens
    Dryburgh Abbey
    Dumbarton Castle
    Dumfries And Galloway
    Dunblane
    Dunmore
    Dunrobin Castle
    Dunrobin Castle Station
    Dunstaffnage Castle
    East Linton
    East Lothian
    Edinburgh
    Edzell Castle
    Falkirk
    Falkirk Tunnel
    Fallen Brewing
    Ferry
    Fife
    Flowers
    Folding Bikes
    Fonab Castle Hotel
    Gardens
    Garelochhead
    Gigha
    Glasgow
    Gleneagles
    Glen Esk
    Glen Lonan
    Golspie
    Haddington
    Hailes Castle
    Helensburgh
    Helmet Review
    Helmsdale
    Highland Cattle
    Hill Of Tarvit Mansion
    Hills
    Hostels
    Hotels
    House Of Dun
    House Of Mark
    House Of The Binns
    Huntingtower Castle
    Indoor Cycling
    Inveresk Lodge Garden
    Inverurie
    Island
    Jedburgh Abbey
    Kelso Abbey
    Kildonan Station
    Kinnoull Hill
    Krispy Kreme
    Lanarkshire
    Larbert
    Lauder
    Leaderfoot Viaduct
    Library Of Innerpeffray
    Linlithgow
    Livall BH60SE Smart Helmet
    Loch
    Loch Earn
    Loch Leven Heritage Trail
    Loch Turret
    Longniddry
    Maps
    Meadows Festival
    Melrose
    Melrose Abbey
    Microadventures
    Midlothian
    Montrose
    Moray
    Morton Castle
    Mountain Biking
    Musselburgh
    Muthill
    National Mining Museum Scotland
    Netwongrange
    New Bike
    Newstead
    North Berwick
    Oatcakes
    Oban
    Oban Chocolate Company
    Only In Edinburgh. Book Review
    Orkney
    Outer Hebrides
    Penicuick
    Perth
    Pitlochry
    Preston Mill
    Published Writing
    Puncture
    River Tay
    Roslin Glen
    Rosslyn Chapel
    Scotstarvit Tower
    Scottish Borders
    Scottish Borders Abbeys
    Scott's View
    Smailholm Tower
    Splendid Book Of The Bicycle
    Sportives
    Standing Stones
    Stately Homes
    Stations
    St Boswells
    Stow
    Sunglasses
    Sunset
    Sutherland
    Tantallon-castle
    Taynuilt
    Tea Room
    Tempest-brewing-co
    Temple Of The Muses
    The Counter Canal Boat Cafe
    The Elphinstone Hotel. Biggar
    The-pineapple
    The Unknown Sculpture
    Thirlestane Castle
    Tips
    Train Problems
    Trains
    Traquair-house-ale
    Travel Writing Competitions
    Trimontium
    Union Canal
    Vogrie Country Park
    Vulpine
    Walk
    Wanderlust Magazine
    Waterfall
    Water Of Leith
    Wemyss Bay Train Station
    West Lothian
    Whisky
    Wick
    William Wallace Statue
    Your Piece Baking Company

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Route Map
  • Where to go in Scotland
    • Aberdeenshire
    • Angus
    • Argyll and Bute
    • Central Scotland
    • Dumfries and Galloway
    • East Lothian
    • Edinburgh and Midlothian
    • Fife and Clackmannanshire
    • Glasgow and the Clyde Valley
    • Islands
    • Perthshire
    • Scottish Borders
    • Sutherland and Caithness
  • Advice About Cycling in Scotland
    • What kind of bicycle?
    • Cycle Clothing
    • What gear to buy
    • Taking your bike on the train
    • Coping with traffic
    • Best cycling guide books
    • Best novels about cycling in Scotland
    • Family-Friendly Bike Holidays in Scotland
    • Mountain Biking Guide
  • Travel Writing Projects/Working with Me
  • Best Cycling Books
  • Diary of a Cycle Commuter