Getting There
At the northern end of Barra is Cockle Strand, the airport. A long and wide beach of white sand, it's the only runway in Britain that's washed twice daily by sea tides. The Scottish airline Loganair ([tell] 0871/700-2000; www.loganair.co.uk) flies here from Glasgow or from Benbecula, on Lewis.
From the mainland at Oban, Barra can be reached by Caledonian MacBrayne car ferry (tel. 08705/650-000; www.calmac.co.uk), which docks at Castlebay. Subject to weather conditions, departures from Oban are on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday, with a return on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday. Sailing time is 5 hours, and a round-trip ticket is £22.
Visitor Information
The Castlebay Tourist Information Centre (tel. 01871/810-336) is near the pier where the ferry docks. From Easter to mid-October, it's open Monday to Saturday 9am to 5pm. The staff will help you locate a room should you arrive on Barra without a reservation.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
