Often when I mention my favourite place in Scotland, Tiree, I'm met with some confused looks. 'Tiree' sounds like it could be the name of a tropical island off the coast of Spain. The isle shares many qualities with a Spanish holiday destination: turquoise waters, white sand beaches, and perfect surf. Tiree, however, is in fact a small island which lies off the West coast of Scotland, the most Westerly of the Inner Hebrides. The island receives the most sunshine hours in the UK, and the strong Westerly winds which often blow across the isle makes it the perfect destination for wild camping: sunshine teamed with no midges!
I first discovered Tiree when I was fourteen, when myself and my older sister went on a brief weekend trip there to try our hand at surfing. It was love at first sight, both with the island itself and with surfing, and over the past seven years I have been back multiple times, even spending the entire summer there when I was seventeen. Having spent a lot of time on Tiree, I have picked up a few tips for anyone looking for a surf holiday with a budget; put down your passport, look no further than bonny Scotland!
1. Leave your car at home.
The island measures just twelve by three miles, and is notoriously flat. This means that it's easy to get around by cycling (or hitch-hiking off friendly tourists and locals). The ferry leaves from Oban, which is around a three hour train journey from Glasgow Queen Street. Whilst taking a car on the ferry is rather expensive (around the £120 mark), bikes are allowed on for free. Locate yourself a good pannier rack or backpack, and you'll be grand. The ferry takes just under four hours to get to the island, and you can often see seals and dolphins on the journey.
2. Try wild camping with a beach view!
The Scottish Outdoor Access Code allows you to wild camp on Tiree, however be aware of the fragile Machair grass and the sand dunes. There is a perfect spot just beside the Westerly-facing Balevullin beach, which offers a front-row view of the sunset at night, and surf right on your doorstep in the morning.
Be aware that Tiree is often very breezy. Whilst this is great for creating good surfing waves and keeping the midges away, this can be a downside of camping. The island has very few naturally-growing trees, however the Balinoe campsite has cultivated some to create a well-sheltered camping area. If you end up going to Tiree at a time when the wind is quite strong and wild-camping isn't feasible, then this campsite offers a good cheap alternative, as well as offering a kitchen, wifi, and toilets/showers.
3. Try surfing with Blackhouse Watersports!
Marty and Iona, the owners of Blackhouse Watersports, are some of the coolest and friendliest people you'll ever meet. Their beach hut is located on Balevullin beach (where most people go for surfing), and they rent out boards, wetsuits, kayaks and SUPs throughout the summer, in addition to daily surf lessons. On summer nights there will often be a barbecue and drinks down by the beach hut, and there are always friendly, sunburned faces to chat to.
Going to Tiree in the summer months is perfect for beginner surfers, as the swell will be fairly gentle. If you want to go for more gnarly waves, September and October, although slightly colder and windier, will offer more challenging waves.
4. Swimming with the seals.
You can't go to Tiree and not see the Great White Seal of Balevullin; often surfers will be sitting in the water, waiting for the next set to come in, and just as a wave appears the sleek grey head of the Balevullin seal will appear, mere feet away from your board. The seals are really friendly, and definitely make waiting for a set to roll in more entertaining. Try grabbing a pair of goggles and heading to Balephetrish bay - seals look so much more graceful under water.
5. Climb up Ben Hough for sunset.
Whilst Tiree is a very flat island, there are a couple of hills on it which offer stunning views across the whole island. Ben Hough is just beside Balevullin beach, and takes around thirty minutes to get from the beach to the top of the hill. Go up around sunset and you won't be disappointed - you'll get the sun to the West and views of Mull's mountains to the East.
6. Cycle to Salum bay and stop off at the Tiree Lodge Hotel to refuel.
From Balevullin this is around a 17.5 mile round-trip. Salum beach is towards the North-East of the island and is much quieter than Balevullin and the other surf beaches. The white sands and calm waters are ideal for flopping down with a book to rest half-way through your cycle.
Stop off at the Tiree Lodge Hotel on your way back to refuel with a pot of coffee and enjoy the beautiful views over Gott Bay, you might even see some kite-surfers in action!
7. If you don't like the weather, come back in ten minutes.
The island seems to have a weather system of it's own so I wouldn't entirely trust the weather forecast, but I guarantee that more often than not, the sun will be shining for you. My advice would be to pick a time when the wind doesn't look too crazy, and there isn't a lot of rain forecast, and chances are you'll get sun, waves, and a happy time.
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