I visited the sunny Scottish island that feels more like a chic Caribbean beach holiday

The Sun

4 days ago

I HAD only been awake for an hour and I'd immersed myself in Scandinavia and the Caribbean, with a side helping of haggis.
Such is the joyful confusion of taking a holiday on Scotland's sunshine island of Tiree.
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Dubbing somewhere the 'sunniest place in Scotland' sounds like faint praise — a bit like awarding a prize for the sandiest part of the Sahara or best-ever episode of Crossroads.
But, thanks to the Gulf Stream, Tiree — with its population of barely 600 — really does have more hours of sunshine than anywhere on the UK mainland per year, despite its chilly-looking position in the Inner Hebrides islands.
Checking into the Reef Inn after the three-hour ferry crossing from the pretty mainland town of Oban, I felt I'd been transported to a chic boutique bolthole in Helsinki or Stockholm.
While so many hotels in the Scottish Highlands and Islands have maintained a traditional decor of wall-to-wall tartan and complimentary shortbread, the Reef Inn does things differently.
Pale wood floors, sheepskin throws, a white four-poster bed and funky Scandi-retro furniture fitted in fabulously well with the views out over an unusual landscape.
Unusual because Tiree doesn't have the soaring mountains, blind glens and deep forests you would expect from the Hebrides.
This island is table-mat flat, giving the views from my window a gorgeously calming air, with the rolling grasslands and the odd cottage being the only distraction from the panoramically large blue skies, dotted with the smallest ice cream scoops of cloud.
After a delicious breakfast of potato scones and vegetarian haggis, I drove to explore Tiree's main draw — its quite stupendous beaches.
Turquoise waters
There are dozens of coves, bays and yawning stretches of sand tucked into the folds of Tiree, but none are more beautiful than Balephetrish.
Located on the western edge of this tiny, 12 mile by three mile island, I began strolling along an immense curve of sand the colour of vanilla and milk, and as soft as gossamer, all backed by Mohican tufts of marram grass.
Discover the Scenic Arran Coastal Way
It's a gorgeous day and yet, as the turquoise waters kiss the shoreline, I'm the only person here barring one man grappling manfully with his surfboard, perhaps in training for the Tiree Wave Classic event which is held every October.
I don't even have to scrunch up my eyes to pretend that I'm in one of the quieter, more chic Caribbean islands, like Anguilla or Grand Turk, except there's no sun loungers and nobody trying to get me to buy overpriced cocktails.
Tiree offers something far more disorientating than a shot of rum; this is an island that's home to some deeply strange structures known as 'brochs'.
Built sometime between the first century BC and the first century AD, it's believed that these circular stone structures were lived in by invaders from England, who ruled over the local population.
The broch I clambered around, called Dun Mor Vaul, still has its lower circular stone walls intact.
With just a few hardy sheep for company, the view from the summit here is enchanting; a soft, whispering breeze rustles the clusters of thrift sea pink flowers, while skylarks and oystercatchers sing their way out over the silver and tin coloured waves.
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Back on Balephetrish Bay later that day, I sigh as the sand slips between my toes and the sun casts its beam upon my shoulders.
I'm seriously starting to wonder why I ever submitted to an eight-hour flight to Barbados.
Tiree is the Caribbean beach holiday destination you can reach without a passport.
And it turns out that haggis, heat and the Hebrides make for a surprisingly seductive combination.