MailOnline Travel reveals the top 10 island beaches in SCOTLAND

Every year, Brits travel thousands of miles to sink their toes into the white sands of the Caribbean and south-east Asia, ignoring some of the finest beaches in the world on their own doorstep. 

The islands off the coast of Scotland offer miles and miles of pristine beaches and crystal clear waters that could rival almost anywhere in the world for beauty.  

Here, we pick some of the favourite island beaches of wild swimming and Scotland experts, which feature aquamarine waters, white sand and coral reefs.

Mull, Inner Hebrides 

The Isle of Mull is famous for both its wildlife and beautiful beaches. Pictured is the island’s Fidden beach, which overlooks the Iona archipelago

Mull is the second largest island in the Inner Hebrides after the Isle of Skye, which is famous for both its wildlife and beautiful scenery. 

Fidden beach on the Isle of Mull overlooks the Iona archipelago. 

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The large white sandy bay is surrounded by pink granite outcrops and boasts some of the clearest waters in Britain. 

The beach is a favourite of Daniel Start, who wrote the book Hidden Beaches, who said: ‘The waters have an ethereal turquoise hue. 

‘At low tide you can wade across to Erraid, Robert Louise Stevenson’s Treasure Island, with more secret beaches.’ 

St Ninian’s Isle, Shetland 

The white sand beach tombolo leading to Saint Ninian Island from Shetland, which is the largest active tombolo in Europe

St Ninian’s Isle is a small island connected to Shetland by the largest active tombolo – or land-connecting mound – in Europe.

The tombolo is a blue flag beach that is often used in promotional pictures for Shetland. 

Shetland.org said of it: ‘Composed mostly of shell sand, its symmetrical curving form is particularly striking when seen from above.’ 

West Beach, Isle of Berneray 

West Beach is a three-mile long white shell sand beach at Beasdaire, Berneray, in the Outer Hebrides

Between Harris and North Uist lies the Isle of Berneray, one of fifteen inhabited islands in the Outer Hebrides.  

According to lovescottishislands.com the island has some of the best beaches in the whole of the UK. 

It said: ‘West Beach is around three miles long with crystal clear white sand and looks out to the nearby island of Pabbay and the open Atlantic.

‘It is such a beautiful beach that the Thai tourist board used a picture of it to promote holidays in Thailand.’ 

The Isle of Coll 

Tropical colours in May at the crescent-shaped Feall Beach on the Island of Coll, in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland 

Coll is an island that is famous for its sandy beaches and sand dunes.

Welcome To Scotland said of the island: ‘This remote Hebridean isle may be fairly flat, but it packs a serious punch with its necklace of clean sandy beaches. 

‘There are over twenty to choose from on this bijou isle and you can just drive, cycle or walk between them picking one that suits or indeed one you can have all to yourself.’ 

Eriskay, Outer Hebrides 

Prince’s Beach from the Barra Ferry Terminal on Eriskay, in the Outer Hebrides, is possibly Scotland’s most historic beach

Eriskay is a tiny island in the Outer Hebrides in northern Scotland that is only 2.5 miles long and 1.5 miles wide. 

Lovescottishislands.com said of the island: ‘Eriskay, for such a small island, has some outstanding beaches. 

‘Prince’s Beach is possibly Scotland’s most historic beach. It was here that Prince Charles Edward Stewart (Bonne Prince Charlie), aged 24, landed with a few companions on 23rd July 1745 after an 18 day voyage from France.’ 

North Uist, Outer Hebrides 

Traigh Vallay near Malaclete, North Uist, has lagoons on one side and swell on the other 

North Uist is an extremely popular island for beach lovers and a magnet for nature lovers wanting to do a spot of wild camping. 

Wild Beaches author Daniel Start said: ‘Ribbons of snow-white sand drift down the islands’ Atlantic sea board and collect in endless sweeping bays. 

‘Tràigh Iar is a sandy isthimus, with lagoons on one side and swell on the other. Complete with its own hill fort, you are unlikely to meet another soul.’

The Isle of Skye 

The Isle of Skye was voted ‘4th best island in the world’ by National Geographic Magazine. Pictured are the Coral Beaches in Dunvegan

Skye was voted ‘4th best island in the world’ by National Geographic Magazine and is famous for its mountains, but its beaches are equally awe-inspiring. 

Daniel Start has a preference for the Coral Beaches, Dunvegan, saying: ‘An other-worldly beach made entirely of twisted, bleached white coral pieces. 

‘Tis is no tropical coral, but Scottish coral, composed of the fragments of billions of bleached red algae skeletons that grow at the bottom of the ocean nearby.’ 

Islay, Inner Hebrides 

Islay is the southernmost island of the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. Pictured is Machir Bay, which is described by Scottish travel writer Robin McKelvie as ‘a jaw dropping wildscape that curls around in a huge sweep of pristine sand’

Islay is the southernmost island of the Inner Hebrides of Scotland and is also known as The Queen of the Hebrides.

It is famous for its whisky, but Scottish travel writer Robin McKelvie also rates its beaches, saying: ‘Beyond its eight famous distilleries there lie some seriously attractive beaches. 

‘The stand out for me is Machir Bay, a jaw dropping wildscape that curls around in a huge sweep of pristine sand shrouded by a natural amphitheatre of hills and ocean. 

‘Sitting watching the sun come down here with a wee Islay malt after a day on the beach is a sublime experience.’ 

Iona, Inner Hebrides 

Iona is a small island in the Inner Hebrides off the Ross of Mull that is said to be so beautiful that visitors often have a spiritual experience 

Iona is a small island in the Inner Hebrides off the Ross of Mull that is said to have such beautiful beaches that visitors often have a spiritual experience. 

Robin McKelvie said: ‘The sand is cream white, the views of neighbouring isles towering and many people often find something spiritual in the air here no matter their beliefs. 

‘The beaches are certainly worth a pilgrimage in their own right.’

Colonsay, Inner Hebrides 

Colonsay is an island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland that is often overlooked by tourists 

Colonsay is an island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland that is often overlooked by travellers. 

Robin McKelvie said that tourists often head off to more famous islands. 

He said: ‘Colonsay, though, for me is a sort of Hebrides in miniature and it offers some superlative beaches – the best lie on the west coast.’