The Telegraph
The Scottish Government have just surprised everyone – not least those who had already cancelled their upcoming island breaks – by announcing the isles will re-open to tourism alongside the mainland after all on April 26. Cross border travel too will re-open. It seems the desperation to get tourism going again has trumped Covid-concerns, as case numbers drop sharply and vaccination levels soar. Scotland’s treasure trove of over 800 islands – just under 100 inhabited – beckons, but where to start? I’ve spent the last 20 years as a travel writer scouring the isles and I’m often asked which is “best”. I answer that it’s more a question of which is best for you. Are you a foodie, an ornithologist or do you just crave a deserted beach? Handily the Hebrides also share remarkable walking, scenery and eye-popping sunsets, plus a genuinely friendly island welcome. Skye Best for foodies Yes, too many motorhomes will bundle across the Skye Bridge this year, but you’ll forget about them tucking into Michael Smith’s Michelin-starred wonders overlooking the water at Loch Bay in sleepy Stein. Smith’s old haunt, the legendary The Three Chimneys, may have lost its star, but mercurial young chef Scott Davies is busting a creative gut to get it back in this brilliantly reborn croft. You can stay over too, in calm contemporary rooms with loch views. In Skye’s south Isabella Macdonald is continuing her mother’s remarkable legacy – as hotelier, chef and food writer – at Kinloch Lodge with new head chef Jordan Webb in the kitchen. For simpler fare the Oyster Shed dishes up boat-fresh seafood; handily the Talisker whisky distillery shares the same village. Stay: Indulge in the old world luxury of Kinloch Lodge, a former hunting lodge with hill and loch views, plus timeless, velouté-smooth service. Eat: All of the above. If only one, it has to be the Michelin treat of Loch Bay. Coll Best for beaches