Windsurfing in the Hebrides
A well kept secret, the Outer Hebrides have a plethora of fantastic locations for windsurfing, whether you're into waves or speed sailing, moreover, we have plenty of wind.
When you come here to windsurf come prepared to sail on your own, bring a flare-pack, spare ropes and a bum-bag to hold them in. There might be someone on the beach to see you in trouble, then again it might just be sheep watching. If there's two in the water, that's a crowd, make sure you know all the self-rescue techniques.
Spots to Windsurf on Lewis & Harris
...starting with the safest, the final three spots are gnarly...
Loch Mor Barvas North of Stornoway
Excellent, largely waist deep, sand bottomed loch, one or two rocks at the edges but visible or marked by buoys. This is where the Windsurfing Club is based. It meets on Tuesday nights between May and September. Phone 01851 840316.
Coll/Gress Beach
Both face east, in a large but enclosed bay. North swells give relatively safe waves and no rips. Any tide.
Tong
In a southerly wind there is a narrow channel if blasting is your game, but it's a NE you want, huge jumps off 3-4 foot waves that get bent into the bay. The water between the waves is unusually flat, giving stacks of speed for the next jump. The airport is at the other side from the launch site. Low water best.
Uig Sands
A good windsurfing location on big high tides. It can also hold a wave on really big swells.
Isle of Harris - West Coast
The beach after Horgabost in a SW wind can give good wave-riding low water best. If its cruising you're after, the scenery is hard to beat.
Barvas
Beside the loch mentioned earlier. The bay faces NW, full force Atlantic. It is a boulder reef for windsurfing: come at high tide. The waves here get bigger than the mast. There is a current from the reef across the bay and out on the left, nothing too bad.
Eoropie
Sandy beach, faces more to the West than Barvas and picks up swell earlier. There are large currents offshore.
Vatisker
Reef, rare to get the right conditions you need a northerly swell and a NW wind. Note that this beach is suitable for experienced windsurfers only.
Spots to Windsurf in Uist, Barra and Vatersay...
Isle of Vatersay
The east facing beach in Vatersay Bay is sheltered and may provide good flat water windsurfing conditions.
Barra
The magnificent shell beach of Traigh Mhor, which is also home to the island's airstrip is an ideal flat water windsurfing location. (Take note of the restrictions though due to the aircraft!)
South Uist
The waters of Loch Bee provide perfect flat-water windsurfing conditions. The water is only waist to chest deep with a solid, sandy bottom substrate...Perfect carve gybe practising conditions. The small car parking space just off the A865 is the ideal place to rig and launch.
North Uist
Vallay Strand: a large sandy shallow lagoon at high tide, perfect for flat water windsurfing or kitesurfing. At low tide it's a large sandy beach which is perfect for kite-mountainboarding. A perfect campsite can be found on its eastern edge.
Thanks to Roy Davidson of the Windsurfing Club and Alan Cole, www.forces-of-nature.co.uk for this content!
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