The Outer Hebrides are an island chain in the west of Scotland. The islands have fascinating history and culture, along with natural beauty that has to be seen to be believed.
While not very big or populous, the Outer Hebrides are very passionate about their sports, particularly football. They would soon be cheering for their native Scotland at the Euros, although Scotland is seen as a rank outsider on Euro 2024 betting sites.
Still, even if the team doesn’t make it, we know that the Hebrideans will keep cheering and playing their favourite game. In this article, we will tell you all about Hebridean football and other popular sports on the islands.
Hebridean Football
The game on the islands is referred to as Hebridean football but it doesn’t actually signify a different type of rules; it’s good ol’ football. Luckily for tourists looking at booking a summer vacation in the Hebrides, football there is played exclusively in summer.
When we started researching for this article, we expected to see one or two small teams, considering the population of around 27,000, but there are in fact nine professional football teams from all over the islands.
The nine teams play in the Lewis & Harris Football League, which is very competitive:
- Point
- Athletic
- Back
- Westside
- Ness
- Carloway
- Harris
- Lochs
- United
Along with the professional teams, there are also six amateur teams which compete in the Uist & Barra Amateur Football Association:
- Benbecula
- Southend
- Iochdar Saints
- North Uist
- Eriskay
- Barra
Eriskay is actually a well-known team internationally due to their unusual football pitch. Yes, it really is their home field, and yes, it is on top of a cliff overlooking the water. FIFA even included it on its list of “8 most remarkable places to play football in the world”. We recommend putting it on your bucket list, it’s worth seeing it in person.
Shinty
Perhaps our favourite addition on the list due to its uniqueness, shinty is a very old sport, predominantly played in the Scottish Highlands. The game has Celtic roots with legends of the hero Cúchulainn telling the story of the prehistoric game. Not surprisingly, Ireland has a similar game called hurling, while the Isle of Man has cammag.
Shinty is played with sticks and a ball, resembling field hockey, but the two sports have different equipment and different rules such as regulations about what constitutes a fair ball or a fair tackle.
A shinty team is made of 12 players (for men) or 10 players (for women), one of whom is the goal keeper. The objective of the game is to score the most goals. Similar to football, a game lasts 90 minutes with two 45-minute halves.
Unfortunately, shinty is becoming a lost art in the Outer Hebrides. There is only one professional shinty team from the Hebrides, Camanachd Leòdhais, which competes in North Division Three of the Camanachd Association of Scotland. It’s the first team from the Hebrides to play shinty professionally.
Additionally, there are other amateur shinty teams from the islands and we do recommend going to one of their games if you’re in town.
Tennis
Tennis is a favourite pastime of Hebrideans. While you might not see Serena Williams competing there, there are many tennis courts all around the islands, with the most impressive one being in Bunabhainneadar. Considered the most remote tennis court, it certainly rivals the football field in Eriskay.
Cricket
Similar to tennis, cricket is not played professionally in the Outer Hebrides, but it’s nonetheless enjoyed on a warm day out. If you’re a fan of the sport, make sure to bring your equipment least you meet Hebrideans looking for another player on the beach.
Barrathon
Barrathon is an annual half marathon on the Isle of Barra (Barra is the southmost island in the Outer Hebrides). The half marathon is essentially a circuit of the island. The Barrathon was meant to be a one-time event to mark the new millennium and raise money for charity, but it drew a lot of attention and organisers took note.
In 2008, the Barrathon route was officially measured and confirmed to adhere to the rules of the half marathon, measuring at 21.09 km. For most of the Barrathon, contestants run on levelled terrain, but the last two kilometres see them run up a steep 350 feet high hill; from then on though, the last stretch is only downhill and it’s the most fun part of the Barrathon.
The half marathon is usually held the last week of June or the first week of July. Make sure to check the date because you don’t want to miss it!
Final Thoughts
The Outer Hebrides are worth visiting for many reasons; considered to be one of the last strongholds of Scottish Gaelic culture, they keep their history alive by speaking the language of their ancestors and playing their favourite shinty game.
Tourists will enjoy not only walking around the isles, but also taking part in one or more of the sports that are popular there.
