Handa Island

Magnificent sea cliffs of Torridonian sandstone rise from the Atlantic on the north-west coast of Handa Island. The island comes alive each summer when nearly 100,000 seabirds gather to breed, including internationally important numbers of guillemot, razorbill and great skua. 250 pairs of puffin breed here.

Volunteering

You can volunteer on Handa for one to ten weeks at a time. For more information, visit our volunteering section.

Why visit?

Internationally important for seabirds
Amazing sight of a live seabird colony
Spectacular views
Fascinating history

Best time to visit?

Mid May to late July to see puffins
April to July for breeding seabirds

Visit for:

Uplands
Archaeology
Mammals
Scenery
Geology
Coasts
Wildflowers
Birdwatching

Directions

There is a pedestrian ferry service to Handa Island which runs on demand from Tarbet on the mainland during the visitor season (from April to September). Tarbet is signposted from the A894 about 3 miles north of Scourie and 3 miles south of Laxford Bridge.

Getting onto the reserve

When you arrive on Handa you will be met by a volunteer, who will give you a short introductory talk about the reserve and answer any questions you may have. See the "Ferry Info" tab for more information.

Getting round this reserve

Weather conditions can change quickly and the ferry crossing can be very wet, depending on wind and tide conditions. It's very important to be prepared and take warm, waterproof clothing, even in midsummer. The terrain on Handa is changeable and we recommend that you wear appropiate stout footwear.

The Ferry will run from Monday 2 April to Saturday 1 September inclusive. Running times: Mon to Sat 9 am – 17:00pm. The last ferry to the island is at 14:00. Please note that the ferry does not operate on Sundays or in bad weather. For all enquiries relating to the ferry, contact the operators, Roger (07780 967 800) or Paul (07775 625 890).

For reasons of passenger safety, comfort, and space, the ferry does not take dogs.

You can contact the Handa Ranger (for non-ferry related enquiries) on 07920 468 572, or by e-mail handaranger@swt.org.uk