Please note that while Handa is now accessible by ferry on a reduced service, the Handa visitor shelter and toilets remain closed. Our staff are once again on hand to see visitors on and off the ferry and give an outdoor briefing to the island on arrival.
Each spring, tens of thousands of seabirds migrate to the magnificent Torridonian sandstone cliffs that rise from the Atlantic on the north west coast of Handa Island. This wild island is an internationally important breeding site for guillemots, razorbills and great skuas that spend the summer breeding and feeding in the rich waters around Handa.
The dramatic cliffs provide stunning ocean panoramas and a chance to spot some of our larger marine species: minke whales, bottlenose and Risso’s dolphins, grey seals and even the occasional orca or basking shark can be seen.
Donate to support our work on Handa Island
Why visit?
Highlights include:
- Internationally important seabird populations
- One of the UK’s largest guillemot colonies
- Chance to spot marine mammals
- Spectacular views
- Fascinating history
Best time to visit?
- Apr to Jul for breeding seabirds
- Mid-May to July for puffins
Visit for:
- birdwatching
- wildflowers
- coasts
- geology
- scenery
- mammals
- archaeology
- uplands
Other information
Click here to read the 2019 Handa newsletter
Volunteering
There are plenty of opportunities to volunteer on Handa, from just a week at a time to a series of Assistant Ranger placements lasting from 8-21 weeks.
For more information, visit the volunteering on Handa page.