No. 1 Ardveenish holiday cottage on the Isle of Barra, Scotland — a traditional white croft house with red roof set against Hebridean landscape and bay
★★★★★ Guest Rated
About the Cottage

A Home Held in the Same Family for Generations

Some places slow you down the moment you arrive. No. 1 Ardveenish is one of them.

A traditional Hebridean croft house, loved carefully into the modern age by the same family who have owned it for generations. Thick stone walls and traditional crofter cosiness, with a proper modern kitchen, reliable WiFi, and a sitting room warm enough to make you forget the occasional rain. Two bedrooms, three beds — ideal for couples, small families or two close friends.

Outside, sheep graze the surrounding croft, fishermen moor their boats just beyond the shoreline, and otters and herons occasionally appear on the water at your doorstep. Traigh Mhòr — the world’s only beach airport — is just a short walk away. The ancient Kisimul Castle stands proudly in Castlebay, just 7 miles down the road. All yours for seven-night stays, Sunday to Sunday, at £695 per week.

2 Bedrooms · Sleeps 4
Self-Catering Kitchen
Dogs Very Welcome
Working Croft Setting
White Sandy Beaches Nearby
Five-Star Reviews
Guest Reviews

What Our Guests Say

Every review below is real. Unedited. We let our guests do the talking.

“The cottage is perfect — has everything you could need.”
“The cottage was fantastic and has everything you could possibly need.”
“Very good, well-equipped cottage, in a splendid location.”
“Thank you for hosting a truly special week. A beautiful space: calm, comfortable and just right.”
“Everything is as it always is when I stay here — PERFECT. My home from home. Thank you for this little piece of Paradise in Barradise.”
“What a wonderful cottage. Refurbished perfectly without losing the character. It has everything you need including the view and is spotlessly clean.”
“We loved seeing Barra in all moods — clear, bright sun, stormy, wet and windy! Such a special place. Thank you for being great, visionary stewards of your Granny’s special spot, and for sharing it with us.”
“A little gem of a croft in an idyllic location. Enjoyed every day we’ve been here, so cosy and warm and relaxing.”
“Thank you for a fabulous stay. We’ve been on Barra on the trail of our ancestors from Craigston and Borve. We’ve loved the cottage — thought of your Granny often.”
Availability & Booking

Check Availability

Book your self-catering break in the Outer Hebrides — seven nights on Barra, Sunday to Sunday. Select your dates below, then get in touch to confirm.

Things to Do

What to Do on Barra

Barra is small enough to drive round in an hour. Yet somehow there is always more to find — a beach you missed, a path that opens onto the Atlantic, a music session that runs later than planned.

Traigh Mhòr — The Beach Airport

One of the world’s most extraordinary sights — a working commercial airport on a white sand beach. Loganair flights from Glasgow land directly on the sand. A short walk from No. 1 Ardveenish and utterly unlike anywhere else on earth.

Floral Machairs

In early summer, the machair turns. Where it was green it goes yellow, purple, white. Rare wildflowers cover the dunes — this coastal grassland exists almost nowhere else on earth. It happens every year. Most people have never seen anything like it.

Kisimul Castle

The MacNeils settled in Barra in the 11th century, but it was Gilleonan MacNeil — recorded as the first lord in 1427 — who most likely built the tower house that still dominates the rocky islet in Castlebay harbour today. A short boat trip from the village takes you across the water and inside. From the ramparts, you look back at the village. It still looks medieval.

Wildlife & Birdwatching

Golden eagles overhead. Otters at the loch edge at dusk. Grey seals on the rocks. Come in summer and minke whales and basking sharks pass close to shore. Barra sits on major migration routes — birdwatchers travel from across Europe to be here.

Walking & Cycling

The circular road around the island is 14 miles. Walk it, cycle it, or drive it with stops — all good. Heaval is Barra’s highest point at 383 metres. On a clear day you see straight to South Uist. Most people are up and back in under two hours.

Gaelic Culture & Community

Barra has the highest proportion of Gaelic speakers in Scotland outside Lewis. Music sessions happen in the local pubs — not for tourists, just because that’s how it’s done here. Fèis Bharraigh brings the island alive every July.

About the Island

How to Reach #Barradise

Barra sits at the southern tip of the Outer Hebrides. You drive to Oban, board the CalMac ferry, and five hours later the island appears on the horizon. Or you fly from Glasgow on a Loganair Twin Otter — and land on the beach.

The crossing matters. It marks the start of proper time off. By the time you arrive at the cottage, the Atlantic has already done its work.

  • CalMac ferry from Oban: approximately 5 hours. Ferry from Eriskay: 40 minutes.
  • Loganair flights from Glasgow — land directly on Traigh Mhòr beach
  • One circular road, 14 miles. Drive it in an hour or walk it in a day.
  • Population around 1,200 — one of Scotland’s most intact Gaelic communities
  • Known the world over as #Barradise — the Jewel of the Hebrides
  • On the Hebridean Way — the long-distance walking and cycling route that ends on Barra
The iconic red Barra Airport sign at Traigh Mhòr — the world's only commercial beach airport on the Isle of Barra
Dog Friendly

Your Dog Is Welcome Here

No. 1 Ardveenish is a dog-friendly croft house on Barra — and the whole island is set up for dogs too.

Traigh Mhor — the world’s only commercial beach airport — is a short walk from the front door. Watch Loganair flights land on the sand while your dog explores one of Scotland’s most extraordinary and unspoilt beaches. Open croft land surrounds the cottage. Your dog will cover twice the miles you do and sleep twice as soundly.

  • Well-behaved dogs welcome — just let us know when you book
  • Open croft land directly around the cottage to roam freely
  • Coastal paths from the doorstep, hillside routes nearby
  • Quiet island roads — safe to walk with dogs in many areas
  • Mention your dog when you enquire and we’ll confirm everything
Enquire About Bringing Your Dog
A happy dog overlooking a white sand beach and Atlantic coastline on the Isle of Barra — a dog-friendly holiday destination in the Outer Hebrides
Frequently Asked Questions

Everything You Need to Know

Answers to the most common questions about staying at No. 1 Ardveenish.

The cottage has two bedrooms: a double bedroom and a twin room with two single beds under the eaves. This sleeps up to four guests comfortably — ideal for a couple, a small family, or two sets of friends travelling together.
Yes. Well-behaved dogs are welcome. Barra has dog-friendly beaches, open croft land directly around the cottage, and quiet roads. Let us know when you enquire and we’ll confirm everything.
Barra is an island in the Outer Hebrides — genuinely out of the way, and that is rather the point. You will find 4G signal in and around Castlebay and across much of the island, though it can be patchy in places. The cottage has reliable Wi-Fi. Most guests find the combination — connected when you need it, quiet when you don’t — works very well.
1 Ardveenish, Northbay, Isle of Barra, HS9 5YA. Northbay is on the eastern side of the island — ten minutes from Castlebay by car, a short walk from the beach. It’s quiet. That’s the appeal.
Email us at [email protected] or use the enquiry form below. We confirm availability, agree dates, and send you everything you need. We reply fast.
A two-bedroom croft house — one double, one twin — that has been in the same family for generations. Well-equipped kitchen, good Wi-Fi, a sitting room with loch views. Guests consistently say it has everything they need. Ideal for couples, small families, or two friends travelling together.
By ferry: CalMac from Oban (approximately 5 hours) or from Eriskay in South Uist (40 minutes). By plane: Loganair from Glasgow — and you land on the beach. Either way, the journey is part of the experience.
No. 1 Ardveenish is located in Northbay on the eastern side of the Isle of Barra, in the Outer Hebrides. It sits on a traditional working croft overlooking a sea loch, approximately 7 miles from Castlebay and Kisimul Castle.
Yes — Traigh Mhòr, the world’s only commercial beach airport where Loganair flights from Glasgow land on the sand, is just a short walk from the cottage. It is one of Barra’s most extraordinary and unique attractions.
A seven-night stay at No. 1 Ardveenish costs £695 per week. A deposit of £100 secures your booking. The cottage lets on a weekly basis, Sunday to Sunday.
Yes. Short Term Letting Licence ES00314P, issued under Scottish licensing regulations.
How to Book

Get in Touch

Ready to book, or just have a question? Email us directly or use the form below. We reply quickly — usually the same day.

Email: [email protected]
Web: barraholidayhome.co.uk
1 Ardveenish, Northbay, Isle of Barra, HS9 5YA
STL Licence: ES00314P

Send an Enquiry

Tell us your preferred dates and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.