Trending
Demo
Lifestyle

Inside tiny UK airport on a beach which is overtaken by the tide twice a day

By No Comments4 Mins Read

With a schedule governed by the ‘ebb and flow of the tide’ this tiny UK airport is the world’s first aviation hub to use a white sandy beach as its only official runway

View of an aircraft taxiing across the beach after landing at Barra Airport. (Photo by: Loop Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Imagine flying over to the island, and landing on the sand(Image: Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Touching down at this vanishing UK airport really is an experience in itself. With a schedule governed by the ‘ebb and flow of the tide’, Barra Airport uses the beach as its runway, making it one of the most unique aviation hubs in the world.

That’s right, flights take off and land on Barra’s white sands, and have to be perfectly timed for when high tide quite literally drowns its runway. “When the airport is closed and the windsocks are down, members of the public are free to walk on the runways which revert to a public beach enjoyed by surfers, dog walkers and families,” the airport said.

Barra, the most southern of the inhabited islands in the Outer Hebrides, located just off the west coast of mainland Scotland, has been operating its unusual airport since 1974, and now deals with more than 14,000 passengers every year. It operates twice-daily flights to and from Glasgow, acting as both a ‘vital link for residents’ as well as a tourist attraction. The hub also welcomes around 60 private light aircraft flights a year.

READ MORE: Beautiful UK chocolate box village filled with famous A-listers

Isle of Barra, Outer Hebrides, Scotland - 2 June 2019: Luggage is being loaded onto a small passenger plane sitting by the edge of the beach which, at low tide, forms the runway for the small airport on the island of Barra in the Outer Hebrides. In the foreground is a sign warning spectators of the risk of sand being blasted by moving planes.
The airport has recently undergone major refurbishment(Image: Getty Images)

During 2022-2023, work was carried out to help ‘modernise’ and expand the tiny airport. Construction, which followed three separate phases to minimise passenger disturbance, included:

  • A new cafe and seating area
  • A new terrace on the beach-side of the terminal
  • Refurbishment of internal fixtures and fittings
  • Landscaping to include ‘paving and decking in the surrounding area to improve accessibility’.
Photos from the trip to the island of Barra in the Outer Hebrides.Photo released October 9 2023. See SWNS story SWLNcamera. A couple who had a £2K camera stolen were sent a letter from the thief saying it was 'karma' - and it paid for a holiday. Greg Crawford, 56, left his expensive device on a bench on the island of Barra during a holiday tour of the Outer Hebrides with his wife Julie. The couple had taken a seat on a bench to enjoy the view of the island’s small airstrip setting their camera next to them – and forgot to pick it back up. They realised their mistake after leaving the island and the couple quickly contacted a friend who worked on the island - who went to investigate.
Barra is a postcard-perfect island home to some of the UK’s most beautiful beaches(Image: Greg Crawford / SWNS)

Despite its small size, Barra Airport offers free car parking for 80 vehicles, including disabled parking spaces, and has free Wi-Fi in the terminal. Flights, operated exclusively by Loganair, take around one hour and 15 minutes from Glasgow, and cost as little as £61 for a single fare depending on the dates.

Want the latest travel news and cheapest holiday deals sent straight to your inbox? Sign up to our Travel Newsletter

Content cannot be displayed without consent

Barra Airport has been thrown under the tourist spotlight after going viral on social media. TikTok user Graeme (aka Scotland’s Stories) shared his experience flying to the tiny airport – attracting a whopping 30,000 views.

“There’s not a lot of space inside [the plane] but the trip only takes just over an hour,” he said. “The views over Loch Lomond, Mull and the west coast [of Scotland] were almost good enough to make me forget about my fear of flying. Landing on the sand was smooth, even with a splash.”

Castlebay, Isle of Barra. Photographer and writer Alastair MacDonald Jackson embarked to visit 42 islands off Scotland’s west coast. Over 18 months he travelled, encountering the people, the landscapes, the beauty and the realities of island life for those who call them home. His aim was to see the islands as close to how islanders saw them. Now, he has just published a book, Scottish West Coast Isles in Photographs, an authentic record of the places that moved him the most.
The island is ideal for those wanting to escape the hustle and bustle of the city for a while(Image: Alastair Jackson / SWNS)

Dozens of viewers flocked to the comments section to hail the unique airport. “It’s been on my bucket list for years,” one user raved. Another agreed, commenting: “Looks fabulous watching the planes come in,” while a third branded the airport “amazing”.

Once in Barra, you’ll be able to make the most of the island’s Caribbean-esque beaches, crystal-clear waters and laid-back atmosphere. History buffs can also take a five-minute boat trip to the medieval Kisimul Castle, aka the ‘Castle in the Sea’, which sits dramatically on a rock islet in the bay.

Do you have a story to share? Email us at [email protected] for a chance to be featured

Share.

Related News