North Uist
Empower
Growth
Wildlife Festival Art Exhibition
Taigh Chearsabhagh, Lochmaddy
Saturday 6th June - Saturday 4th July
Come along and marvel at the works of local artists showcasing the beauty, character and diversity of our local landscapes and species. Through painting, sculpture and photography, artists bring our native wildlife to life - inviting us to pause, look closer, and reconnect with the natural World around us
Free. No need to book, just drop in. Taigh Chearsabhagh Opening hours.
Contact details: andy@taigh-chearsabhagh.org
Image by Cally Yeatman
Wildlife Cruise
Kallin Harbour, Grimsay
Saturday 20th June, 12pm - 2pm; Saturday 27th June, 3pm - 5pm; Friday 3rd July 10am-12pm; Friday 10th July 12:30pm - 2:30pm
Hosted by Lady Anne Wildlife Cruises
Join us aboard Amarisa to see a side of Uist only accessible by sea. Let us guide you around rugged cliffs, unpopulated shores, hidden bays, and once populated inlets, now home only to the wildest of Uist’s residents on one of our two wildlife cruises.
Whether your goal is to capture some breath-taking photography, check rare sea birds off your bucket list, or simply to see a side of Uist only imaginable from land, Lady Anne Wildlife Cruises will take you on a journey around some of the most magnificent and beautiful parts of our islands in safety and comfort.
Departs Kallin Harbour, Grimsay HS6 5HX
Cost: £55 Adult, £35 Child
Booking Required via website: www.ladyannewildlifecruises.co.uk/
The trip will be weather dependant and may be rescheduled at short notice.
Accessibility information: Please see our website for details - Boarding Amarisa requires navigating a couple of steps down to the deck.
Contact: info@ladyanne.co.uk
Hebridean Wildlife Photography Competition
Sat 20th June - Sat 25th July
Hosted by Old Lochmaddy School
Capture the wild beauty of the islands and take part in the Outer Hebrides Wildlife Festival Photography Competition!
From seabirds to insects, marine life and unforgettable wildlife encounters, we're inviting residents and visitors of all ages to share their favourite images celebrating the nature and wildlife of the Outer Hebrides.
Winning entries will be featured at Old Lochmaddy School Environment Exhibition.
Prizes awarded for: Junior Photographer (Under 18s) and Open Category (18+).
Please submit your Digital entries to: exhibition@isleofnorthuist.com. Maximum 2 entries per person. Closing date for digital entries Sat 25th July (Winners announced: 31st July)
Pottery workshop: Make your own bumblebee and insect drinking dish!
Shoreline Stoneware Pottery and Gallery in Locheport, North Uist
Sunday 21st June, 10am-12pm & 2pm - 4pm; Wednesday 8th July, 5:30pm - 7:30pm; Wednesday 15th July, 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Hosted by Shoreline Stoneware Pottery and Gallery
Create your own bumblebee drinking dish. Made in Stoneware clay, your dish will be fired and glazed.
£40 per person - payment made at booking.
Booking is essential and through Shoreline Stoneware by phone or email to Louise:
Tel: 01876 580697
Email: Louise.shoreline@gmail.com,
Max of 10 people per session.
No requirements or previous experience necessary, all materials and tuition included. Refreshments provided.
The Gallery is fully accessible.
Website: www.shoreline-stoneware.co.uk
Balranald Machair Guided Walk
Balranald Nature Reserve Visitor Centre, North Uist
Monday 22nd June, 10am - 12pm
Hosted by RSPB
Join the local RSPB team for a guided walk around the Balranald reserve to find out more about the work of the RSPB and the local wildlife.
This walk is part of the RSPB's Balranald 60th celebrations.
This is a free event. No booking required.
Meet at Balranald Nature Reserve Visitor Centre, North Uist, HS6 5DL. What3words: mainframe.chill.emailed
The walk is over good terrain and includes Balranald beach.
Contact address: outerhebrides@rspb.org.uk
Image: Balranald (c) Katy Malone
Wildlife-inspired poetry & Music Session
Taigh Chearsabhagh - to be confirmed, check with event host
Friday 31st July, to be confirmed, check with event host
Hosted by Uist writers group
An evening of wildlife-inspired poetry & music. More information coming soon.
No booking required.
Contact: pauline@pauline-prior-pitt.com
Island in the Sound & Wildlife Poetry
Taigh Chearsabhagh, Cafaidh
Thursday 25th June, 7:30pm - 9pm
Hosted by Uist Writers Group
Join us at Taigh Chearsabhagh for a special evening with South Uist Poet Niall Campbell, who will be reading from his latest collection, “Island in the Sound“.
After the interval an Open Mic session will be led by members of the Uist Writers Group celebrating the wildlife, landscapes and spirit of the Outer Hebrides through poetry.
This is a free event, no booking required.
Contact address: pauline@pauline-prior-pitt.com
Balranald 60th Anniversary Evening Ceilidh
Carnish Hall
Friday 26th June, 7:30pm - 9:30pm
Hosted by RSPB
In 2026 RSPB Balranald will celebrate its 60th anniversary as a Nature Reserve. Over six decades this flagship reserve has become one of the most visited wildlife locations in the Western Isles promoting and celebrating the local culture and wildlife that lives together through traditional crofting.
As part of our 60th celebrations, we are having a ceilidh to celebrate and you are invited. With local musicians, singers and dancers as well as a showcase of the latest projects, the Balranald @ 60 ceilidh promises to be a fun night.
FREE entry - donations warmly welcomed. No booking required - Just 'Tern' up!
Contact: outerhebrides@rspb.org.uk
Wild Families
The Wee Woodland, Lochmaddy
Saturday 27th June, 11am - 3pm
Hosted by Otter Mountain
A play session for the whole family at The Wee Woodland. Become nature detectives and explore life beneath the trees.
Location: The Wee Woodland, Lochmaddy (Parking available at Lochmaddy Hall)
£10 per Child (Sibling Discount)
Booking Requird: www.ottermountain.co.uk/book-a-session
Contact address: emily@ottermountain.co.uk
Guided Nature Walk to Vallay
North Uist
Tuesday 30th June, 3rd or 4th July - date dependent on tides - contact event host
Hosted by James Macletchie
Join James Macletchie on an immersive guided nature walk across the tidal sands to Vallay and discover the rich wildlife, history and heritage of this remarkable Hebridean island.
Explore beautiful coastal habitats, spot local birds and marine life, and hear stories of Vallay's past as you wander through its unique landscape. Please wear suitable outdoor clothing and sturdy/waterproof footwear. Walking routes and timings will depend on tides and weather conditions.
Meeting location: contact event host.
Contact address: james@igot2travel.com
Bugs and Bumblebees!
Balranald
Wednesday 15th July, 2pm - 4pm
Hosted by Species on the Edge
Join Species on the Edge project officers from Bumblebee Conservation Trust and Buglife for an afternoon of citizen science and learning how to ID and monitor pollinators and creepy crawlies that we find in the machair! Take part in sweep netting, FIT counts, and other activities!
Suitable outdoor clothing and footwear required. Range of activities available to suit mobility needs.
Cost: Free
No Booking required - just turn up! Meeting Location: to be confirmed, contact event host.
Contact address: sally.morris@buglife.org.uk
Image: Looking for short-necked oil beetles at Balranald (c) Eilidh Ross
Guided Nature Walk
Langass Lodge
Date and time to be confirmed, contact event host
Hosted by Langass lodge Ltd
Join us for a walk around the Shoreline Stone circle and on into the forest and back. There will be a short presentation on the importance of wildlife to businesses like Langass Lodge.
Meet at Langass Lodge carpark, North Uist.
Free.
Contact address: info@langasslodge.co.uk
Drop-in Wildlife Art Afternoon
Old Lochmaddy School
Saturday 27th June, 1pm - 4pm
Hosted by Old Lochmaddy School
Drop in to Old Lochmaddy School to add your drawing to our wildlife-inspired mural. Children are invited to create drawings that they think show the beauty of nature, from plants and insects to birds and dolphins. All materials provided - just bring your imagination!
Age: Under 12
Time: Saturday June 27, 1pm – 4pm
Contact address: exhibition@isleofnorthuist.com
Call of the Loon: A Multimedia lecture
Old Lochmaddy School or Taigh Chearsaphagh - to be confirmed
July, Date/time to be confirmed
Hosted by Old Lochmaddy School ft. Roland Arnison, Film-maker and Expedition leader
Join sea kayaker Roland Arnison for an evening of immersion into the world of seabirds and adventure sea kayaking as he recounts his tales from the Call of the Loon expedition – his solo quest to record the calls of all of Scotland’s seabird species, spending two summers exploring remote Hebridean islands by sea kayak.
He will reveal the highs and lows including his ambitious paddle alone out to St Kilda and what to do - and not to do - when you lose your kayak to the sea. Roland will share his seabird recordings and videos and give some insights into the lives of our fascinating seabirds – and what their future may hold.
Roland's stories from his seabird adventures have featured on Radio 4 and he has delivered his popular lectures to audiences across the UK including at the Royal Geographic Society.
More info about the Call of the Loon expedition: https://rolandarnison.co.uk/call-of-the-loon-expedition/
Launch of the Bi Glic / Be Wise Balranald Soundwalk
Balranald Nature Reserve
Thursday 25th June, 2pm - 4pm
Hosted by RSPB
Please join the RSPB Scotland team and Prof. Duncan MacLeod from the Glasgow School of Art to the launch an exciting new visitor experience for Balranald Reserve. Bi Glic! is a bilingual (Gàidhlig/English), geolocative soundwalk celebrating the 60th Anniversary of Balranald Nature Reserve, North Uist.
Bi Glic! blends sound art, oral tradition, and interviews to create an immersive, site-specific audio experience accessed via mobile devices.
Contact address: outerhebrides@rspb.org.uk