Galleries and studios on the east side of the Isle of Harris: Things to do on the Isle of Harris

This guide will explore things to do on the Isle of Harris, including galleries, studios, community cafes and home baking in the Bays, offering a local perspective on the quieter, wilder side of Harris. When considering things to do on the Isle of Harris, visitors often overlook the hidden gems along the east coast. It is well worth the beautiful drive!

The Bays of Harris

The east coast of Harris on the Outer Hebrides is a different world from the beaches of the west. Where the west offers wide open Atlantic sky and pale sand, the east is a landscape of small lochs, exposed Lewisian gneiss and winding single-track road that threads through a scattering of townships known collectively as the Bays. It is less visited, and all the better for it.The road south from Tarbert towards Geocrab, Finsbay and Quidinish takes its time. Let it. This is not a stretch of coast you drive quickly. Exploring the landscape reveals many intriguing things to do on the Isle of Harris that showcase the area’s natural beauty.

Galleries and studios

The Galerie in Geocrab is a calm, welcoming space to stop a while on the east coast road. The gallery shows paintings, photography, books and gifts inspired by the Hebridean sea, and everything here comes from a genuine connection to this place.

This gallery is just one of many things to do on the Isle of Harris that celebrates local art.

Open Monday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm during the season.

Skoon Gallery in Geocrab, run by Andrew and Emma Craig, has been a popular and much-loved place on the Outer Hebrides since 2005. A small, comfortable space where you can browse and buy original oil paintings over a freshly ground coffee or a slice of homemade cake.

Skoon Gallery is a prime example of the unique things to do on the Isle of Harris that blends art and great homemade food.

Open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 4.30pm until the end of September.

Finsbay Gallery is a small contemporary art gallery showing work from a range of established artists, suited to both first-time buyers and collectors.

The Mission House Studio in Finsbay is one of the most distinctive spaces on the island. Beka and Nickolai Globe have converted a stone church into a working gallery and studio. Beka’s large-format monochrome photographs are printed by hand to archival standards, signed and embossed, with a guaranteed lifespan of over 100 years. Nickolai’s sculptural ceramics fuse clay, glass and local minerals in a process that pushes the material closer to rock than pot.

The Mission House Studio offers one of the many creative things to do Isle of Harris that highlight the local talent.

Open Monday to Saturday, 11am to 6pm.

Holmasaig Gallery in Quidinish is the studio gallery of Margarita Williams, a Hebridean artist and Glasgow School of Art graduate who was born in the village where she still lives and works. Her watercolours draw from the landscape, sea and wild flowers of Harris, Lewis and St Kilda.

Visiting Holmasaig Gallery is among the top things to do Isle of Harris for art lovers.

Where to eat

Skoon Gallery in Geocrab is also one of the best cafe stops on the east side. Freshly ground coffee, leaf tea and homemade cakes, open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 4.30pm.

The Bays Centre Cafe at Lacklee is a cafe open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 10am to 4pm, food until 3.30pm. A hearty, unpretentious menu. Sit outside on a good day, and you can watch seals, eagles and if you’re lucky, otters.

SeaBee Bakes is an honesty box of home baking in the Bays, with vegan options always available. Find it just before Flodabay heading north on the C79. What3Words: hardening.crumbles.century.

Practical tips

The road is single track throughout. Use passing places, take your time, and don’t try to rush the Bays. Distances look short on a map but take longer than you expect, especially if you stop at galleries. Check opening hours before you set off as most places keep seasonal hours.

Whether you’re seeking adventure or relaxation, there are countless things to do on the Isle of Harris that cater to all interests.

Read the west side guide here