A firm favourite with aviation enthusiasts, tourists and island hoppers: The Isle of Barra is a must-see bucket list destination for 2022.
Barra Airport is believed to be the only tidal airport in the world operating regular scheduled flights from a beach. It is a truly unique operation utilising specialist aircraft designed for rough terrain. An experience provided only by Loganair.
Whilst flights have continued to connect the island community with the mainland, the Isle of Barra has seen a decline in visitor numbers due to the pandemic. This is a trend seen globally, and a long-awaited travel revival is now on the horizon.
Ahead of what looks to be a busy summer season, I took the opportunity to travel on the unique route and sample the beach landing experience firsthand.
With twice-daily flights operating from Glasgow to the tidal airport on the Isle of Barra: this is a perfect opportunity to sample the island’s beauty, or for longer stays.
Located just South of the Uist’s, Barra is the second southernmost island in the Outer Hebrides and is approximately 1 hours flight from Glasgow.
Due to the complex nature of servicing a tidal airport, Loganair utilises aircraft designed for operating in this environment. Working the route daily is the trusty Twin Otter aircraft which are very well suited to beach operations.
There are currently three Twin Otter aircraft in the Loganair fleet. G-BVVK is a long time resident of Glasgow airport having spent the majority of its life with Loganair, and is the last of their original Twin Otters. The other two aircraft - G-HIAL & G-STGS - are instantly recognisable with their striking saltire colour scheme and have joined the fleet more recently.
Having checked in online, I was able to make my way to the gate quite leisurely. The aircraft was parked on stand, and boarding was shortly commenced.
With just 19 seats onboard, it is quite a snug fit! There are no cabin crew on board, due to the type of aircraft, and so it was a welcome change to see the First Officer conduct the safety demonstration to passengers.
With all passengers boarded, we pushed back from the stand and taxied out to runway 23 for departure. One of the amazing things about the Twin Otter aircraft is its STOL [Short Take-Off & Landing] capabilities and this was an attribute quite clearly displayed as the aircraft rotated from the runway in no time.
It was an overcast morning in Glasgow, so a short climb-out through the clouds was on the cards. Once above the cloud base, we were greeted by a beautiful golden sunrise - one of the perks of an early morning departure!
The time at cruise altitude passes quite quickly, and before too long we had begun our descent. Upon exiting the clouds we were met with stunning green water and views of the small islands off the coast of Barra. We entered the left base approach for the beach runway and the cabin was filled with excitement! Like many of my fellow passengers, this was my first time visiting Barra and one I have been looking forward to for a while.
The aircraft touched down very softly on the beach and the surface water on the sand sprayed up from the landing gear. Once the aircraft had slowed down, we did a 180 turn and taxied towards the terminal.
When on holiday, many are used to leaving the airport area before getting the chance to walk on a beach. This is not the case at Barra Airport! Upon disembarking the aircraft, passengers are met by sand at the bottom of the steps.
I was heading back on the afternoon flight, and so opted to explore the area around the airport on foot. Should you be visiting for longer, I would recommend choosing a guided car tour of the island.
On a dry day, the scenic area around the Traigh Mhòr beach is easily accessible on foot and something I would highly recommend doing if you are day tripping.
Following the road to the south of the beach, I found myself in a great position to watch the aircraft take off from the beach for its return leg. It was once again amazing to see the aircraft displaying its STOL capabilities when departing Barra.
Once the aircraft was in the air and had made the turn South towards Glasgow, the island fell silent. It really was a fantastic experience being able to take in the tranquil scenery.
Having explored the area around the airport, I decided to head back to the terminal for something to eat. If you’re travelling off-season I recommend purchasing food in Glasgow departures as the cafe at Barra Airport was closed.
With the aircraft now just a short distance away, I headed outside to watch the beach landing. It is a fascinating sight! The aircraft parked on stand and I headed back into the terminal, ready for boarding.
The majority of passengers on the morning flight has come over for the day, and similar to myself were now heading back on the afternoon flight. The twice-daily flights are a fantastic opportunity to day trip, however, the stopover times can vary depending on the tide so do make sure to look at the flight times when booking.
Just like the landing, taking off from the beach was an equally thrilling experience and one I highly recommend as a whole.
So whether you’re an aviation enthusiast looking to travel on a unique route, or maybe an Island hopping tourist: the Isle of Barra is a fantastic destination for your travel list this year.
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