I personally prefer April and May, and September and October. The weather is often excellent, and the island is empty. The crofters are also busy at work, and you are more than welcome to help with sheep tasks, potato planting or anything else that needs doing around the place. In return for which, you’ll usually get a dram (a Berneray measure is generous – about 4 bar/pub measures), and some help in learning a bit of Gaelic.

June to August is the main holiday season. Having said that, I’ve never seen more than 11 people on the west beach (3 miles long) at any one time.

Around about the third week of July is Berneray week. That’s a week of various sporty events e.g. tug of war, cross the greasy pole. There are also sheepdog trials, and various ceilidhs and Gselic events around Berneray. Plus barbeques on some of the beaches and other events. See last years at:

www.isleofberneray.com/05/berneray-week/

Weather can be variable at any time of the year. Without the right clothing, you can catch a cold in June or get sunburnt in December. It can be surprisingly warm here though; last Christmas day we were paddling in the sea. It’ll never be tropical, but sports such as surfing are becoming big in the Outer Hebrides.

Light. The summer nights are very light, and it doesn’t get totally dark in June. Conversely, by 4pm in December it is dark.

However, there is one huge advantage in coming in winter. The Northern Lights.