North Uist is an island as well as area in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. North Uist is the tenth-largest Scottish island and the thirteenth-largest island bordering Great Britain. It has an area of 117 square miles (303 km2), a little smaller than South Uist. North Uist is connected by embankments to Benbecula by means of Grimsay, to Berneray, and also to Baleshare. With the exception of the south eastern, the island is really flat, and covered with a patchwork of peat bogs, low hillsides and also lochans, with majority the land being covered by water. A few of the lochs have a mix of fresh and tidal salt water, giving rise to some complex and also unusual habitats. Loch Sgadabhagh, about which it has actually been stated "there is possibly no other loch in Britain which approaches Loch Scadavay in irregularity and also complexity of summary", is the biggest loch by area on North Uist although Loch Obisary has concerning twice the volume of water. The northern part of the island is part of the South Lewis, Harris as well as North Uist National Scenic Area, one of 40 in Scotland. The major negotiation on the island is Lochmaddy, an angling port and home to a gallery, an arts centre as well as a cam obscura. Caledonian MacBrayne ferryboats sail from the village to Uig on Skye, as well as from the island of Berneray (which is linked to North Uist by road embankment), to Leverburgh in Harris. Lochmaddy additionally has Taigh Chearsabhagh-- a museum and arts centre with a coffee shop, tiny shop and also post office solution. Nearby is the Uist Outdoor Centre. The island's major towns are Sollas, Hosta, Tigharry, Hougharry, Paible, Grimsay as well as Cladach Kirkibost. Various other settlements include Clachan, Carinish, Knockquien, Port nan Long, Greinetobht as well as Scolpaig, residence to the nineteenth century Scolpaig Tower folly. Loch Portain is a tiny hamlet on the eastern shore-- some 9 miles (14 kilometres) from Lochmaddy, with sub locations of Cheesebay as well as Hoebeg. According to the 2011 census North Uist had a population of 1,254.