Video: Ten island paradises to visit in Scotland

If mainland Scotland is a hive of activity and culture, the islands are tranquil paradises waiting for your arrival.

Mainland attractions have so much to offer in Scotland it’s easy to forget the 700-odd islands off our shores.

Set foot on Skye, Jura or Mull and you’ll be enveloped in a whole new way of Scottish culture among the islanders.

Perhaps the most famous is Skye, with the staggering Old Man of Storr providing so many photographic opportunities and some of the nation’s finest distilleries just along the road.

At the other end of the scale, the tiny isle of Iona - just 1.5 miles across and 3 miles long - has all the rugged landscapes and breathtaking beaches as some of the bigger archipelagos around Scotland.

Reading up on Orkney’s history of habitation is a fascinating way to see the island, from the World Heritage neolithic archaeological site at Skara Brae to the Old Man of Hoy jutting out from the ocean floor as if held in place by magic.

Of the 700 islands, only 100 are still inhabited today. That leaves 600 more for you to carve out your own little corner of tranquility.