North Uist is an island and also area in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. North Uist is the tenth-largest Scottish island as well as the thirteenth-largest island surrounding Great Britain. It has an area of 117 square miles (303 km2), somewhat smaller than South Uist. North Uist is attached by embankments to Benbecula via Grimsay, to Berneray, and also to Baleshare. With the exception of the south eastern, the island is very flat, and also covered with a patchwork of peat bogs, reduced hills and lochans, with majority the land being covered by water. Several of the lochs consist of a blend of fresh as well as tidal salt water, generating some complicated and uncommon environments. Loch Sgadabhagh, concerning which it has actually been claimed "there is possibly nothing else loch in Britain which approaches Loch Scadavay in irregularity as well as intricacy of overview", is the biggest loch by location on North Uist although Loch Obisary has about two times the quantity of water. The north part of the island is part of the South Lewis, Harris and also North Uist National Scenic Location, one of 40 in Scotland. The primary settlement on the island is Lochmaddy, a fishing port and also house to a museum, an arts centre as well as a video camera obscura. Caledonian MacBrayne ferries cruise from the town to Uig on Skye, as well as from the island of Berneray (which is connected to North Uist by road causeway), to Leverburgh in Harris. Lochmaddy additionally has Taigh Chearsabhagh-- a gallery as well as arts centre with a coffee shop, little shop and also post office service. Neighboring is the Uist Outdoor Centre. The island's primary villages are Sollas, Hosta, Tigharry, Hougharry, Paible, Grimsay and also Cladach Kirkibost. Various other negotiations consist of Clachan, Carinish, Knockquien, Port nan Long, Greinetobht as well as Scolpaig, residence to the 19th century Scolpaig Tower folly. Loch Portain is a little hamlet on the eastern coast-- some 9 miles (14 kilometres) from Lochmaddy, with sub locations of Cheesebay and also Hoebeg. According to the 2011 census North Uist had a population of 1,254.