North Uist is an island and also community in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. North Uist is the tenth-largest Scottish island as well as the thirteenth-largest island bordering Great Britain. It has a location of 117 square miles (303 km2), slightly smaller sized than South Uist. North Uist is connected by causeways to Benbecula using Grimsay, to Berneray, as well as to Baleshare. With the exception of the south east, the island is really level, and covered with a patchwork of peat bogs, low hills and also lochans, with over half the land being covered by water. A few of the lochs contain a mix of fresh as well as tidal seawater, giving rise to some facility and also unusual habitats. Loch Sgadabhagh, regarding which it has been claimed "there is most likely nothing else loch in Britain which comes close to Loch Scadavay in abnormality as well as complexity of summary", is the largest loch by area on North Uist although Loch Obisary has regarding twice the quantity of water. The north part of the island belongs to the South Lewis, Harris and also North Uist National Scenic Location, one of 40 in Scotland. The major negotiation on the island is Lochmaddy, an angling port and also house to a museum, an arts centre and a cam obscura. Caledonian MacBrayne ferryboats sail from the village to Uig on Skye, along with from the island of Berneray (which is linked to North Uist by road embankment), to Leverburgh in Harris. Lochmaddy likewise has Taigh Chearsabhagh-- a museum and arts centre with a coffee shop, tiny store and also post office service. Close-by is the Uist Outdoor Centre. The island's main villages are Sollas, Hosta, Tigharry, Hougharry, Paible, Grimsay and Cladach Kirkibost. Various other settlements consist of Clachan, Carinish, Knockquien, Port nan Long, Greinetobht and Scolpaig, residence to the 19th century Scolpaig Tower folly. Loch Portain is a little hamlet on the eastern shore-- some 9 miles (14 kilometres) from Lochmaddy, with below areas of Cheesebay and also Hoebeg. According to the 2011 census North Uist had a population of 1,254.