Cockle Strand
(Barra Airport)

The flight from Glasgow to Barra in the Outer Hebrides makes a dramatic landing on a unique airfield, the Cockle Strand or Traigh Mhor in Gaelic. A wide sweeping beach at the north end of the island of Barra, the Cockle Strand is the world's only tidal beach airport with scheduled airline services. In times of famine the cockles here were removed by the Barra folk in cart-loads.

Located 5 miles (8 km) NNE of Castlebay, Barra Airport was opened in 1936. The airport includes a modern control tower and terminal building which handles between 8000 and 9000 passengers per year.

Barra Airport is operated by the government-owned Highland and Islands Airports Limited and has the International Air Transport Association (IATA) location code "BRR".

Flashing lights and the presence of a wind-sock warn the many users of the beach of imminent aircraft operations. Scheduled flights operate to Glasgow and Benbecula. A debate is ongoing as to whether this unusual airfield should be replaced by a permanent landing strip, which would provide a more reliable emergency service to the island.

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