From the courageous settlers on this remote archipelago 1,200 years ago to their 21st century successors, our roots are grounded but our vision is as limitless as the horizon and skies around us.

The area of Barra is roughly 60 square kilometres, 11 miles long and 6 miles wide. The main village is Castlebay. A single track road runs around the coast of the island where the flattest land and houses are, the interior of the island is hilly and uninhabited.

The west of the island has white sandy beaches backed by shell-sand, machair and the east has numerous rocky inlets.

Kisimul Castle at Castlebay is on a rock in the bay, giving the village its name. 

The highest elevation on the island is Heaval, halfway up which is a prominent white marble statue of the Madonna and child, called "Our Lady of the Sea", which was erected during the Marian year of 1954. The predominant faith on the island is Catholicism and the Catholic church dedicated to Our Lady of the Sea is immediately apparent to all who arrive at Castlebay.

Barra is connected by a causeway to the smaller island of Vatersay.