A Mission to the Most Remote Tennis Court in the World
On a remote island off Scotland’s west coast lies a tennis court unlike any other. So naturally, we had to go. Together with The Professional Amateur, Grant McMurtrie, we set off from Edinburgh and headed north through the Scottish Highlands. From Braemar, we continued west across the country and over the sea to the Isle of Harris, an eight-hour journey by road and ferry, with one destination in mind.
Eight hours on the road and ferry for one game of tennis
Bunabhainneadar Tennis Court
Surrounded by rugged mountains and open water, the court felt completely removed from the world. No grandstands. No crowds. Just two rackets, a few balls and the wild Scottish landscape.
- 01Oslo
- 02Edinburgh
- 03Stonehaven
- 04Outer Hebrides
- 05Isle of Harris
Built to Play in the Hebrides
Beside the clubhouse sits a single tennis court with an artificial grass surface and yellow lines. You can rent racquets and balls from the clubhouse, so all you need to bring is yourself. The surface feels well suited to a place exposed to such rough weather. When we arrived, the wind and rain made it impossible to hit, yet there were no puddles on the court. By the next day, it was completely clear and ready for play.
We met Mike Briggs and his wife, Peggy, who live just a minute from the court. Mike, a former tennis coach, and Peggy moved to the Isle of Harris in 1992. Missing their tennis club back in the south of England, they built this court for the local community in 1998.
We met Mike and Peggy Briggs, the founders of the court.
After our time on court, we couldn’t leave Harris without testing its beaches. So we took a dip in the 11°C Atlantic.