Island Hop Magazine (June 22)

island op h

2022 EDITION

S U M M E R

FREE

YOUR GUIDE TO THE INNER HEBRIDES

EXPLORE ARRAN | GIGHA | JURA | ISLAY | COLONSAY THE SMALL ISLES | COLL | TIREE

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SUMMER ISLAND HOP

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We love the West Highlands and Islands. This is our home and we are proud of it and welcome you to all its wonders. You are going to have a great time.

Wyvex Media is based in Oban, Campbeltown, Fort William and Arran, and has a branch office in Edinburgh (Scottish Field). How many businesses can claim that? We live, raise our families and work here. Chances are you will spend your holiday visiting places where we went on a school trip, on a date, got married, had a holiday job, visited our aunties.

During the internet’s infancy (think Windows 3.1) it was my job, as then chief reporter of The Oban Times to know the CalMac timetable off by heart, how to get a reporter out to – or rolls of film back from – the islands.

Today’s reporters ping a photograph back to the subs in Oban while sipping a cappuccino and you can use the same communications revolution to surf the web, decide which islands you want to visit, when, and how you will get there.

So . . . are you going to fly on or off Islay? Catch the ferry back via Oban or Kennacraig? Then is it bus or train? Will you go for the golf or the Fèis? Fit in a trip to Jura or Colonsay while you are there?

Our advice: pick a main island destination then plan your hops to and from there. Deciding and planning online is as much fun. Don’t forget the council-owned and small, private ferry services.

Please use this supplement as a start; a taster menu before your feast of a holiday and when you get there tell them we sent you and that we say Hi. Have a great summer!

s, f r o m y o u r e h is w st e b r u W it h a ll o ! n T im e s Gr o u p a b O e h T t a tea m

Cover: Sandy beach and crystal clear waters at Caolas, Isle of Tiree

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ARRAN

Arran

‘miniature’ but mighty Idyllic waterfall on the Isle of Arran.

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SUMMER ISLAND HOPPING

ARRAN Lochranza Castle and deer.

TRAVEL > Frequent trains and busses from Glasgow; easy reach of Glasgow International and Prestwick Airports. Ferries from Ardrossan, Claonaig and Tarbert Loch Fyne.

POINTS OF INTEREST > POTATOES Do not forget the one and only Arran Banner, or to give its formal name: Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Arran Banner. A delicious potato and the name of our namesake newspaper on the island.

There are several Arran varieties of potato but Banner and Pilot are the two most widely available.

Arran is not only a fantastic island to visit it is a destination, like Oban, to use as a strategic point on your island hopping journey.

Arran’s main ferry link with the mainland is ArdossanBrodick. From Arran you can hop off to Claonaig, over the spine of the beautiful Kintyre Peninsula and visit Gigha, reach Kennacraig to sail to Islay and on to Jura and Colonsay or go north to Tarbert and catch a ferry back to Arran or across to the Cowal Peninsula and return to Arran via Bute.

Glen Sannox.

> CAMPING Go from glamping to wild camping with everything in between; motor homes welcome, with waste water facilities in Blackwaterfoot and Whiting Bay.

For a longer island hop travel up to Oban along the A83 and A816 with its incredible coastal views and set sail for more islands from this busy port.

> GOAT FELL Arran’s highest peak is a rewarding climb.

Enjoy the Arran Mountain Festival or an ultra marathon if you like to quicken the pace.

Lying in the Firth of Clyde Arran is more easily accessible than the Hebridean Islands and it is perfect for a day-trip but if you have time deserves more attention.

Don’t be surprised if you bump into school and university field trips; the geology and history of Arran, occupied since Neolithic times, make for a fascinating place.

The climate and the rock formation which runs through the island, the Highland Boundary Fault, have given Arran the title of ‘Scotland in Miniature’. You truly can see every type of landscape Scotland can offer here, plus whisky, golf, ancient standing stones, castles, imposing cliffs, lovely beaches, lush farm land and majestic peaks. So the ‘miniature’ title rings true but you also might want to think: ‘small but mighty’.

And in keeping with this theme Arran can offer accommodation just as diverse, from luxury spa to bothies and everything in between.

The outline of Arran is just as iconic as the Skye Cullins.

Brodick Castle.

So too is Arran Sense of Scotland the fragrance producers which began as Arran Aromatics.

Arran Cheese and Arran Brewery are also award winners. You can buy cheese, preserves, chutneys oatcakes and chocolates, ice cream and more, all made success stories. Some people come for the history, from Neolithic through to National Trust for Scotland-run Brodick Castle and Gardens.

The outline of Arran is just as iconic as the Skye Cullins.

Seeing so much in one small island can work up an appetite and a thirst. Arran is amazing for the number of food and drink producers it has, many have become household names and won numerous awards.

Arran Distillery produces single malts, limited editions, blends and a cream liqueur and opened its sister distillery at Lagg in the south of the island in 2019. The awards have stacked up and it is truly one of Arran’s success stories.

> CHALLENGE Here is our island hopping Arran challenge – have yourself a picnic on the island of products made and grown there. Easy to do and delicious.

When it comes to festivals there are so many to choose from; Arran Folk Festival has been running for nearly 50 years in one form or another and one of the foundations of the Scottish music scene.

Being close to the towns of the Ayrshire coast and Glasgow, Arran can stage a wide number of events and festivals and be sure of good attendance.

Be it musical, creative, sporting or food and drink, you will almost certainly find an event for you as well as the traditional highland games, agricultural and horticultural shows. The listings are just so tempting you will be back for more.

Look out for the newly launched children’s book festival, Wee Mac Arran.

> GOLF The balmy climate and lush countryside conspire to create beautiful golf courses on Arran. This island has golf courses in the way that Islay has distilleries; there are seven and you can play them all when you buy an Arran Golf Pass. > LOCHRANZA The ferry terminal on the western side of the island takes you to Claonaig and Tarbert Loch Fyne.

LINKS > > > > >

www.visitarran.com www.taste-of-arran.co.uk www.arranmountainfestival.co.uk www.golfonarran.com www.auchrannie.co.uk

GOOD TO KNOW > Arran is a good place to cycle; a 56 mile round Arran route or make it a tough figure of eight by tackling The String Road over the hills. The five ferries island hop is a favourite with cyclists starting and ending on Arran.

ARRAN

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ARRAN

Corrie’s Capers Isle of Arran author, Alison Page started publishing picture books about her beloved West Highland Terrier in 2018.

Alison’s stories. Her latest “Corrie’s Library Capers“ is being launched in July 2022.

With a strong Scottish theme, these delightful stories feature the adorable Corrie, named after the village on Arran.

Books may be purchased via the website shop or can be found in lots of lovely shops across Scotland. Find out more at www.westie.scot

The island’s Community Volunteer for the Scottish based charity, “Mary’s Meals”, Alison decided that profits from the “Corrie’s Capers” series would help feed hungry children. To date, an amazing £13,500 has been donated.

Working in 20 of the world’s poorest countries, Mary’s Meals mission is simple; to reach the next starving child, giving them hope for the future.

School + Food = Hope Sadly, Corrie crossed over the rainbow bridge during lockdown, however, this precious wee Westie lives on through

The Westie Fest Corrie competes for Scotland in a Westie Highland Games The Tattoo Toorie Corrie has a special duty to perform at the Edinburgh Festival but is scared Corrie’s Curling Capers Corrie is invited to open a bonspiel but she’s never curled before Corrie’s Library Capers Things take an unexpected turn when Corrie lends a paw with the mobile library.

SUMMER ISLAND HOPPING

GIGHA Gigha beach with foxgloves.

Photograph: Dennis Hardley

TRAVEL > Ferry from Tayinloan. Bus from Glasgow, Citylink 926 with some of the buses via Glasgow Airport.

Pontoons and moorings for sailors. Limited airstrip for private flights.

POINTS OF INTEREST

Gigha Those Norsemen had it right when they named this five square miles of island off the west coast of the Kintyre peninsula Gudey, meaning good or God’s island.

Perhaps there was divine intervention in placing Gigha in just the right place to create silver sand beaches, crystal clear, turquoise-coloured sea and a balmy micro climate.

Once visited never forgotten and often returned to, Gigha was a favourite of the Royal Family during summer Hebridean cruises on the Royal Yacht Britannia. The Princess Royal looked at her most relaxed during a formal visit to open new homes here when her officials kept looking at their watches while she stayed chatting to islanders.

Then there was the occasion when one islander found their car turned into an impromptu taxi for HM Queen when she paid a surprise visit.

> MAP Download the guide or use the interactive map on the island’s website for all you need to know for a great Gigha experience.

God’s island

Gigha offers a mix of the Gigha Hotel, self-catering, camping and motor home spaces plus bed and breakfast and even a yurt.

> BEACHES Two back-to-back beaches at the north of the island, Bagh na Doirlinne looking north, and Bagh Rubha Ruaidh, south, are amongst the most beautiful beaches in the Inner Hebrides.

Gigha has a lot to celebrate; new housing and an increase in island population. The island’s trust has installed three wind turbines, The Dancing Ladies, which generate enough clean energy to export.

> AIRSTRIP The shortened Gigha Airstrip no longer takes aircraft larger than Microlights and helicopters. Helicopters need prior permission to land, contact the hotel.

There are miles of paths to explore on foot or by bicycle; and water sports equipment to hire to explore the coast.

This little island has been inhabited since prehistoric times and has a wealth of sites to explore with cairns and an Ogham stone by its ruined 13th century Kilchattan Chapel, other standing stones and duns. It is also the ancient home of the Clan MacNeill.

> AIDS TO NAVIGATION The seas around Gigha are strewn with rocks and skerries and there have been shipwrecks through the ages. At night watch the buoys and lighthouses up and down the Kintyre coast and over to Northern Ireland flashing out their warnings.

The islanders organised a community buy-out in 2002 this is their 20th anniversary year

Island life centres around its only village in Ardminish Bay on the south eastern side of the island, facing the mainland. The ferry docks here after its 20 minute trip from Tayinloan. The Ardminish Stores includes the Post Office and has pumps for petrol, diesel and marine red diesel. The sheltered bay is home to the island’s pontoons and moorings and it is popular anchorage.

> BROONIE Cara Island at the southern tip of Gigha is said to be home to a ‘broonie’ spirit, which attached itself to the Macdonalds of Largie.

The gardens of Achamore House are being returned slowly but surely to their former glory by the islanders; when Gigha was owned by the Horlick family of malted drink fame, Sir James Horlick expanded the grounds and brought in rare species of plants from around the world.

WORK UP AN APPETITE All this exploring should work up an appetite and Gigha can soon take care of that.

You can dine at the Gigha Hotel and pub, the Boathouse Restaurant, the Nook seafood takeaway or grab the ingredients for your self-catering or picnic at Ardminish Stores.

An island this lush in Gulf Stream-warmed waters is bound to create something special to eat; Gigha Halibut is the award-winning island fish farm and their smoked halibut is magnificent and so are Gigha Oysters.

The islanders organised a community buy-out in 2002 this is their 20th anniversary year. The celebrations can The Wee Island Dairy produces creamy milk in glass be toasted with the Isle of Gigha Coastal gin special bottling from the mainland Beinn an Tuirc distillery, home bottles and a range of ice cream that is irresistible.

There is also plenty of Gigha tablet and shortbread for of Kintyre Gin. sale.

> GIGHA MUSIC FESTIVAL Small but mighty, packs out the village hall and gets booked up way in advance.

LINKS > > > > >

www.visitgigha.co.uk www.gighahotel.com www.gigha.org.uk www.gighahalibut.co.uk www.gighamf.org.uk

GOOD TO KNOW > As with all the smaller islands always confirm before travelling; many services are often seasonal or can be booked up well in advance.

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GIGHA View of the Isle of Gigha.

Jura The island is close to, and highly visible from, the mainland with the magnificent Paps of Jura standing out so distinctively but how can somewhere so close feel so far away?

That is part of the glorious contradiction of Jura. It has a resident population of about 200 people and is roughly the same size as its bustling neighbour Islay; Jura is the eighth largest of the inhabited Scottish islands, but only 31st by population size.

On the west coast you could be forgiven for thinking you were a castaway on the edge of the world but a few miles away in Craighouse, the island’s main village, amongst the hotel, shop, church, distillery and campsite and cafes you will find the friendliest and warmest of welcomes.

Glenbattrick Cottages, Isle of Jura.

get away from it all The west coast has raised beaches and cliffs; the east has bays and islets. This is not just magnificent scenery, it is important scenery.

South from Loch Tarbert is a designated National Scenic Area (NSA) one of only 40 across the whole of Scotland with wet heath land and blanket bog.

Jura is the place to come to see raptors - white-tailed and golden eagles, ospreys, hen harriers, buzzards and peregrines. The island sits in the Inner Hebrides and the Minches Special Area of Conservation; grey seals and otters are common, and Jura’s waters are an important habitat for the Harbour Porpoise.

Jura and has been since Victorian times, the island wrote the book – literally – when it comes to modern, responsible and sustainable deer management.

For such a big and empty (of humans, not wildlife) space the island has inspired, and been the setting of many stories. Ian Rankin, Alexander McCall Smith, and Anne Michaels have all featured the island in their work.

George Orwell famously wrote 1984 while staying on The biodiversity of the island and is surrounding waters the island at Barnhill. The farm house can be rented make this a very important place. out for holidays and it has changed very little since the author stayed there – and nearly drowned in August It is a laid back island where you can exert yourself; You leave Jura with a sense of friendships made and 1947 in the whirlpool of the Gulf of Corryvreckan. the Isle of Jura Fell race memories of some great nights out with music and covers seven summits, 2,370m of climbing, is 28km entertainment; a small community but mighty cràic – The straight between Jura and neighbour Scarba can long and only ever has and has 200 places - or there’s be as calm as a millpond and a great place to visit in that’s Jura for you. the capable hands of local boat trip companies, but Jura Distillery first produced whisky in 1810 it has been the island’s half marathon.

Go to Jura and you are outnumbered about 20 to one when the tides, currents and weather combine the roar joined by newcomers, Lussa Gin, from the Ardlussa of the whirlpools can be heard for miles. by deer. Deer management is taken very seriously on Estate; Deer Island spiced rum and Jura Brewery.

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ISLAND MAP

ISLAY

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ISLAY Portnahaven, Isle of Islay.

GETTING THERE > Ferry from Kennacraig, off A83 south of Tarbert, Loch Fyne with another link via Oban; connect with Jura ferry at Port Askaig. Air with Loganair, Glasgow; Hebridean Air Services, Oban. Bus City Link 926 from Glasgow, West Coast Motors for other mainland services in West Highlands. Sail Port Ellen Marina.

Islay Which Isle of Islay are you hopping to? Is it the whisky Islay, or perhaps the golfing, foodie, cultural, ornithological, historic, wildlife-watching, sporting, seafaring, fishing, Gaelic or musical Islay?

Or maybe you will visit your own perfect Islay, the one you have made for yourself by selecting your favourite aspects of this majestic island. Never forget that Islay is known as the Queen of the Hebrides; she welcomes everyone graciously and will reward you royally.

You cannot say Islay and not think of whisky; this Inner Hebridean island is unique, being the only one of Scotland’s six whisky regions to be classed as a region in and of itself.

As you board the ferry to and from the island look out for the tankers on their mainland journey with their precious cargo for the whisky blenders. There is hardly a top-end label that does not have an Islay malt in its DNA. The sea, climate and soil create whisky magic and excellent

Queen of the Hebrides produce as well; seafood, island-reared beef and lamb plus game are on the menu across the island. If you see island-grown potatoes on offer – snap them up!

Islay has a place in the heart of every whisky lover.

(Campbeltown, 40 miles away on the mainland is the only town to be classed as a region, so if your visit is for whisky you might consider adding ‘the wee toon’ to your itinerary).

The Islay peat helps make a smoky dram that once tasted is never forgotten. There are nine operational distilleries, two more on the way and a malting plus an incredible history of the ‘lost’ distilleries.

POINTS OF INTEREST

For all things agricultural, and to celebrate the produce from the island you could plan your visit to coincide with the Islay Show.

The 174th annual Islay Jura and Colonsay Agricultural Society show will be on August 11 this year.

> DISTILLERIES Most have visitors’ centres and offer a selection of tours and tastings. > HISTORY Discover the past at the Museum of Islay Life in Port Charlotte or The Finlaggan Visitor Centre > GOLF The Machrie’s original Willie Campbell design of 1891 was redesigned by DJ Russell. The result is a world-class course, one of Scotland’s finest. > BIRDLIFE The RSPB has reserves at Loch Gruinart and The Oa > FISHING Take your choice from shore, sea, river and loch fishing; book some fly fishing lessons. > HOP From Islay you can make trips to Jura and Colonsay.

You are not the first summer tourists. The island was visited seasonally as far back as 8000 BC confirmed by Mesolithic finds; summer hunter-gathererfishers were eventually replaced by fulltime agricultural families.

Down the centuries we have left our mark on the island, be it ancient stone circles, Celtic crosses or the modern war graves and the remarkable story of the Islay American flag, made overnight for the funerals of Port Ellen at sunrise.

LINKS > > > > >

www.islayinfo.com www.islaymuseum.org www.finlaggan.org www.islaybirds.blogspot.com www.islay-sea-adventures.co.uk

GOOD TO KNOW > The island has excellent taxi and car hire services and buses; in some circumstances overseas visitors will only be hired automatics.

There are also bicycle hire companies including e-bikes.

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ISLAY

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Sunrise at Port Charlotte.

American troops lost at sea.

People have always shared Islay with its wildlife; keep your eyes peeled, because deer are never far away and nearer water the same goes for otters.

Laphroaig Distillery.

Bowmore.

The birdlife on Islay is incredible and ornithologists come from far and wide – just like the birds. The sight of skeins of geese coming into land on their migrations is something wonderful and not to be missed.

Other visitors flock to Islay for the festivals. The Islay Fèis is a wonderful celebration of the island’s Gaelic culture and whisky; there are jazz and book festivals. The Cantilena Festival brings chamber music concerts by professionals and students from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, many taking place at distilleries.

If you like your festivals a little more robust, how about a trip to the Islay Beach Rugby at Port Ellen?

There are miles of beaches and paths to explore, lochs to fish, sea trips to take as a sight-seeing, wildlife spotting passenger or by kayak. All these Islays are waiting for you.

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ISLAY

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COLONSAY Kiloran Bay, Colonsay.

Photograph: Sarah Hobhouse

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POINTS OF INTEREST > CORNCRAKES Colonsay is another island where you might see the rare corncrake; there are agreements to close certain fields and land for their breeding. Help the breeding programme by making sure you don’t enter these. > ORONSAY You can walk to the Isle of Oronsay when the tide allows to see the priory ruins and its Celtic cross and carved stone tombstones. Check the tide timetable and weather conditions.

Colonsay If the Hebridean islands were a family then Islay would be the child who was rich and famous with its distilleries; Mull became a star thanks to its films, documentaries, and children’s TV and Colonsay is the quiet one people often overlooked who blossomed into a successful beauty, universally admired.

wildlife or come to the island to one of its festivals.

You can fly to Colonsay from Oban and depending on which flight it is the school bus taking island pupils to and from Oban High.

In fact Colonsay has played an important role in bee conservation thanks to its location and the work of island bee keeper Andrew Abrahams who campaigned for legislation to make the island and smaller neighbour Oronsay a reserve for the native black bee.

He holds beekeeping courses on Colonsay.

But make sure one leg of your journey is by sea. What the A830 Road to the Isles is for motoring and the West Highland Line is for train journeys, the sailing from Oban to Colonsay is for ferries, down the coast from Oban passing the islands of Kererra and Mull and then south west, past the islands of Seil, Luing, Scarba and Jura.

Step off the ferry at Scalasaig or land at the island airport and instantly feel the weight of the world lift from your shoulders.

What’s not to love about an island with its own publishing company, brewery, gin distillers and hardworking native bees who produce honey from all those flowers and where you can buy freshly baked bread to spread it on.

Colonsay is lush with incredible wildflowers alive with the buzz of insects.

Colonsay is lush with incredible wildflowers alive with the buzz of insects. The wildlife is rich and diverse. There are miles of beaches, wildlife, bird and marine life.

Tourism on Colonsay is just as diverse; you can have so many types of island holiday here. Relax, enjoy the

There is accommodation to suit all tastes from good range of accommodation, from the hotel to back packers’ lodge, and a wide mix of holiday rentals plus cafés by the pier and at Colonsay House gardens; plus the hotel restaurant and bar.

Why be part of a huge crowd at a big mainland festival when you can meet some of Scotland’s best authors and musicians in an intimate setting? Colonsay Book Festival is held in April; Ceol Cholasa, the island music festival in September.

The glorious surroundings and smaller audiences are

> CAMPING On an island this small, with so much wildlife to protect, wild camping is for no more than three nights in any one spot, with no vehicle. With only a few miles of asphalted road, and mostly single track the message is ‘Colonsay Community Council does not permit campervans on Colonsay unless you have booked accommodation in advance’ and the island is totally unsuitable for very large motor homes. > BEACHES The island beaches are glorious and golden make sure Balnahard and,Kiloran are on your must visit list. > GENERAL STORE The store is fully stocked working in conjunction with fish, butchery and wholefood suppliers and has an excellent wine list, including the local products.

It also runs the petrol pumps on behalf of the island.

LINKS > > > >

visitcolonsay.co.uk/ www.wildthymespirits.com/ www.colonsaybookfestival.com/ www.colonsayholidays.co.uk/

GOOD TO KNOW > Check out Seapink and Colonsay Wool Growers, Balanard Farm, for island based crafts and artists.

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COLONSAY

View out to sea from Colonsay.

Paps of Jura as seen from Colonsay.

enjoyed by the authors and musicians just as much as their audiences.

Along with these, the festivals of summer and autumn in May and October respectively celebrate food, wildlife and island history and culture.

Or there is the The Colonsay Open (possibly) International All-Comers Golf Championship each August where local rules allow for rabbits and ravens.

For the more active who aren’t content just to explore on land, you can launch dinghies at The Strand, at Machrins and at Port Mor and cycles and watersports kit – wetsuits, paddle and body boards - can be hired on the island.

Cable Bay, Colonsay.

Photograph: Sarah Hobhouse

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THE SMALL ISLES

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Sunset over the Isles of Rum and Eigg

GETTING THERE > The road to the Isles by car or train; ferry from Mallaig and Arisaig.

POINTS OF INTEREST > ANCHORAGES Gallanach to the north and Port Mor to the south offer safe anchorages for visiting yachts.

The Small Isles They always come as a quartet, Rum, Muck, Eigg and Canna, the Small Isles. Group them together by all means but never forget that each is unique.

Rum is a national nature reserve run by Nature Scot; Eigg leads the way in community ownership; Canna, a seat of Gaelic learning once owned by Gaelic scholar John Lorne Campbell the Gaelic scholar and his wife Margaret Fay Shaw, it was donated to the National Trust for Scotland.

Muck remains in private ownership now in the care of Colin MacEwen after his father Lawrence, who took over from his older brother Alasdair, died earlier this year. A true Hebridean legend.

Muck welcomes day visitors and longer-staying holiday makers; the latest addition to its hospitality is the purpose-built Gallanach Lodge.

The island farm produces excellent lamb and fresh seafood catches landed on the island make for memorable meals.

The island’s tea room has built up an incredible reputation for its cooking and baking – it supplies cakes to other establishments across the Highlands and its Choc-Ness Chocolates are attracting an increasing number of suppliers and very satisfied customers.

Muck welcomes day visitors and longerstaying holiday makers

The Small Isles have their own dedicated CalMac route and in the last 25 years the islands have seen major harbour infrastructure investment. The days of the ferry out in the bay with passengers and cargo being brought ashore by small open ‘flit boats’ are long gone.

Muck has half-a-dozen beautiful sandy beaches on the island and it is made for walking and exploring.

On a clear day a climb to the sumit of Ben Airean will reward you with views as far as the Outer Hebridean islands of Barra, Eriskay, Vatersay; near neighbour Skye and as far south as Coll and Tiree.

Tiny Horse Island, home to Muck’s puffin colony,

> GREEN SHED Crafts and produce on sale include rugs made with local wool, soaps and jewellery. > MEAT Beef and lamb raised on the island is excellent quality; buy or order if you can. > SEA LIFE Keep a look out for whales, orca and in the right season, basking sharks. > BUNK HOUSE Isle of Muck bunkhouse is at Port Mor; bunks plus two double rooms.

LINKS > > > > > >

www.isleofmuck.com www.gallanachlodge.co.uk www.arisaig.co.uk www.isleofrum.com isleofeigg.org www.theisleofcanna.com

DON’T MISS > The community centre is the island’s social hub and offers toilets and a shower; kitchen and washing machine plus a library and heritage area plus Wi-Fi and internet access.

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THE SMALL ISLES Isle of Eigg seen from the Isle of Muck

Cliffs on the Isle of Canna

can be reached at low tide (always check timetable, weather and sea conditions).

Muck is a sporting island with plenty of fishing, stalking, driven and walked up shooting. Deer are still brought off the hill by ponies.

Studying the timetables of CalMac and Arisaig Marine will enable you to island hop around the Small Isles with a stay of a few hours or an overnight or longer stay here or there.

Add in the ferry from Mallaig to Skye and on to Rasaay and you have plenty of ways to visit these most northern of the Inner Hebrides.

SUMMER ISLAND HOPPING

COLL The old and new Breachacha Castles Photograph: Dennis Hardley

TRAVEL > Ferry from Oban with links to Tiree and Barra (summer) or private charter.

Air from Oban scheduled service or fly privately to island airfield.

POINTS OF INTEREST

Coll You might not have visited the Isle of Coll, but the chances are that your children already have.

The small island with so many magnificent beaches and its scientifically important and protected landscape is the real-life inspiration for the Isle of Struay, home to Katie Morag of Mairi Hedderwick’s awardwinning picture books. The wee red headed girl who has a troublesome ted, big boy cousins and her mum and dad who run the island post office and stores has gone on to become a star of stage, screen and the national curriculum.

. . . and the cosmos With only two asphalted roads on the island space is limited for touring caravans and motor homes. Private arrangements for sites can be made but otherwise the island has only five designated spaces and water, waste water and rubbish bin services can be found in Arinagour.

Coll is famous for its sand hills and sandy beaches, machair and marram grasses

Coll is an excellent choice for your island hopping adventure as it has such good connections with the CalMac ferries and Highlands Air Services, both from Oban.

Some careful studying of the summer timetables can give you visits to Tiree and Barra and day trips to Coll. Family-run IsleGo have sea tours and can be chartered so you can add even more islands to your list.

If you are hoping to see sea life you will not be disappointed; seals, dolphins and whales are more likely to spot you first. The waters off Coll are good places to sight basking sharks.

Coll is one of the smaller islands but has big success with the community working together, with much voluntary work, via Development Coll which owns and operates the An Cridhe centre, Coll bunkhouse and a mobile telephone mast.

Island accommodation comprises the bunk house plus self-catering lets and B&Bs, and The Coll Hotel, which has been in the same family for three generations, and has an impressive list of awards to its name, and also the Island Café.

Coll is famous for its sand hills and sandy beaches, machair and marram grasses; these are extremely fragile and of scientific importance and the island expects everyone who visits and wild camps to stick strictly to Scotland’s outdoor access code.

No one can ever be promised the sight of a corncrake. These rare birds are so shy and elusive but Coll is one of the best places to catch a glimpse of one, or hear its croaking/rasping call.

If you are feeling athletic then climb Coll’s highest mountain – all 104 metres of Ben Hogh. It might not be the tallest island summit but the views are just as rewarding.

Yachts in Arinagour Bay, Isle of Coll Photograph: Dennis Hardley

> THE MILKY WAY Coll has been awarded dark-sky community status by the International Dark-Sky Association.

Join expert astronomers in the autumn at Coll & the Cosmos, weekend collaborations between Coll Bunkhouse and Cosmos Planetarium. > CAMPING Space is limited and often on protected sites; places like Toraston Farm are leading the way in balancing the need for camping spaces and safeguarding the environment. > RSPB The bird charity has a reserve on the island where you will be dazzled not just by the varied species by the sheer number of flowers on the machair and the insects they attract. > MARKETS An Cridhe hosts Saturday markets selling all kinds of art, crafts and produce. > MOORINGS There are 12 moorings at Arinagour, (Loch Earthana) operated by CalMac Harbours. > TIMING Time your visit to coincide with the island’s big events like its bird festival, fishing competitions, dark-skies, agricultural show or half-marathon.

LINKS > > > > > >

www.collbunkhouse.com www.visitcoll.co.uk www.collhotel.com www.katiemorag.com www.outdooraccess-scotland.scot www.torastonfarm.co.uk

GOOD TO KNOW > GAP YEAR Coll is the home of the gap year. Project Trust began in 1967 sending British and European school leavers up to the age of 25 to help teach or volunteer in Africa, Asia and Latin America. The charity, founded by Nicholas Maclean-Bristol, is a major employer on the island.

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The Island of Coll

Coll wonderland Alongside its more famous Hebridean cousins, the Isle of Coll is an unspoilt and relatively unknown wonderland.

Here, when the wind drops, there is a quiet stillness in which to enjoy nature’s plenty.

And there is plenty of nature to enjoy! We share the island with some of Scotland’s rarest birds; we inhale the glory of the flowers of the machair; we walk for hours in the (sometimes literally) breath-taking moorland expanses; and we gaze out to sea from a shoreline of rugged rocks and pristine beaches. A place of unequalled intimacy, history and delight.

Our quietly meandering roads offer

walkers and cyclists the perfect means of exploring the island in safety and (if you hire one of the e-bikes available) in veritable luxury. The long summer evenings mean long summer days but if you stay up late enough you can experience the cosmos in all its glory, unhampered by street lights and urban glow.

Couple to all this the generous spirit of the island community, as demonstrated in the welcome at the An Cridhe community centre and the various island businesses, and you may have just found the perfect Hebridean getaway.

Coll - the best place you’ve never visited.

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Tiree Tiree wants everyone to come and have a good time and leave with fantastic memories.

You want a relaxing holiday? Tiree has the peace and quiet for that. Want to hear great music and party?

Well there are traditional ceilidhs or the legendary Tiree Music Festival.

The island regularly tops the charts for the most hours of sunshine; it is so low lying that you can see the weather systems rolling towards Tiree.

There is wildlife on land, sea and air and the flora and fauna are incredible on the machair. Tiree is an important location for many ground nesting birds.

B&Bs and cafes as well as plenty of camping.

But there are some times during the year when you need to move fast to secure your ferry sailings and accommodation.

And remember: the same environment that makes this such a beloved spot with holiday makers also means that Tiree is a thriving agricultural island. Tiree Show is a major event in the farming calendar, as are the Tiree auctions, and during these times bed space and sailings can be in short supply.

The island regularly tops the charts for the most hours of sunshine

Then there is the one and only, Tiree Wave Classic every October, begun in 1985 it is the longest running professional windsurfing event in the world.

The low lying island, prevailing winds and the number of beaches available make this the ideal spot for windsurfing.

You will see everyone from the biggest names to classes for juniors; the event takes pride in nurturing the sport’s future.

The island has hotels, guest houses, holiday lets and

Tranquility and freedom

Together the islanders and Tiree Ranger Service have got camping down to a fine art.

green-field pitches are backed up by fresh waster and waste disposal services at Scarinish.

The scheme means crofters have extra income, the island’s single track roads and passing places are kept free-flowing and importantly the fragile machair and the sites where there are ground-nesting birds are all protected. Everyone wins. You need to reserve your pitch before arriving. As the island guide says: ‘Campers who are walking, A dolphin diving in the Atlantic, Tiree cycling or kayaking are free to wild camp; cars vans and motorhomes do not apply.’

The ranger service also organises events to help everyone get the most out of their holidays.

Tiree also has a rich past; and boasts a historical centre, An Iodhlann, launched in 1995. This tiny building is packed with information and collections, including the role the island played in the Second Pontoons at Port There are croft sites, the campsite at Balinoe and dayWorld WarEllen when it was home to RAF, Naval Air and Hardley parking areas around the island; the croft Photograph: un-serviced Dennis Polish squadrons.

The Tiree Croft Camping Scheme is run by rangers on behalf of the crofters and islanders.

SUMMER ISLAND HOPPING

TIREE A stunning beach on Tiree

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TRAVEL > Ferry from Oban with links to Coll and Barra; by air from Glasgow and Oban. If sailing there are moorings at Gott Bay.

POINTS OF INTEREST > MUSIC FESTIVAL Tiree Music Festival has its own camping with the main, family, chill-out, camper van and luxury glamping sites. This year’s festival has sold out, better luck next year! > BEACH WHEELCHAIRS Euan’s Guide, the disabled access charity is full of praise for the Tiree Ranger Service, for having offroad wheelchairs to help people explore, including one with large balloon wheels to use on the beach. > SLÀINTE Tiree Whisky Company Ltd AKA The Isle of Tiree Distillery is the first legal distillery on the island in 217 years (note the use of the word legal, the stories this island could tell!). It is home to a single malt and a single grain whisky, Tyree Gin and Hebridean Pink Gin. > SEA LIFE Reports say that earlier this year a super-pod of hundreds of Common Dolphins was spotted off Tiree with plenty of Minke Whales also noted, along with basking sharks and a rare sighting of Risso’s Dolphins. There have also been two Orca sighted.

Check the island website and sea tour operators for details of what’s been seen and how to see it.

Traigh Thodhrasdail Beach, Tiree

LINKS > > > > >

www.isleoftiree.com www. tireemusicfestival.co.uk www.tireeshow.co.uk www.tireewaveclassic.co.uk/ https://www.euansguide.com/

GOOD TO KNOW > Sea temperatures are at their lowest in March and at their highest in September. Don’t just think of Tiree as a summer destination; it is excellent for spring and autumn holidays and in winter you can enjoy a cottage with a log burner and get wrapped up warm for a beach walks.

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Caolas, Tiree

A beautiful beach at Caolas, Tiree

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