Arran, Islay & Jura

Planned Itinerary

All local walks transport is included in the holiday price, and may include boat charters, local buses and private coach hire. Your Island hopping leader will accompany you on each leg of the journey. Many of the most isolated, most stunning areas of these islands are only accessible by boat and on Islay and Jura we will be chartering a fully enclosed inshore passenger ferry (Rigid Inflatable Boat) run by www.islayseasafari.co.uk to take us to and from the start of some of the walking routes. If you have back or neck problems, or are pregnant, please consult your doctor before travelling in case you are advised that you should not be a passenger on this type of boat.    

Day 1: Arrival day

We travel by train from Glasgow to Ardrossan and then by ferry to Brodick.  The hotel minibus will transfer you to the nearby Auchrannie Hotel.

Day 2: Goatfell

We take taxis as far as Corrieburn Bridge, just south of Corrie village, and walk west following Corrie Burn up into the high corrie above which rises the Goatfell range. We continue ascending to North Goatfell. A lovely ridge walk follows round the Pinnacles to the top of Goatfell (2866 feet). On a clear day, our efforts are rewarded by magnificent views of the Arran Mountains, and the Scottish mainland hills. We take the main track down to Cladach and walk along the beach back to our hotel. 6½ miles (10km) and 2,800 feet (840m) of ascent.

Day 3: Holy Island and hills surrounding Lamlash

Our walks today provide quite a contrast. We visit Holy Island, a Buddhist retreat, with its fantastic views back to the main island. We’ll walk to the summit of Mullach Mor at just over 300 metres and return along the coast. If time allows, the second walk of the day takes in the Giant’s Graves (which are actually Neolithic burial cairns - fragments of pottery and arrowheads have been found here) and the fabulous Glenashdale waterfalls, now best seen from the purpose-built, dramatic viewing platform. The descent passes an Iron Age Fort, so there’s plenty of historical interest to go alongside the views and the delightful woodlands. The order of the walks will depend on ferry and tide times. Holy Island distance: 3¾ miles (6km) with 1,050 feet (320m) of ascent. Giant’s Graves distance: 3¼ miles (5.5km) with 850 feet (255m) of ascent

Day 4: To Islay

Today we travel across to Islay, but not before enjoying a final morning walk from Brodick up the Glen Rosa Valley surrounded by impressive mountains and a chance of seeing a golden eagle before ending at the Saw Mill with the option for refreshments and to visit the local brewery. 5 miles (8km) with 620 feet (190m) of ascent. We meet the minibus which drops us to our ferry and we cross to Claonaig on the Kintyre Peninsula. A short road journey leads to the opposite coast and the ferry terminal at Kennacraig, from where we leave for Port Askaig on Islay. Once here, you can settle into your hotel and enjoy a look around the tiny harbour.

Day 5: The Mull of Oa, Islay

Today’s walk takes in some of the spectacular coastline of the RSPB Mull of Oa Nature Reserve on the southern end of the island. What you can see here (in addition to the fantastic scenery) depends on the time of year. The bird life is worthy of special mention, with a huge variety of nesting seabirds often visible along with possible sightings of choughs and maybe a golden eagle. There are wild goat herds on the cliffs. 7 miles (11.5km) with 1,750 feet (535m) of ascent.

Day 6: Rhuvaal, Islay

Weather and sea conditions permitting, we’ll be using a charter boat to take us out to the slipway at Rhuvaal Lighthouse from where we’ll walk on deer tracks and descend to the beach of Bagh an Da Dhoruis before walking above and below coastal cliffs to the sands of Gruinart Bay. Not many people have the opportunity to walk this wonderful section of coastline without it becoming a much bigger undertaking – the use of the charter boat makes it possible. 13 miles (21km) with 1,640 feet (500m) of ascent.

Day 7: To Jura

Weather and sea conditions permitting, a charter boat will take the group out to the west coast of Jura and drop us near Glenbatrick. Your luggage will then be taken by boat to the Jura Hotel. We can explore the coast hereabouts before walking back to the east coast via a track that leads beneath the famous Paps of Jura. This is a great area for seeing hen harriers and red deer, and you might see adders along with a range of coastal wildlife. 6¾ miles (11km) with 1,000 feet (310m) of ascent.

Day 8: Free day on Jura

This is built in as a free day to allow for a change in the schedule should it be required. You may wish to go on a local walk organised or relax around the harbour area and visit the distillery.

Day 9: Corryvreckan, Jura

The final day’s walking and another one on which we hope to use the chartered boat – this time to bring us back at the end of the walk, though tide, weather etc could make it a drop-off rather than a pick-up. The northern tip of Jura overlooks the Gulf of Corryvreckan – famous for its whirlpools. Our route follows “the Long Road”, passing Barnhill, where George Orwell wrote 1984, out to the Gulf and explores some of this amazing, remote coastline before our charter boat takes us back to Craighouse Bay near the hotel, passing the Corryvreckan whirlpools if conditions and tide permit. 8½ miles (14km) with 1,200 feet (373m) of ascent.

Day 10: Departure day

We take the charter boat across the Sound of Jura into Loch Sween, and Tayvallich, with its tiny, sheltered bay. From here we travel by coach back to Glasgow Central Station.

The itinerary may be subject to change at the discretion of the leader. Local mountain or sea conditions may cause changes to the published programme.

There’s so much to see on these islands! Here are just a few of the sights:

Arran

Brodick Castle and Gardens
This National Trust for Scotland property is a must for garden lovers and there are great views up on to the hills and down across the bay.

Dr McCredy’s Bath
Carved into the sandstone on the seashore at Corrie, this was used to treat Dr McCredy’s patients with seaweed baths in the 1830’s. It’s a decent sized bath as well – 12 feet long , 5 feet wide and 5 feet deep!

Lochranza Castle
On the northern end of the island, the castle served as a hunting lodge for Scottish Kings. A 16th century re-build of the original 12th century structure, it is now looked after by Historic Scotland.

Islay

Distilleries
There are several, including Bruichladdich, Bowmore, Lagavulin and Ardbeg. If you like whisky – this is your place!

The American Monument
A stone-built tower on the end of the Mull of Oa, built in 1920 by the American National Red Cross, commemorating the loss of over 600 people in two separate disasters at sea. Towards the end of World War 1 HMS Tuscania was torpedoed by a German submarine and sank seven miles of the Mull of Oa. On 6 Oct 1918 the HMS Otranto was involved in a collision with the HMS Kashmir and sank in Machir Bay on the west coast of Islay.

Jura

Corryvreckan
The Gulf of Corryvreckan is home to the famous whirlpool of Corryvreckan, which can be seen and heard from the island if the tides and sea conditions are right.

Barnhill
George Orwell lived here on the northern tip of Jura when he wrote 1984 – in 1948 (he arrived at the title of the book by changing the last two numbers around) Orwell almost came to grief when his boat was caught in the aforementioned whirlpool!

The Paps
Jura’s famous mountains, home to a well-known fell race and visible from all around.

Eagles
Jura is one of several designated sites for golden eagle protection, and has around half a dozen breeding pairs.

This holiday starts and finishes in Glasgow, and transport is provided throughout the holiday, leaving Glasgow by rail and returning at the end of the holiday by bus.

You’ll meet your leader at Glasgow Central Railway near WHSmith at approx. 14.00 (time to be confirmed for 2016) for the short train journey from Glasgow to Ardrossan. You’ll then take the ferry across to Brodick on the Isle of Arran. From Arran, we use the Cal Mac ferries to sail across from Lochranza to the mainland, where a short drive leads to Kennacraig and the 2 hour CalMac ferry journey to Islay. Jura is then reached by a ten minute ferry journey. On the departure day, we take the charter boat across to Tayvallich, from where a coach will take you back to Glasgow Central. Your walk leader will accompany you on each leg of the journey.

All local walks transport is included in the price, and may include boat charters, local buses and private hire.

Travel to Glasgow by rail: A regular and fast service runs from London Euston. For further information and train times visit www.nationalrail.co.uk 

Travel by air: There are a number of low-cost flights from around the UK to Glasgow – see www.skyscanner.net. If you are flying from overseas there are some international flights to Glasgow.

Travel by car: For those wishing to travel by car, Glasgow is about 400 miles (7 hours) from London and about 215 miles (3.75 hours) from Manchester.

Travel by bus: Citylink and National Express both serve all or part of the route to Glasgow depending on where you are travelling from. www.citylink.co.uk and www.nationalexpress.com.

Return transfer to Glasgow centre is included in the holiday price. At the end of the holiday the bus will drop guests off at approximately 13.30 (time to be confirmed for 2016)

Ferries and boats used on this holiday

We use three different CalMac ferries on this holiday. Adrossan to Brodick, Lochranza to Claonaig and Kennacraig to Port Askaig.

The small Holy Isle Ferry will bring you across Lamlash Bay to Holy Isle. This short ferry trip takes about 10 minutes.   

The Jura Passenger Ferry - is a Redbay Boats Stormforce 11, the best that RIBs can offer. The deep V hull offers maximum stability and comfort with seating for 12 passengers and 2 crew. The canopy guarantees you’ll stay warm and dry with the wrap around screen letting you sit back and enjoy the ever changing views.

In the interests of safety, anyone who suffers from back or neck problems or is pregnant, should consult their doctor before travelling, as you may be advised not to travel on this boat.