Grand Tour of the Inner Hebrides

This morning after breakfast we will depart for Tobermory, the island’s ‘capital’, whose multi-hued buildings lining the waterfront will be familiar from a hundred calendars. This is the starting point for our wildlife cruise to the Treshnish Isles and Staffa, during which we can expect sightings of Whales, Dolphins, Basking Sharks, Puffins and Sea Eagles. After a one-hour sail we land at the geological wonder of Staffa, which was formed by volcanic eruptions over 50 million years ago. As the basaltic lava cooled it formed an extraordinary pattern of predominantly hexagonal columns which form the faces and walls of the principal caves. We will have around an hour ashore to explore the island, in particular the massive natural cathedral known as Fingal’s Cave, following in the footsteps of illustrious tourists from Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson to Jules Verne and Queen Victoria.

We then take the short 15 minute crossing to the idyllic Isle of Lunga, the largest of the Treshnish Isles, where we will have two hours ashore to explore. Surrounded by wildflowers and stunning scenery, the main attraction that can be seen close up is the large Puffin colony nesting in burrows in the grassy hillside. These comical birds are incredibly inquisitive and will come within a few metres of you. Lunga is also a popular habitat to an ever increasing number of Guillemot, Razorbill, Kittiwake, Fulmar, Shag, Great Skua and a Seal colony.

(Please note a reasonable degree of mobility is required to go ashore but the less adventurous are welcome to stay on board. There is a toilet on board and a packed lunch is included. Visits ashore to Lunga end when the puffins and other seabirds migrate usually early in August. Instead we sail around the Treshnish Isles keeping a lookout for the wildlife usually seen near these islands).

We sail back to Tobermory and return by coach to our hotel in time for dinner.

Today we will drive along the Ross of Mull to Fionnphort, where we cross as foot passengers to the ‘sacred isle’ of Iona. Here you have the opportunity to visit the Abbey and wander over the island, taking in the atmosphere of calm and contemplation which attracts visitors from all over the world.

This afternoon we visit Duart Castle, the 13^th century home of the Chief of Clan MacLean. We can explore the dungeons, the state rooms and appreciate the strategic position of the castle from the top of the keep.

Following breakfast we will check out of our hotel and take the morning ferry back to Oban, where we then take a scenic drive down to Kennacraig to catch the ferry to Port Askaig in Islay. Our hotel is conveniently situated next to the harbour and dinner will be served once we have checked in and freshened up.

This morning, following breakfast, our first visit will be to Loch Finlaggan which was once the centre of the ‘Lordship of the Isles’. It was here that the installation of the Lords of the Isles took place, and the western seaboard of Scotland was ruled.

This afternoon we visit the Kilchoman Distillery. Founded in 2005, Kilchoman is Islay’s farm distillery, and was the first new distillery to be built on Islay in over 124 years. Anthony Wills, Kilchoman Founder, set out to resurrect the grass roots tradition of farm distilling. We will be guided through the distillery production, visit the warehouse and finish with a dram, with a complimentary tasting glass included.

After an opportunity for lunch (not included) we will visit the Museum of Islay Life. Housed in a former church, there are over 1600 items in the main Museum collection, covering all ages from the Mesolithic (around 8000 BC) to the 1950s. The Victorian and Edwardian ages are especially well represented, with exhibits showing what it was like to live in a simple house as well as how the laird lived at the same time.

This morning, after breakfast, we travel to the neighbouring island of Jura, an island which has a record of habitation stretching back over 5000 years. The island, with approximately 200 inhabitants, is 30 miles long and 7 miles wide and is a naturalist’s paradise. It is dominated by the three mountains known as the “Paps of Jura”, the highest being 2576ft. The northern end of the island was home to George Orwell, who wrote his masterpiece 1984 while living here at Barnhill.

We will enjoy a scenic tour before having some free time in Craighouse, a lovely little village and the main settlement on the island with a shop, tearoom, and Jura's distillery.

After breakfast we check out of the hotel and take the morning ferry to Kennacraig on the mainland. We then continue our homeward journey, stopping for refreshments (not included) in Inveraray, arriving back at our original pick-up points during the evening.