Scottish Islands

[Cyclizine]

21 hours ago, thistledo said:

A few years ago, there's not a lot on the island at all. Kim's kitchen at the village hall used to do food, unsure if that's still the case. I don't want to put you off but, 5/6 days on Rum could potentially be a bit long. Probably see the whole island in a couple of days.  

 

There's the aforementioned Kim's Kitchen and a decent shop, but I agree 5 days is way too long. Have you thought about visiting the other Small Isles as well?

[Le Tout P'ti FC]

Lismore today.

Walked from Achnacroish ferry down to Bishop's Palace, up the west coast to the museum/cafe via the Sailean lime kilns, and back down the east coast to the ferry. Met some cows.

Pretty tiring day, when combined with a mild hangover.

Probably not going to put Lismore into my Top 10 Scottish Islands but I'm glad I've finally sampled its charms as I must have been to Oban a few dozen times over the years and yet I've never made this wee trip before.

[8MileBU]

Wee visit to Lewis and Harris arranged a week on Wednesday.

Arrive in Stornoway at 1pm. Get the ferry back from Tarbert at 4:15pm

[Le Tout P'ti FC]

Postscript to Lismore: Oban is amazing. Had a belting couple of nights here. Off to Coll tomorrow, huzzah!

[Le Tout P'ti FC]

Two days into Coll, one day to go.

I've now made it all the way around the island, covering all of both of the roads! There's not a whole lot to it other than escapism and beaches. Decent hotel. It certainly beats working this week.

Has been pretty tough going without a car. A lot of miles clocked up on foot and on a rickety borrowed bike. Bring a car if you come!

[Squirrelhumper]

On 08/02/2018 at 22:41, Dindeleux said:

Despite being from Ayrshire I found myself over 3 decades on this earth and I’ve never been to Arran.

Went for an overnighter last night and stayed at the Auchrannie. Very nice hotel, island is not too bad but very little to do if your just roaming around. Will head back over with the bike in the summer though.

Aye, i must have been to Arran dozens of times, usually couple of times a year and there's tons to do IMO. Lot's of it the other side of the island right enough. 

Past couple of years i've done tons of islands, some new and some i've been to lots. 

Arran, Millport, Lismore,, Kerrera, Eigg, Uist (all 6 islands) Skye, Islay, Lewis & Harris, Mull, Rasaay, and Handa. 

Barra and Orkney next on my list. 

Edited September 14, 2021 by Squirrelhumper

[The Mantis]

Off to Mull this weekend, leaving the missus behind and going with my mate. Surprisingly, was about to give up on the trip as I couldn't get booked anywhere, hadn't even tried the Mishnish, but phoned them and got a twin room for 3 nights. So it's whisky and Sea Eagles and Otters hopefully.

[Le Tout P'ti FC]

A mere glimpse of Tiree. Not enough time to get off, due to gusting winds boat is being turned around sharpish before we get eaten by a giant whale or something.

I will get here properly one day!

[gav-ffc]

Off to Iona next Friday for 2 nights, buzzing.

[ArmadaleKillie]

Does Davaar off the coast at Campbeltown count? Walked across the shingle causeway when the tide went out to see some painting in a cave! Also decided to see what causeway looked like from air with my drone.

Alas Ll the other pictures had my family in them so limited quantity below.

[Joe Terrapin]

Going to Lewis/Harris via Ullapool and back via Skye at the weekend on the motorbicycle. Forecast not great so waterproofs will be packed.

[mynameisearl]

On 18/09/2021 at 08:33, gav-ffc said:

Off to Iona next Friday for 2 nights, buzzing.

I'm a big fan of Iona, beautiful wee island. The fact it's only 3 miles long and 1.5 miles wide means it's pretty easy to explore, although it's got a really rugged coastline in places, particularly on the west side.

Despite not being religious I find the Abbey pretty fascinating, some great stories and history surrounding St Columba, the Vikings and the MacDonald Lords of the Isles.

The highest point of the island is Dun I at 101m. Easy enough climb up although can be boggy in places. If you've got binoculars take them as on a clear day you'll get views to Tiree, Mull, Staffa, Jura, Islay and the Treshnish Isles to name a few, possibly even as far as Rum.

The best thing about Iona is the beaches, especially to the north. The top picture below is the White Strand of the Monk in the north east. The other one is of Traigh an t-Suidhe in the north west, possibly my favourite beach in Scotland. Usually very quiet and great views to NW Mull, Staffa and the Treshnish Isles. 

Lastly if you've got the time (and the sealegs) then take a trip out to Staffa with Staffa Trips. Well worth the £30. About 50 min each way and then about an hour ashore. The columnar basalt rock formations and Fingal's Cave are magnificent. No puffins at this time of year but the trip itself is good for seabirds and often marine mammals. I've posted a picture of the island earlier on in the thread.

Enjoy yourself.

[gav-ffc]

On 20/09/2021 at 15:14, mynameisearl said:

I'm a big fan of Iona, beautiful wee island. The fact it's only 3 miles long and 1.5 miles wide means it's pretty easy to explore, although it's got a really rugged coastline in places, particularly on the west side.

Despite not being religious I find the Abbey pretty fascinating, some great stories and history surrounding St Columba, the Vikings and the MacDonald Lords of the Isles.

The highest point of the island is Dun I at 101m. Easy enough climb up although can be boggy in places. If you've got binoculars take them as on a clear day you'll get views to Tiree, Mull, Staffa, Jura, Islay and the Treshnish Isles to name a few, possibly even as far as Rum.

The best thing about Iona is the beaches, especially to the north. The top picture below is the White Strand of the Monk in the north east. The other one is of Traigh an t-Suidhe in the north west, possibly my favourite beach in Scotland. Usually very quiet and great views to NW Mull, Staffa and the Treshnish Isles. 

Lastly if you've got the time (and the sealegs) then take a trip out to Staffa with Staffa Trips. Well worth the £30. About 50 min each way and then about an hour ashore. The columnar basalt rock formations and Fingal's Cave are magnificent. No puffins at this time of year but the trip itself is good for seabirds and often marine mammals. I've posted a picture of the island earlier on in the thread.

Enjoy yourself.

We got typical end of September weather but the views were unreal.

Will definitely be back next summer.

[jamamafegan]

A few years ago, there's not a lot on the island at all. Kim's kitchen at the village hall used to do food, unsure if that's still the case. I don't want to put you off but, 5/6 days on Rum could potentially be a bit long. Probably see the whole island in a couple of days.  

Kim's Kitchen does some food and apparently meals a few times per week (booking required). There's a well-stacked shop at the village hall.
 I'd agree that's an excessive amount of time on Rum. You can cross most of the island to the Harris mausoleum and the bay at the north end comfortably in a day. There are other places to explore but I'd split the time between there and Eigg (or another Small Isle). Galmisdale Bay has a full cafe/bar serving good food on Eigg into the evening. 

I’ve been meaning to post my thoughts on my Small Isles visit for ages, so here we go. 

Following your advice I stayed on Rum for 3 days. I liked Rum. The woodlands around Kinloch are quite nice. I attempted to climb Askival however an hour into the climb I was getting emails from my work about the job I was doing on the island - annoyingly I had to turn back. May have been a blessing in disguise however as the weather wasn’t great that day, I’ll need to return another time. I didn’t get to try Kim’s Kitchen because the accommodation I was in provided all my meals. The people I met on Rum were friendly and up for a chinwag. I don't have much else to add because work took up the majority of my time!

I left Rum on the Friday and returned to Mallaig. I had dinner in the Steam Inn and guzzled several pints between there and another boozer where I chatted to locals and holiday makers. Good crack. I slept in my car and awoke the next morning for my 0730 sailing to Eigg...

Day 1

The usual Calmac ferry for the small isles was being repaired, so I was on a wee catarmaran for about 4 hrs as we went to every island before going to Eigg. The swell was large and the boat was being throw about. It was so bad the skipper told one unlucky couple who were planning on visiting Canna for the day that he wasn’t returning there to pick people up. Unfortunately I have awful sea legs and I spent the majority of the sailing in a fetal position and then in the toilet where my guts were violently exploding out of both ends simultaneously.

Eventually we arrived at Eigg. I was completely disoriented and white as a sheet when I stepped foot on the island. I went to Eigg with no plan, I figured I would just go with the flow. I knew there was a taxi shuttle on the island to get me to the campsite. I’m pointed in the direction of a chap who drives a minibus (NOTE: for those who have been to the island, this was not “Charlie’s Taxi” - it was another guy but I was under the impression there was only one shuttle bus.) I asked him if he could take me to my campsite.

Taxi driver: is it just yourself?
Me: Yes
TD: Ehhhh…to be honest, it’s not really worth it for me to drive you
Me: what do you mean?
TD: if there was more of you I would do it but it’s just yourself so…it’s not really worth it
Me: [emoji52]

How bizarre. Are you a taxi driver or what? That’s what I should have asked but my head was still all over the place after that hellish boat journey - I wasn't sure how to respond. I was then pointed in the direction of the woman who runs the campsite I was going to and told that she would happily take my bags but typically doesn't give campers lifts. I thought that was weird. I considered hiring a bike but it was 15 quid a day and this wasn’t a cycling holiday for me, it was a photography one. The bike shop guy was a bit short with me as well so thought nah, forget it. I had to walk an hour to my campsite. 20 minutes into the walk "shit" I remember I don’t have any food. No worries, according to Google maps there’s a Spar along the road so I’ll go there.

Was there f**k a Spar. Instead I was met with this:

My heart sank when I realised I would have to make the pilgrimage back to the village shop later. Oh well, lets take advantage of the "free entry" and have a nosy inside, it might be interesting...oh.


It was, quite literally, a shitehole. What was once I'm presuming a wee Eigg museum was now a forgotten disaster, stinking of sheep pish and shite. Wtf is this island all about I thought? I carried on to the campsite. After pitching the tent I told my hosts I needed to go back to the village to buy food. They were also happened to be going to the shops anyway and I thought to myself, great I'll be able to hitch a lift. But no - At first they offered to go and do my shopping for me instead - this wouldn’t suffice because I needed to see what was actually in the village shop first. Then they suggested I take a taxi and I told them about my earlier experience. Eventually, as if they had just tried to do everything they could to avoid it, I was offered the lift. I thought it might be a covid fear but other people who were holidaying in one of their lodges were getting lifts no bother. I got my dinner at that cafe that VT mentions - it was a well needed good scran. Despite that, my first impressions of Eigg had not been particularly great. 
Day 2
The following day I go out with my camera scoping out positions to take shots later that evening. There was a pizza oven at the bottom of the hill where my campsite was and tonight was pizza night, so I got one and that was good. Following dinner I get a nice sunset shot looking towards Rum. I have a beer and make myself a beach fire as the last of the light fades.

I make the short march back up to my campsite and I’m met with some locals standing around a fire pit where the pizza oven is, listening to tunes and having a bevy. Excellent I thought - perhaps a chance to get some chat going and have a few beers. I approach them and they speculate as to who I am as I approach the fire.

Locals: is that you John? 
Me: *chuckles* no, no…I’m not from here.
Locals: “ah right okay.” *they turn away from me* “Anyway as I was saying…”

I stood in awkward silence for a few seconds, expecting someone out of this group of 8+ people to say "so what's you name?", "do you fancy a beer mate?" - anything! Just as I was about to leave, the guy next to me starts chatting to me - and it's none other than taxi driver. He didn't say hi or how are you getting on etc -  he said:

TD: are you on instagram by any chance?
Me: Ehh...yeah?
TD: Aye...you look like someone that would be on that.
Me: *awkward laughter* okay
TD: you've got a face for Twitter
Me: Right...
I walked away and head up the hill to my tent. I couldn't believe how much of a w**k this guy was, throwing weird insults at me for no reason. It was simply bizarre.
 
Day 3
It was my last day on the island. I packed my stuff and this time successfully got a taxi from Charlies Taxi (the "official" island taxi) to the village. Charlie was friendly and good chat. I dumped my stuff at the village shop area and walked out to Massacre Cave. Massacre cave was really cool, I was taken aback by how deep the cave travels into the cliffside. I returned to the shop with about 2 and a half hours to spare and I sat down outside. I was booked on the 1630 ferry back to the mainland and had planned to spend as much of the day as I could exploring. However it had got to the point where I had lost all motivation and just wanted to leave.  I was scunnered with the place. It was a shame really. As I waited for the ferry I noticed that many of the locals were just hanging about outside the shop drinking lager. Taxi driver was one of them as well (he didn't acknowledge me). One boy cracks open a bottle of whisky. These guys were just sitting about getting on the bevy at 2pm on a Monday afternoon, no one appeared to be working. Island life for you I suppose.
For those who don't know, the people of Eigg own the island. They bought it in 2007 or thereabouts in a community buyout. There appears to be a very tight knit community there and at first I thought that was great and nice to see. However the vibe I was getting from the majority of them was that I was a tourist and they weren't interested - "this is our island" kind of thing. The community all hanging out together and getting pissed was a common theme. It honestly felt like it was one big clique and we, the tourists, weren't in it. I felt reasonable requests were often met with short answers and I often felt like I was hassling people. People generally didn't come across as warm and welcoming. I've been to almost all the islands accessible via Calmac ferry. The majority of the Outer Hebrides, Colonsay, Jura, Coll, Tiree, Lismore - you name it and there's a good chance I've been. I have never had a similar experience at any of these places. I can only put it down to the whole ownership of the island thing. People shouldn't be put off by my experience, Eigg is actually a beautiful wee island - geologically it is very interesting and that alone is enough to make me want to revisit. I would like to tick off Canna and Muck one day as well. But yeah, I pretty odd and disappointing experience tbh.

[welshbairn]

Sounds like the bike hire guy runs the island. 

[thistledo]

On 06/10/2021 at 19:55, jamamafegan said:

I’ve been meaning to post my thoughts on my Small Isles visit for ages, so here we go. 

Following your advice I stayed on Rum for 3 days. I liked Rum. The woodlands around Kinloch are quite nice. I attempted to climb Askival however an hour into the climb I was getting emails from my work about the job I was doing on the island - annoyingly I had to turn back. May have been a blessing in disguise however as the weather wasn’t great that day, I’ll need to return another time. I didn’t get to try Kim’s Kitchen because the accommodation I was in provided all my meals. The people I met on Rum were friendly and up for a chinwag. I don't have much else to add because work took up the majority of my time!

I left Rum on the Friday and returned to Mallaig. I had dinner in the Steam Inn and guzzled several pints between there and another boozer where I chatted to locals and holiday makers. Good crack. I slept in my car and awoke the next morning for my 0730 sailing to Eigg...

Day 1

The usual Calmac ferry for the small isles was being repaired, so I was on a wee catarmaran for about 4 hrs as we went to every island before going to Eigg. The swell was large and the boat was being throw about. It was so bad the skipper told one unlucky couple who were planning on visiting Canna for the day that he wasn’t returning there to pick people up. Unfortunately I have awful sea legs and I spent the majority of the sailing in a fetal position and then in the toilet where my guts were violently exploding out of both ends simultaneously.

Eventually we arrived at Eigg. I was completely disoriented and white as a sheet when I stepped foot on the island. I went to Eigg with no plan, I figured I would just go with the flow. I knew there was a taxi shuttle on the island to get me to the campsite. I’m pointed in the direction of a chap who drives a minibus (NOTE: for those who have been to the island, this was not “Charlie’s Taxi” - it was another guy but I was under the impression there was only one shuttle bus.) I asked him if he could take me to my campsite.

Taxi driver: is it just yourself?
Me: Yes
TD: Ehhhh…to be honest, it’s not really worth it for me to drive you
Me: what do you mean?
TD: if there was more of you I would do it but it’s just yourself so…it’s not really worth it
Me:

How bizarre. Are you a taxi driver or what? That’s what I should have asked but my head was still all over the place after that hellish boat journey - I wasn't sure how to respond. I was then pointed in the direction of the woman who runs the campsite I was going to and told that she would happily take my bags but typically doesn't give campers lifts. I thought that was weird. I considered hiring a bike but it was 15 quid a day and this wasn’t a cycling holiday for me, it was a photography one. The bike shop guy was a bit short with me as well so thought nah, forget it. I had to walk an hour to my campsite. 20 minutes into the walk "shit" I remember I don’t have any food. No worries, according to Google maps there’s a Spar along the road so I’ll go there.

Was there f**k a Spar. Instead I was met with this:

My heart sank when I realised I would have to make the pilgrimage back to the village shop later. Oh well, lets take advantage of the "free entry" and have a nosy inside, it might be interesting...oh.


It was, quite literally, a shitehole. What was once I'm presuming a wee Eigg museum was now a forgotten disaster, stinking of sheep pish and shite. Wtf is this island all about I thought? I carried on to the campsite. After pitching the tent I told my hosts I needed to go back to the village to buy food. They were also happened to be going to the shops anyway and I thought to myself, great I'll be able to hitch a lift. But no - At first they offered to go and do my shopping for me instead - this wouldn’t suffice because I needed to see what was actually in the village shop first. Then they suggested I take a taxi and I told them about my earlier experience. Eventually, as if they had just tried to do everything they could to avoid it, I was offered the lift. I thought it might be a covid fear but other people who were holidaying in one of their lodges were getting lifts no bother. I got my dinner at that cafe that VT mentions - it was a well needed good scran. Despite that, my first impressions of Eigg had not been particularly great. 
Day 2
The following day I go out with my camera scoping out positions to take shots later that evening. There was a pizza oven at the bottom of the hill where my campsite was and tonight was pizza night, so I got one and that was good. Following dinner I get a nice sunset shot looking towards Rum. I have a beer and make myself a beach fire as the last of the light fades.

I make the short march back up to my campsite and I’m met with some locals standing around a fire pit where the pizza oven is, listening to tunes and having a bevy. Excellent I thought - perhaps a chance to get some chat going and have a few beers. I approach them and they speculate as to who I am as I approach the fire.

Locals: is that you John? 
Me: *chuckles* no, no…I’m not from here.
Locals: “ah right okay.” *they turn away from me* “Anyway as I was saying…”

I stood in awkward silence for a few seconds, expecting someone out of this group of 8+ people to say "so what's you name?", "do you fancy a beer mate?" - anything! Just as I was about to leave, the guy next to me starts chatting to me - and it's none other than taxi driver. He didn't say hi or how are you getting on etc -  he said:

TD: are you on instagram by any chance?
Me: Ehh...yeah?
TD: Aye...you look like someone that would be on that.
Me: *awkward laughter* okay
TD: you've got a face for Twitter
Me: Right...
I walked away and head up the hill to my tent. I couldn't believe how much of a w**k this guy was, throwing weird insults at me for no reason. It was simply bizarre.
 
Day 3
It was my last day on the island. I packed my stuff and this time successfully got a taxi from Charlies Taxi (the "official" island taxi) to the village. Charlie was friendly and good chat. I dumped my stuff at the village shop area and walked out to Massacre Cave. Massacre cave was really cool, I was taken aback by how deep the cave travels into the cliffside. I returned to the shop with about 2 and a half hours to spare and I sat down outside. I was booked on the 1630 ferry back to the mainland and had planned to spend as much of the day as I could exploring. However it had got to the point where I had lost all motivation and just wanted to leave.  I was scunnered with the place. It was a shame really. As I waited for the ferry I noticed that many of the locals were just hanging about outside the shop drinking lager. Taxi driver was one of them as well (he didn't acknowledge me). One boy cracks open a bottle of whisky. These guys were just sitting about getting on the bevy at 2pm on a Monday afternoon, no one appeared to be working. Island life for you I suppose.
For those who don't know, the people of Eigg own the island. They bought it in 2007 or thereabouts in a community buyout. There appears to be a very tight knit community there and at first I thought that was great and nice to see. However the vibe I was getting from the majority of them was that I was a tourist and they weren't interested - "this is our island" kind of thing. The community all hanging out together and getting pissed was a common theme. It honestly felt like it was one big clique and we, the tourists, weren't in it. I felt reasonable requests were often met with short answers and I often felt like I was hassling people. People generally didn't come across as warm and welcoming. I've been to almost all the islands accessible via Calmac ferry. The majority of the Outer Hebrides, Colonsay, Jura, Coll, Tiree, Lismore - you name it and there's a good chance I've been. I have never had a similar experience at any of these places. I can only put it down to the whole ownership of the island thing. People shouldn't be put off by my experience, Eigg is actually a beautiful wee island - geologically it is very interesting and that alone is enough to make me want to revisit. I would like to tick off Canna and Muck one day as well. But yeah, I pretty odd and disappointing experience tbh.

 

 

 

 

Not a glowing report for Eigg then. I've never been, a one dayer just to see it might be something I'd do, less inclined to bother now. In some ways part of me is surprised how the locals acted and part is not. From the taxi drivers comments it sounds like the get a lot of insta type influencers visiting the island and they don't much care for them, perhaps why they weren't particularly friendly if "you looked like someone who'd be on that". Still sounds like a w**k to be fair. I'm sure I read an article a while back that highlighted the inhabitants as being drunk / drug users and that was all they were really interested in. Not sure how true that is, but the Scottish highlands is full of those types so can imagine not miles from the truth. 

The idea of living on a little island like this genuinely gives me the fear. 

[Le Tout P'ti FC]

Good to be back on Islay, so very good. It has been 22 long months since my last trip.

Came over yesterday to a day of t-shirt weather (mostly). A bit stormy today, but I can cope with that.

[paul wright scores]

I'm intending going to both Shetland and Orkney next summer and wonder which island is deemed to be the better of the two from a tourist perspective from anyone who has been to both.  

 

Cheers

[LongTimeLurker]

Never been to Orkney but looks like you are getting few takers so far which probably means it's much of a muchness in tourist terms. One thing to be aware of is that it's hit and miss with the weather even in the middle of summer, so best to have a plan for things to do when the weather is at its most miserable (Jarlshof or Skara Brae, brochs, museums, etc) and plan what to do when around the forecast as some places are much better on a sunny day and probably not worth the effort if there's low cloud and torrential rain.

[invergowrie arab]

I throughly enjoyed 4 days in Orkney but don't know if I would go back. Feel like I did everything- well worth a trip though.

Missus wants to go to Shetland but I'll need persuading. As someone who has obviously never been it seems horrendously expensive to get to with less to do than Orkney, more spread out and no distilleries.