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Highlights
Join us as we explore some of Scotland’s wonderful lesser-known islands! Based in an excellent guest house just outside Oban, we will be taking a series of day trips to 5 different islands, as well as exploring some fascinating corners of the Argyll coast. Nestled amidst the stunning landscapes of Scotland's west coast, Lismore, Luing, Kerrera, Easdale and Seil collectively make a fabulous destination for island-loving walkers. Tranquil, beautiful, and definitely off the beaten track, these enchanting islands all have their own unique charm. Lismore boasts lush greenery, historic ruins, and some excellent hikes. Its strategic location at the junction of 3 important sea lochs means that the views to the mainland and Mull are never less than spectacular. Kerrera is a treat for nature lovers and history buffs alike. Dotted with beautiful woodlands the island has two excellent walks and is a great place for spotting otters and other marine life. Its historical highlight is Gylen Castle, perched dramatically atop a rocky promontory overlooking the sea. Seil, Easdale and Kerrera make up the Slate Isles, where mining for slate continued for almost a thousand years, up to the early 20th century. These days the islands are quiet and beautiful backwaters, offering gorgeous walking along rugged coastal paths. There are dramatic seascapes at every turn, secluded beaches to discover and, every now again, startling reminders of the islands’ slate quarrying past. As well as island hopping, we will also take you to Kilmartin Glen, the ancient seat of the Gaelic kingdom of Dalriada and an archaeological treasure trove of standing stones, ancient forts and mysterious rock carvings. |
2025 Dates:
Sat 17th - Fri 23rd May 8 spaces left Sat 14th - Fri 20th June 7 places left How long: 6 nights, 5 days walking Grade: Easy / Moderate (see our Grading Information page for more details on how we grade our tours) Start: Oban Price: £1,925 Single supplement £160. ***£50 discount for returning clients!*** |
Tour Details (please note that this schedule may be subject to change depending on weather conditions during the trip).
Included meals are shown as follows: B - breakfast; D - dinner
DAY 1 - TRAVEL TO OBAN (D)
The tour starts at Oban train station at 2pm. After meeting up we will spend the afternoon exploring this charming Victorian seaside resort before heading off to our Guest House which is a few miles outside of the town.
DAY 2 - LISMORE (B, D)
Our first full day will be spent on the lovely island of Lismore. Its Gaelic name, Lios Mor, means the Great Garden and it is surprisingly lush and fertile for a Hebridean island. Our walk will take us to both the east and west coasts of Lismore, as well as its two finest archaeological features - the 2,000 year old Tirefour Broch and Castle Coeffin, the 13th Century stronghold of the Clan MacDougall.
DAY 3 - SEIL AND EASDALE (B, D)
Two islands in one day! We will start by crossing the Bridge Over the Atlantic, the historic stone bridge which will take us across a narrow sea sound to the island of Seil. Here we will explore part of its beautiful southern shore where we will be rewarded with outstanding views to the many small islands that are dotted along this part of the Argyll coast. After lunch we will take the tiny ferry for the 5 minute crossing to Easdale, where we will spend an enjoyable couple of hours exploring this beautiful and atmospheric island. Easdale is quite unique - it is completely car-free, has flooded slate quarries that look like ancient meteorite craters, and is an excellent location for wildlife watching.
DAY 4 - KILMARTIN & THE KNAPDALE BEAVERS (B, D)
Time for a day off from our island hopping! We will start the day by driving south to the isolated peninsula of Knapdale, home to Britain's longest established beaver colony. Here we will enjoy a fine walk around a freshwater loch and, whilst it unlikely we will see these secretive ecological engineers, there will be abundant signs that they have been hard at work! After this we will walk in Kilmartin Glen, where outstanding archaeology awaits around every corner. As well as visiting some excellent standing stones and stone circles, we will also climb up to Dunadd, a 2,000 year old fort where boot shaped carvings in the bedrock mean we can literally stand in the footsteps of ancient Gaelic kings. At the end of the day we will take a short drive to Achnabreck, where another great little hike will take us to the finest rock carvings in Britain.
DAY 5 - LUING (B, D)
It's back to the Slate Islands today, where we will take the short ferry crossing to the island of Luing. Another former slate quarrying centre, these days Luing is a quiet, friendly island with superb walking and a real feeling of remoteness and tranquility. Our circular hike will give us a wonderful introduction to this fascinating island. Out to sea we will get great views of the Garvellachs, Shuna, Scarba and the many other islands that make up this spectacular and complex part of the Inner Hebrides.
DAY 6 - KERRERA (B, D)
Our final full day exploring the islands will take us to the little island of Kerrera, just south of Oban. Though small, Kerrera is a wonderful place to visit and our superb final walk of the week will take us right round the southern part of the island. Along the way we will visit the imposing ruins of Gylen Castle, built in 1530 to control the important sea routes around the island. As well as offering gorgeous walking, the island is a great place for spotting marine wildlife. Oh, and there's an excellent teashop at the end of the day too!
DAY 7 - DEPART (B)
After breakfast we will pack our bags and you will be dropped off back in Oban at 08:45 in time for the morning train back to Glasgow.
Included meals are shown as follows: B - breakfast; D - dinner
DAY 1 - TRAVEL TO OBAN (D)
The tour starts at Oban train station at 2pm. After meeting up we will spend the afternoon exploring this charming Victorian seaside resort before heading off to our Guest House which is a few miles outside of the town.
DAY 2 - LISMORE (B, D)
Our first full day will be spent on the lovely island of Lismore. Its Gaelic name, Lios Mor, means the Great Garden and it is surprisingly lush and fertile for a Hebridean island. Our walk will take us to both the east and west coasts of Lismore, as well as its two finest archaeological features - the 2,000 year old Tirefour Broch and Castle Coeffin, the 13th Century stronghold of the Clan MacDougall.
DAY 3 - SEIL AND EASDALE (B, D)
Two islands in one day! We will start by crossing the Bridge Over the Atlantic, the historic stone bridge which will take us across a narrow sea sound to the island of Seil. Here we will explore part of its beautiful southern shore where we will be rewarded with outstanding views to the many small islands that are dotted along this part of the Argyll coast. After lunch we will take the tiny ferry for the 5 minute crossing to Easdale, where we will spend an enjoyable couple of hours exploring this beautiful and atmospheric island. Easdale is quite unique - it is completely car-free, has flooded slate quarries that look like ancient meteorite craters, and is an excellent location for wildlife watching.
DAY 4 - KILMARTIN & THE KNAPDALE BEAVERS (B, D)
Time for a day off from our island hopping! We will start the day by driving south to the isolated peninsula of Knapdale, home to Britain's longest established beaver colony. Here we will enjoy a fine walk around a freshwater loch and, whilst it unlikely we will see these secretive ecological engineers, there will be abundant signs that they have been hard at work! After this we will walk in Kilmartin Glen, where outstanding archaeology awaits around every corner. As well as visiting some excellent standing stones and stone circles, we will also climb up to Dunadd, a 2,000 year old fort where boot shaped carvings in the bedrock mean we can literally stand in the footsteps of ancient Gaelic kings. At the end of the day we will take a short drive to Achnabreck, where another great little hike will take us to the finest rock carvings in Britain.
DAY 5 - LUING (B, D)
It's back to the Slate Islands today, where we will take the short ferry crossing to the island of Luing. Another former slate quarrying centre, these days Luing is a quiet, friendly island with superb walking and a real feeling of remoteness and tranquility. Our circular hike will give us a wonderful introduction to this fascinating island. Out to sea we will get great views of the Garvellachs, Shuna, Scarba and the many other islands that make up this spectacular and complex part of the Inner Hebrides.
DAY 6 - KERRERA (B, D)
Our final full day exploring the islands will take us to the little island of Kerrera, just south of Oban. Though small, Kerrera is a wonderful place to visit and our superb final walk of the week will take us right round the southern part of the island. Along the way we will visit the imposing ruins of Gylen Castle, built in 1530 to control the important sea routes around the island. As well as offering gorgeous walking, the island is a great place for spotting marine wildlife. Oh, and there's an excellent teashop at the end of the day too!
DAY 7 - DEPART (B)
After breakfast we will pack our bags and you will be dropped off back in Oban at 08:45 in time for the morning train back to Glasgow.
The holiday starts and ends in Oban. Your guide will meet you outside the entrance of Oban railway station at 2.00pm.
Oban is easily accessible by train from Glasgow. Tickets can be booked from www.scotrail.co.uk.
Please note that all train tickets should be purchased in advance of travel. The cheapest tickets are released about 12 weeks before travel. If you go to the Ticket Alert page on the Trainline website - www.thetrainline.com/ticketalert - you can sign up for an email alert when these cheap tickets are released.
Coaches
The following operator offers coach services from Glasgow and Edinburgh to Oban:
www.citylink.co.uk
Please note that all coach tickets must be purchased in advance of travel. We recommend that you do this as soon as you book your holiday as coaches can get booked up.
Cars
If you wish to drive to Oban you will be able to leave your car at our guest house.
Oban is easily accessible by train from Glasgow. Tickets can be booked from www.scotrail.co.uk.
Please note that all train tickets should be purchased in advance of travel. The cheapest tickets are released about 12 weeks before travel. If you go to the Ticket Alert page on the Trainline website - www.thetrainline.com/ticketalert - you can sign up for an email alert when these cheap tickets are released.
Coaches
The following operator offers coach services from Glasgow and Edinburgh to Oban:
www.citylink.co.uk
Please note that all coach tickets must be purchased in advance of travel. We recommend that you do this as soon as you book your holiday as coaches can get booked up.
Cars
If you wish to drive to Oban you will be able to leave your car at our guest house.
What's Included: 6 nights accommodation, 5 days walking. Accommodation at local quality B&Bs / guest houses*, with full Scottish or continental breakfasts. Packed lunches. Evening meals at local restaurants (included meals are detailed in the itinerary).
All transport during the holiday, including all ferry crossings. Transport is provided by our comfortable, modern minibuses. The services of an experienced walk leader.
What's Not Included: Food & drinks at any cafes we may visit. Entrance to any visitor attractions. Alcoholic drinks. Restaurant tips. Travel insurance.
Accommodation: We will be staying at the lovely Elderslie Guest House, which is sited in a very peaceful location a couple of miles south of Oban. The rooms are modern, comfortable and all have ensuite bathrooms. Breakfasts are continental only, but are extremely good with a wide range of delicious options.
All transport during the holiday, including all ferry crossings. Transport is provided by our comfortable, modern minibuses. The services of an experienced walk leader.
What's Not Included: Food & drinks at any cafes we may visit. Entrance to any visitor attractions. Alcoholic drinks. Restaurant tips. Travel insurance.
Accommodation: We will be staying at the lovely Elderslie Guest House, which is sited in a very peaceful location a couple of miles south of Oban. The rooms are modern, comfortable and all have ensuite bathrooms. Breakfasts are continental only, but are extremely good with a wide range of delicious options.
Easy / Moderate.
These holidays go at a gentle pace, with plenty of time to stop, take pictures, soak up the atmosphere and watch the wildlife. However, they are still walking holidays, so you will need to be able to cope with a reasonable amount of hiking each day. As a guide, you should be able to manage small uphill sections of up to 100m / 300ft at a time, be comfortable walking for 4 - 5 hours and 9 - 11 km / 6 - 7 miles or so each day, and be confident walking away from paths - for example over rough, grassy hillsides.
We try to keep to easy ground as much as possible on these walks, but there will be some areas where the going can be a little rough and quite wet underfoot, so good hiking boots are essential. We don't tackle any big hills on these walks but there are usually some modest uphill sections each day.
See our Grading Information page for more information about how we grade our holidays.
These holidays go at a gentle pace, with plenty of time to stop, take pictures, soak up the atmosphere and watch the wildlife. However, they are still walking holidays, so you will need to be able to cope with a reasonable amount of hiking each day. As a guide, you should be able to manage small uphill sections of up to 100m / 300ft at a time, be comfortable walking for 4 - 5 hours and 9 - 11 km / 6 - 7 miles or so each day, and be confident walking away from paths - for example over rough, grassy hillsides.
We try to keep to easy ground as much as possible on these walks, but there will be some areas where the going can be a little rough and quite wet underfoot, so good hiking boots are essential. We don't tackle any big hills on these walks but there are usually some modest uphill sections each day.
See our Grading Information page for more information about how we grade our holidays.
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