Scottish island adventures
There’s nothing quite like a trip to a Scottish island. The excitement of standing on the ferry deck and seeing your destination getting closer is matched by the joy of discovering some of Scotland’s most beautiful landscapes or the thrill of spotting some iconic wildlife. An island adventure is an experience you won’t soon forget.
The gentler pace of life on many of Scotland’s islands is intoxicating, and provides the perfect backdrop for a family day trip or overnight stay. Here are our tips for the best Scottish islands to visit.
Arran
Arran is easily accessed from Ardrossan ferry terminal on the west coast of the Scottish mainland, making it the perfect choice for day trips. You’ll be delighted you saved on travel time when you discover how much there is to see and do on this island known as ‘Scotland in miniature’.
Brodick Castle is Arran’s best historical attraction. It’s a baronial castle teeming with history and is surrounded by picturesque gardens, woodlands and waterfalls. It’s ideal for families with young children – there are fun walking trails in the country park, an interactive visitor experience in the castle, and the amazing Isle Be Wild play area, where children can discover their inner explorer!
Plan your visit to Brodick Castle, Garden & Country Park
For adventurous, outdoorsy types, there’s also the opportunity to climb the jagged peaks of Goatfell, the highest point of the island. It’s a steep climb that’s rough in places, but the summit (874m/2,867ft) offers spectacular views across the Firth of Clyde and over Arran.
Staffa
You’ll never forget your first visit to Staffa. This tiny island, just off the coast of Mull, looks as if it could be from another planet! The approach by boat will give you a front-row view of the jaw-dropping hexagonal columns, which formed millions of years ago from volcanic eruptions and vast lava flows.
Staffa is home to black guillemots and fulmars, and in the summer visitors can enjoy a picnic on the top of the island in the company of the local puffins. On the south side of the island is the famous Fingal’s Cave, hollowed out by years of crashing waves. Its dramatic acoustics inspired the composer Felix Mendelssohn to write his ‘Hebrides Overture’.
Iona
Keen island hoppers might think about visiting Iona and Staffa in the same day, but don’t be surprised if you get to this spiritual haven and decide to stay a bit longer. Steeped in religious history – it has been a gateway to Christianity in Scotland since AD563 and has a connection to the famous Book of Kells – Iona has a unique sense of tranquillity in the air.
Our favourite things to do include visiting the burial sites of early Scottish kings, strolling along the sumptuous white sand beaches, keeping an ear out for corncrakes in the summer, and climbing to the top of Dùn Ì to visit the Well of Eternal Youth. You can even enjoy a free game of golf on the island’s 18-hole course. Just keep an eye on the time so you don’t miss the last ferry!
St Kilda
St Kilda is the UK’s only dual UNESCO World Heritage site, which recognises its international significance in natural and cultural heritage. It is now home to almost 1 million seabirds and was the former home of one of Scotland’s most remote island communities, who lived here for at least 4,000 years.
Reaching the ‘islands at the edge of the world’ isn’t always easy, but you’re in for a one-of-a-kind experience. As you approach, you’ll see the huge colonies of gannets, fulmars and Atlantic puffins that nest on the islands, as they serenade visitors with their cries from the cliffs and sea stacks. As well as the seabirds there are other rare wildlife species on the island too, including the St Kilda field mouse and the flock of feral Soay sheep.
Canna
This small island to the south-west of Skye is well worth a visit for anyone with an interest in history or wildlife. It’s thought that Canna has been inhabited since 5000BC, and the small community who still live there today are ready to give you a friendly welcome and no doubt share some fascinating stories from the past.
Find your way to the Punishment Stone and see the hole into which badly behaved islanders had their thumbs wedged. Bring your binoculars to get a good view of the 20,000 or so seabirds that breed along the coastline. Or head to Canna House to watch the bees buzzing around lush lawns and colourful floral borders.
Mull
A popular destination for anyone travelling up the west coast, the Isle of Mull is a great place to bring the family for any length of time. There’s plenty to see and do, like visiting the famous town of Tobermory to see the colourful homes and try some freshly caught fish, climbing Ben More (the only island Munro apart from those on Skye), and stopping at Duart Castle to learn about the Maclean clan.
For an extra adventure, and to put your walking boots to good use, set a course for the Burg peninsula on the banks of Loch Scridain. The closest you can get by car is the village of Tiroran – this remote part of the island feels truly wild. The rugged scenery is home to some unique sites such as the enormous MacCulloch’s fossil tree (a 50 million-year-old imprint of a tree trunk in the cliff) and remains of settlements and burial cairns from the Bronze Age, Iron Age and 19th century. Keep an eye out to sea where you may catch a glimpse of minke whales, basking sharks or otters.
Fair Isle
If you’re looking for a super-size adventure, Fair Isle offers a chance to get very far away from the busy mainland! Located between Orkney and Shetland, getting here means a journey by boat or even a small plane. Upon arrival, you’ll find a thriving and welcoming community of mostly craftspeople, conservationists, boat-builders and crofters (along with a rich variety of migrating birds).
Experience first-hand the expert spinning, weaving and knitting skills of the local people who make the famous Fair Isle jumpers. At either end of the island is a Stevenson lighthouse – the 3-mile walk from one to the other is a great chance to do some birdwatching.
Other National Trust for Scotland islands
The Trust also cares for the islands of Mingulay, Pabbay & Berneray in the Hebrides, Bucinch & Ceardach in Loch Lomond, the Murray Isles in Wigtown Bay, and parcels of land in Unst & Yell in Shetland.
Mingulay, Pabbay and Berneray are wild, uninhabited islands. All three islands have very high and dangerous cliffs. Landing is from a small boat onto a rocky foreshore and can be difficult. There are no visitor facilities on these islands.
The islands of Unst and Yell can be visited all year round and have small towns and villages with restaurants, cafés and a selection of shops.
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Join todayFeatured Places
Brodick Castle
Gardens, woodland, waterfalls and a castle packed with treasures make this a must-visit on Arran
St Kilda
Fragments of the past haunt these islands, now home to the UK’s largest colony of Atlantic puffins
Staffa
Volcanic rock columns are home to black guillemots, fulmars, puffins and the magical Fingal’s Cave
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