Explore Jura, Islay and Colonsay with a Cicerone guidebookK

• Location
• Description
• Contents
• Introduction
• Sample Route
• Maps
• Updates
• Further Reading

The Southern Hebrides are an undiscovered walker’s paradise – the west coast of Jura has dramatic geology, glorious empty beaches and abundant wildlife, Islay is famous for its birdlife, its historical sites and its distilleries and Colonsay has a tranquil character all of its own that echoes much of the natural splendour of its neighbours.

The terrain can be tough and trackless but the clear descriptions in this guide will introduce experienced walkers to some of the finest wilderness walking in the British Isles. This guidebook provides detailed descriptions of 12 challenging coastal and hill walks on the often rugged, but sublimely beautiful islands of the Southern Hebrides including an epic five-day route around the west coast of Jura. The 11 day routes range from 3 to 19 miles long whilst the five-day coastal walk covers 48 miles.

These are mostly demanding routes suitable only for fit, competent and well-equipped walkers. The terrain is extremely varied and often challenging, and almost entirely without waymarks or established footpaths. However, the rewards for the adventurous walker are manifold. The routes included in this guidebook traverse some breathtakingly beautiful scenery full of historical interest and are alive with a profusion of plants and wildlife. Even walking on the coastal routes is far from straightforward as there are many impassable sections where the shoreline has to be abandoned for higher ground or other natural features need to be negotiated.