If you're in the UK, shop before Monday 11th December to get your guidebooks in time for Christmas. Based outside the UK? The last posting dates have now passed but there are other ways you can get our guidebooks. Click here for more information.

Walking on Jura, Islay and Colonsay

23 wild walks in the Southern Hebrides

By Peter Edwards

ISBN

9781852849795

Availability

Published

6 Aug 2019

Edition

Third

Pages

240

Size

17.20 x 11.60 x 1.40cm

Weight

270g

Delivery & Returns

Free 1st Class postage on UK orders. European postage is £3 per item. Worldwide postage is £5 per item. If you're not happy with your purchase for any reason, we'll give you a full refund.
More information...

Guidebook to Jura, Scarba, Islay and Colonsay in the Hebrides, describing 22 walks plus a 5-day 89km trek along Jura's remote west coast. The routes range from 6.5 to 25km and cover rough - and often pathless - terrain suitable for fit, competent walkers. Even the coastal walks offer challenges.

Seasons

Spring and autumn are the best seasons to visit, though these routes can be walked all year round. Winter can be wet and wild with short days, and in summer midges and bracken can be a real problem.

Centres

JURA - Feolin, Craighouse, Tarbert, Ardlussa, Kinuachdrachd, Glengarrisdale, Ruantallain, Cruib, Glenbatrick Bay ISLAY - Port Askaig, Port Ellen, Port Charlotte, Bowmore, Bridgend, Ballygrant, Bunnahabhain, Ardbeg COLONSAY - Scalasaig, Oronsay, Kilchattan, Kiloran SCARBA - Kilmory Lodge, Gleann a' Mhaoil bothy

Difficulty

The west coast of Jura walk, a round of the Paps or an ascent of Cruach Scarba should only be considered by fit, experienced walkers with strong navigational skills, as there are no waymarks and no footpaths. Walking on Islay and Colonsay is more accessible, but still requires navigational competence. All walkers should be equipped for rough terrain and wet weather.

Must See

The wild and remote west coast of Jura - one of the British Isles' last great wilderness walks, with spectacular geological formations and abundant wildlife; the Paps of Jura - a rough, tough hill-walking classic; dramatic land and seascapes from the Islay and Colonsay coasts; the small-island summit of Cruach Scarba, rising from the sea between the infamous tidal races of Corryvreckan and the Grey Dog

ISBN

9781852849795

Availability

Published

6 Aug 2019

Edition

Third

Pages

240

Size

17.20 x 11.60 x 1.40cm

Weight

270g

Overview

This guidebook presents a selection of 23 walking routes on the wild and beautiful southern islands of Scotland's Inner Hebrides, with nine walks on Jura, one on neighbouring Scarba, seven on Islay and five on Colonsay, plus a spectacular 5-day trek along Jura's dramatic west coast.

In addition to clear route description illustrated with 1:50,000 OS mapping, the guide offers practical advice on the various options for getting to the islands, accommodation and amenities. There are suggestions for linking walks and notes on the islands' bothies and wild-camping recommendations, making it easy to devise longer day walks or multi-day itineraries. Also included are fascinating overviews of the islands' rich history, geology, plants and wildlife. Beautiful colour photography completes the package.

The wildest of the southern Hebrides, the walking on Jura is frequently rugged, with many routes crossing remote and often pathless terrain that calls for fitness, self-reliance and navigational competence. The routes on the other islands are somewhat easier, but should still not be underestimated. The routes showcase the islands' magnificent scenery, which is as diverse as it is beautiful, ranging from wild moorland to flower-strewn machair and small pockets of native woodland.

Table of Contents

CONTENTS

Map key

Overview map

Introduction

Jura

Islay

Colonsay

History

Geology

Wildlife

Getting to the Southern Hebrides

Getting between the islands

The routes

Maps and route-finding

Safety and emergencies

What to take

Using this guide

Jura

Walk 1 The Gulf of Corryvreckan

Walk 2 Road End to Glengarrisdale

Walk 3 The west coast walk

Day 1 Ardlussa or Kinuachdrachd to Glengarrisdale

Day 2 Glengarrisdale to Shian Bay

Day 3 Shian Bay to Cruib Lodge

Day 4 Cruib Lodge to Glenbatrick Bay

Day 5 Glenbatrick Bay to Feolin Ferry

Day 5A Glenbatrick Bay to the A846 via Glen Batrick

Walk 4 North Jura coast and glens

Walk 5 Tarbert to Cruib Lodge bothy

Walk 6 Glengarrisdale to Cruib across Jura’s northern hills

Walk 7 Ardlussa to Corpach Bay and Am Miadar

Walk 8 The Paps of Jura

Walk 9 Evans’ Walk to Glenbatrick Bay and return

Walk 10 Glas Bheinn and Dubh Bheinn

Scarba

Walk 11 Cruach Scarba

Islay

Walk 12 Rhuvaal and the north-west coast

Walk 13 An Cladach, McArthur’s Head and the Sound of Islay

Walk 14 An Cladach–Beinn Bheigier circuit

Walk 15 Beinn na Caillich and Beinn Bheigier from Ardtalla

Walk 16 The Oa peninsula

Walk 17 Sanaigmore to Kilchiaran

Walk 18 Ardnave Point

Colonsay

Walk 19 Around Oronsay

Walk 20 South Colonsay coast

Walk 21 Lower Kilchattan to Kiloran Bay

Walk 22 North Colonsay coast

Walk 23 Scalasaig to Kiloran Bay along the Old Road

Appendix A Route summary table

Appendix B Walks on other islands

Appendix C Useful contacts

Appendix D Glossary

Appendix E Further reading

Maps

Maps and route-finding

It is essential that you are equipped with the appropriate maps for undertaking the walks described in this guide. There are few signposts and almost no waymarks or even paths of any kind on the routes covered here, making accurate route-finding all the more important. 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, as well as other natural features that need to be negotiated. This guide incorporates Ordnance Survey Landranger 1:50,000 mapping with highlighted routes. These should be used in conjunction with OS Explorer 1:25,000 maps because of the greater topographic detail they afford. Do not rely solely on the maps in this guidebook. Should you have to abandon your walk and make for the nearest road or habitation, you will need to be able to work out where you are in the wider context.

Wild goat and deer tracks can be useful for negotiating the often challenging terrain on Jura and Islay (there are no deer on Colonsay), but these should be followed with a degree of caution.

The walks described in this guide are covered by the following Ordnance Survey maps:

OS Explorer 1:25,000

Sheet 355 Jura and Scarba Sheet 353 Islay North Sheet 352 Islay Sheet 354 Colonsay and Oronsay

OS Landranger 1:50,000

Sheet 60 Islay Sheet 61 Jura and Colonsay

Driftwood fire at Am Miadar, west coast of Jura

Updates

April 2022

An Cladach bothy - Walks 13 and 14

Having been closed during the pandemic, the bothy will re-open under Dunlossit Estate management at some point in 2022 - under a booking system, for a nominal fee.

August 2021

Colonsay overnight parking

27 August 2021

COLONSAY

We're grateful for this information from Chris Kempster.

'There is a real problem for backpackers/wild campers as there is literally not a single place to park on the island that won't offend landowners or the council (laybys) - as the CalMac car park is currently closed.

Of course you could just go as a foot passenger on the ferry, but there is absolutely no information about the issue of parking on either the CalMac website or the Colonsay tourist website.

The problem is related to OVERNIGHT parking, for those intending to spend a few days on the island backpacking. There is limited parking for day-trippers.

Reviews

We do not yet have any reviews for this book

If you would like to send us a review then please use our contact form. They will be published here shortly.

Downloads

Peter Edwards

Since moving to Scotland from the south of England in 2006, Peter has developed a passion for the Hebrides. He lives at Rhenigidale on the Isle of Harris with his wife, Fiona, and their Labradors, Dougal and Mara.

View author profile