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My dad let slip he has always wanted to visit some of the Hebrides. I'm busy booking an Easter trip.
I'm noticing that ferries which I thought (years ago) that stopped en-route are now not doing so. For example:
- I thought the Coll & Tiree ferry used to stop at Mull Meaning you could go a few days on Mull then out to Coll & Tiree. Now you have to return to Oban to change ferry.
- the Wednesday Islay to Colonsay now returns to the mainland, no stop on Islay making a day trip not possible on Wednesday. (Complex timetable here anyway).
Is it me imaging these things?
It's awkward to book a week split across a couple of islands without many, many hours on Calmac...(and Iona is a 'must' for him).
Just been on the Coll ferry. It definitely only goes Oban - Coll - Tiree - Coll - Oban
Does it have have to be CalMac? Probably does if you are taking a vehicle but for example I remember going to Jura and Aran on little RIB things whch could only take about eight people fully loaded. Can't remember the names of the companies though and this was before plague.
The might be other options with different timetables. Heresies might be a bit far for the little boats but might be options for island-hopping. Also maybe flights?
Does it have have to be CalMac?
With a 77 year old father with us, it's a car trip realistically.
Give Camlac a phone, as much as they get pelters from islanders, I've always found them exceptionally helpful, often going well beyond good service.
Day trip to Iona from Tiree? https://www.tireeseatours.co.uk/iona Get Fingal's cave in there too.
go from Kennacraig to Islay , spend a day or two on Islay and then catch the Wednesday ferry to colonsay spend a day there and ferry off to Oban on Thursday
go from Kennacraig to Islay , spend a day or two on Islay and then catch the Wednesday ferry to colonsay spend a day there and ferry off to Oban on Thursday
We could - but then we have to stay overnight in Oban as the Colonsay-Oban gets in too late for the last Mull ferry. Which means we have one less day on Mull.
I think we will just miss Colonsay/Oronsay on this one, come off Islay a day earlier and head to Mull a day earlier if the accommodation will have us...
I think my memory from 25 years ago was that the ferries 'joined up' a bit more (we honeymooned around the area)...but perhaps not and perhaps I am pushing water uphill to do two islands in a week.
I don't recall the Coll & Tiree ferry ever stopping at Tobermory. Certainly hasn't done so for about a decade. On a Wed (in Summer only?) it does continue from Tiree to Barra, and back.
Its feasible to do Coll, Tiree, Barra, then up through the Outerhebs and back from Stornoway to Ullapool, or Harris to Uig. Its a lot of time sitting in a car though. What's he hoping to do?
But if you want to do Iona then you need to do Mull, and Mull isn't then connected to anywhere else - but it does have 3 ferries to the mainland. Frazer at Tiree Sea Tours would take you but its an open rib so will be weather dependant - which makes any forward planning tricky.
Calmac ferries do seem less joined up these days.
Definitely no stop at Tobermory on the Tiree sailing.
The dude from Tiree Sea Tours is really good.
Confusingly his brother works for Calmac and must have wondered why I was smiling at him while waiting to board the ferry!
My memory of how it used to be is the same as Matt's. In 2010 I kayaked from Ardnamurchan to Coll, and the bad weather backup for the return was ferry to Tobermory. Did the same trip this year and was surprised to discover that plan wouldn't work.
My memory of how it used to be is the same as Matt’s.
Mine is 25 years ago - but we definitely considered going to Mull for a day, then Tiree & Coll for a couple of days, and instead did Mull for three full days on Honeymoon. It *must* have been possible at one point.
Oh well. Compensation is more time on Mull, Iona, Ulva...
+1 for Tiree Sea Tours. Did the Treshnish Islands with them last year. We’re booked again for Tiree next June, was waiting patiently for tickets to open Monday to ensure we got a spot. I’d happily go there every year but I’d love to do the connection to Barra as well in the summer. If you want any Tiree specific advice drop me a PM as know the place pretty well as being going well over a decade now.