Colonsay and Oronsay in the Firth of Lorne
Contents
- The most revisited islands in Scotland
- The size of the place
- Travel to Colonsay by Ferry or Plane
- Where to stay
- Location, location, location
- Coast
- Heritage sites on Colonsay
- Walking on water to Oronsay
- Heritage sites on Oronsay - from earliest man to St Columba's legacy
- The challenging interior of Colonsay
- Munro-bagging - Colonsay style
- Living the life of a laird
- Eating out and retail therapy - Colonsay style
- Reflections on visiting Colonsay for 25 years
- Ferry to Colonsay: costs and timetabling in 2024
- Geographing Colonsay and Oronsay
The most revisited islands in Scotland
I am not alone in making repeated visits to Colonsay. John Humphries, the previous editor of Scottish Islands Explorer, told me that Colonsay has the highest number of return visitors for any Scottish island. You may feel you can see all that Skye offers in one trip, but Colonsay, promoted as the Jewel of the Hebrides, draws you back time and time again. My first family visit to Colonsay was in 1992 and my most recent, the ninth, was in 2024.
A wonderful place to admire nature's handiwork. Usually very quiet, yet this is the reason why many come to Colonsay.
by Julian Paren
The size of the place
Colonsay and Oronsay are part of the Inner Hebrides off the West Coast of Scotland. The islands lie south of Mull, west of Jura and north of Islay. Colonsay is 10 miles long and 2 miles wide, and is separated from the smaller Isle of Oronsay by the mile-wide Strand, which may be crossed at low water. Together, Colonsay and Oronsay have a population of 124 and eight miles of road.Visitors will find a car useful, but Colonsay is perfect for family cycling; peaceful, safe and fairly flat. Cars are not allowed to cross The Strand to Oronsay.
The ferry approaches in the evening sunshine and cars and their passengers and bicycles will arrive at 11 pm in Oban.
by Julian Paren
Bicycles are a very popular way of exploring Colonsay.
by Julian Paren
Colonsay’s highest hill, Carnan Eoin, is just 469 ft (143 m high), but provides a mountain experience.
A striated rock ridge backed by a fine cairn with two children on the summit.
by Julian Paren
The final route to the top of Carnan Eoin lies around the left hand skyline. This is the highest point of Colonsay. My family has the beach to itself.
by Julian Paren
The whole island provides rugged and attractive scenery on a small scale.
Port Ban from the cliffs of Beinn Bhreac. The lower ground at the seashore beneath the cliffs is called Aoneadh nan Muc, or Pigs Paradise in English.
by Julian Paren
The island has good agricultural land and the island is run as two farms - Balnahard and Machrins.
Seen from the rougher ground beyond the enclosure of fields.
by Julian Paren
There is a grocery shop and post office, a church and a primary school.
A small school which welcomed visitors to an Open Day.
by Julian Paren
The island has been owned by Lord Strathcona and Mount Royal for over 100 years and the family live in style at Colonsay House.
The central part of the house was first built by the McNeill family in 1722. It is a medium-sized Georgian country house. Assumed to have been built on the site of an earlier Abbey, it is the earliest Classical House in Argyll. It has been extended twice in between 1722 and the early 20th century. Since 1904 the house has been the property of the island's owners.
by Julian Paren
Travel to Colonsay by Ferry or Plane
Most people approach Colonsay by sea on a CalMac Ferry. A ferry journey of two to two and a half hours from Oban covers the 36 miles in usually quiet water. The ferry transits the Sound of Kerrera or passes Kerrera on the seaward side and is then sheltered by Mull. In the summer you can make a longer journey from Kennacraig on the Mull of Kintyre or join a ferry in Islay.
Hutcheson's Memorial is visible beyond the hill. The picture was taken on an afternoon sailing to Colonsay from Oban.
by Julian Paren
On an afternoon sail by CalMac ferry to Colonsay. The bulk of Colonsay can be seen on the horizon.
by Julian Paren
An hour after leaving Oban, the ferry enters a stretch of water open to the west, before reaching the shelter of Colonsay and landfall at Scalasaig.
A beautiful evening to sail to Oban.
by Julian Paren
On Wednesdays you can arrive at Colonsay by a smaller ferry, MV Hebridean Isles. If you board at Islay or Kennacraig you can have a day trip of eleven hours, with six hours ashore on Colonsay.
MV Hebridean Isles was the smaller of the two ferries that serviced the Isle of Colonsay in 2008.
MV Hebridean Isles, Eileanan Innse Gall, is a ferry of firsts. Not only was she the first of the fleet to be launched side first, she was also the first to be named by royalty when HRH the Duchess of Kent launched her in 1986.
MV Hebridean Isles, Eileanan Innse Gall, is a ferry of firsts. Not only was she the first of the fleet to be launched side first, she was also the first to be named by royalty when HRH the Duchess of Kent launched her in 1986.
by Julian Paren
For an adventurous day out on Tuesdays and Saturdays in summer, Hebridean Air Services can fly you to Colonsay from Oban airport in a small nine-seater Britten-Norman Islander aircraft. Not as adventurous as it was before 2010, now that you land on a tarmac runway instead of in a grass field with sheep.
Except for these special day-trips, visiting Colonsay requires overnight accommodation on the island.
The flight schedule is Oban-Colonsay-Islay and back, twice on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and once on Saturdays and Sundays. Here, a Thursday afternoon service is seen arriving at NR3593 : Isle of Colonsay: the airfield from Islay bound for Oban.
by Chris Downer
Where to stay
There are a number of properties available for holiday lets. The Colonsay Estate (trading as cottages@colonsayholidays.co.uk) has apartments in Colonsay House, some large farmhouses and smaller cottages to rent.
A property of the Colonsay Estate that can sleep up to 12. Link
. The building was upgraded in 2017. NR3891 : Balerominmore Farm. A comparable picture to this 2024 image was taken in 1997. NR3891 : Balerominmhor Farmhouse.
. The building was upgraded in 2017. NR3891 : Balerominmore Farm. A comparable picture to this 2024 image was taken in 1997. NR3891 : Balerominmhor Farmhouse.by Julian Paren
Both Baleromindubh Farm and Baleromindubh Cottage may be rented for holiday lets from the Colonsay Estate. The cottage is the nearer building. Both properties provide good views over the sea to Jura.
by Julian Paren
The estate has provided a Backpackers Lodge with WiFi. The Lodge consists of a Victorian former gamekeeper's house and two traditional stone bothies adjacent to the house.
A private hostel run by Colonsay Estates.
by M J Richardson
There is a fine hotel, The Colonsay which is independently owned,
The Colonsay Hotel was built in 1750 as an inn for the local population and the rare visitor, and the exterior has remained largely unchanged. It has an enviable reputation. See Link
by Julian Paren
There are a few B&Bs, and a growing number of privately owned houses and cottages that are available to rent.
With a raised beach between it and its neighbour.
by Russel Wills
Motor homes and caravans are not allowed entry to the island. I have always been amazed that the cars that arrive by ferry in Scalasaig just seem to vanish, because the natural places to park a car when exploring the island are seldom busy.
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