Campervan Adventures
We have made the trip to Colonsay on a fairly regular basis for the last 20 years. Sometimes with family; at other times with friends and very occasionally just the two of us . We have visited in Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. Swam in the the sea; walked in the rain; sat in the sun and cycled in a gale. We have celebrated Birthdays; Christmas; Easter; New Year, Whit and countless other occasions. During that time we have seen Golden Eagles, Corncrakes, Sea Eagles, Seals, piglets, cows, Llamas, goats and plenty of rabbits. Sometimes the journey is joyous with mill pond crossings on the fully booked Calmac ferry. On other occasions the ferry has been cancelled, rearranged and moved before granting us transport to the Island on a sea so rough that it resulted in everyone being sick. In short, over the years, you would think we had seen it all. It would be fair to assume that we had experienced everything Colonsay has to offer, so why go back yet again, in January when there are so many other places to go?
In many ways Colonsay is quite unremarkable. It is not particularly big at only 13km long by 5km at its widest point. It does not benefit from spectacular peaks like some of its neighbours with its high point only 143m above sea level. It has a small collection of shops to spend your money at, and at the time of writing has one cafe and a hotel bar to get refreshments from. It does however benefit from space to unwind; amazing beaches; spectacular views and endless interesting places to explore.
On this trip we were staying at a very well appointed, and very comfortable cottage called Hillside (www.hillside-house.co.uk). Whilst we usually prefer to visit places in our campervan, Colonsay does not cater for campers and the local community do not provide areas for "wild" camping either. Sometimes its is best to just treat yourself and at the same time help the local economy.
To get to the Island you have two real choices. Most visitors use the "regular" ferry service from Oban which takes around 2.5 hours and is operated by Calmac (www.calmac.co.uk). A combination of winter weather, and the maintenance problems caused by an ageing fleet of ships meant that our planned crossing from Oban was cancelled. As an alternative we were able to sail from Kennacraig via Islay and then onto Colonsay. The ferry sailed at 7am, and as a consequence we needed to stay overnight near to the ferry terminal. We managed to find a handy site near Tarbert ( Tarbert Holiday Park Argyll ). It was about 2 or 3 minutes easy drive from the ferry terminal; the facilities were good and it was easy to book.
Your other alternative is to take a flight from Oban. It takes around 30 minutes or so (Hebridean Air Services Timetables ).
Whilst a bit further to drive, and not my first choice of crossing, it does have some compensation. If you are in no particular hurry, and are on the market for a mini cruise then this might be just the ticket. The route takes you to Islay before heading North in the channel between Islay and Jura.
On this occasion, once a few passengers had disembarked at Islay we had the ferry pretty much to ourselves and the car deck was weirdly empty
For anyone visiting Colonsay for the first time there are a few must do's. Probably top of the list would be a visit to Kiloran Bay. This is a scenic sweep of fine sand set in a magnificent bay. You can run, walk, swim and sit around on this never crowded stretch of coastline.
We have recently got into bodyboarding, and during the trip managed to brave a dip twice. Wetsuits were essential, but we had lots of fun on our boards from (Dick Pearce Bellyboards ). They are easier to transport in you van than a conventional surfboard and we had just as many thrills.
Another place that is a must, tides permitting, is Oronsay. This is a smaller island, cut off by the tide just off the southern tip of Colonsay. Reached by a walk, or mountain bike ride, across the exposed sea bed known as the Strand Oronsay is an RSPB reserve. A half hour or so walk will get you to the priory, which seems to be the main destination for most. For those who walk a little further you can find some of the cleanest, and most amazing white sand beaches to be found. Make sure to take advice about the tides and times from the local post office. The postmaster puts up a monthly summary of the tides for you to use.
On the day we visited, despite it being January, we were able to find sheltered places in the sun that were warm enough to enjoy a leisurely picnic.
During the trip we could have also visited Balnahard bay, Pigs Paradise, Ardskeneish, Cable bay, Colonsay house and much more.
For first time visitor Colonsay has plenty to offer, and I hope this blog has given you a flavour. For the long term visitor it keeps giving, and every time we spend time on the island we experience something new; or somewhere different. Thats why we go back.
My top tips for a visit would be
Get the map
Do some essential reading
Lonely Colonsay is a must have book with lots of local information, walks and detail. Click the link below to see more details.
Colonsay and Oronsay (Islands): Amazon.co.uk: Newton, Norman S.: 9780715392393: Books
Colonsay, One Of The Hebrides: Its Plants, Their Local Names And Uses, Legends, Ruins And Place-Names, Gaelic Names Of Birds, Fishes, Etc.: Amazon.co.uk: McNeill, Murdoch: 9780548481257: Books
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