Isle of Easdale
Scotland's Adventure CoastThe Isle of Easdale is in Argyll and the Isles and is located South of the town of Oban on Scotland’s adventure coast. Easdale Island is one of the famous Slate Islands (along with Seil and Luing) and is an exciting and diverse place to visit. It was part of a bustling Slate quarrying industry on the Isles. Easdale has a population of roughly 61 people. The island is made up of 62 acres and much of this is the flooded quarry areas. It is the smallest permanently inhabited island in the Inner Hebrides and is necessary for your list.
It is an approximate 30-minute drive from the centre of Oban town through beautiful scenery and the delightful island of Seil, which connects to the mainland via a small bridge, known as the ‘Bridge over the Atlantic’. After passing through Seil, you reach the ferry terminal in Ellenabeich, which takes you across to Easdale Island. The ferry is a mere 5-minute crossing from the Isle of Seil. Easdale Island is the perfect location for a short break or holiday in Scotland and makes the perfect base for a stay in Argyll.
Home of the World Stone Skimming Championships
Head on a day trip from Oban – or stay a while!Photos by Katy Runacres, Kelpie Media
Good to know!
Plan ahead to make the most of your visit.- Ferry: The Easdale ferry usually departs every half an hour throughout the day with the crossing only taking 5 minutes. Please ensure to check the timetable to see confirm winter vs summer crossings times. The ferry departs from the Isle of Seil at Ellenabeich. The crossing is for passengers only, as no cars are allowed on the island.
- Parking: There is a free car park in Ellenabeich, just a short walk from public toilets, ferry terminal and pub. There are no cars allowed on Easdale.
- Toilets: There are no public toilets on the island.
- Eat & Drink: The Puffer Bar is the main eatery on the island and offers delicious homemade food and locally sourced seafood such as Langoustines, Haddock and Mussels.
- Shopping: There are some independent small businesses on the island that are well worth supporting. For example, Siabann Eisdeal produces wonderful soaps and toiletries. These make perfect gifts and memories from the island.
- Stay: Limited self-catering accommodation is available; it is recommended to book in advance. It's well worth staying a night or two if you can savour the island and enjoy it fully over a few days.
World Stone Skimming Championships
Easdale Island is probably best known for the World Stone Skimming Championships that it hosts every September and is a main event on the Argyll and Inner Hebrides calendar. The first championship was held in 1997 and continues to this day. It attracts hundreds of people each year from all over the world to compete. There are a number of different competitions to enter. The famous quarry that is used for this event is situated just outside the main settlement if whitewashed workers cottages and past the Easdale Museum.
The whole event is surrounded by a wraparound programme of food, refreshments, live music nights and entertainment. This competition raises a large amount for local charities every year and is run by volunteers. The Easdale Island Community Hall hosts much of the events for this event but also hosts several craft days, gigs, music nights and other performances. This hall plays a key role in community involvement on the island.
Explore the Island's History
The Isle of Easdale is most known for being one of the main slate islands in the Inner Hebrides. Along with the neighbouring islands of Seil, Luing and Belnahua, it was key to the slate mining business for a long time. It is thought that the area was mined for its slate on a small scale since the 12th century. However, the main boom of the industry was the 1700s and 1800s. Within this time period, this natural resource was highly prized, and it is exported to a few countries from this area to places all over the world, including England and America. The industry closed after many years due to several reasons, including severe flooding of some quarries during storms and a change in natural resource popularity – the move from slate towards clay for roofing added to this. Today, there is no mining or extraction taking place in the area.
Easdale Museum
Easdale Museum is a great little museum located in the heart of Easdale, tucked behind some of the whitewashed slate worker cottages near the famous quarry used for the stone skimming championships each year. It offers an insight into the historic slate mining activity in the area, local culture, geology and flora and fauna. It offers an insight into how people lived in the Inner Hebrides and Argyll in the past. It is well worth popping in to support this great, volunteer-run museum after a nice lunch at the Puffer Bar nearby.
Go Wildlife Watching
Easdale is one of the best areas in Argyll and the Isles to try wildlife watching. Otters are a common sight around Easdale. Similarly, you can often see both Harbour and Common seals in the waters – they may even pop their heads up in the clear waters as you make your ferry crossing! Dolphins, Whales and Porpoises are common in the area and are often spotted in the early morning or sunset. Easdale Island is located within a Hope Spot and the Firth of Lorn Marine Special Area of Conservation. This means that the surrounding waters are protected and have some of the most diverse species and healthy waters.
Bird Watching on Easdale
Easdale Island is one of the top locations in Argyll and the Inner Hebrides for birdwatching due to its coastlines and diverse topography. You may be lucky to spot Sea Eagles and Golden Eagles flying along the waters near Easdale. Seabirds and Waders such as Oystercatchers, Shags and Cormorants are often spotted in the waters and on the coastline of Easdale. You may be lucky at certain times of the year to also spot Guillemots, Razorbills and Gannets. Be sure to bring your Binoculars for a good chance of seeing these amazing creatures up close!
Get Active Outside
Wild Swimming on Easdale
There are a few fantastic and accessible wild swimming locations around the island of Easdale. Easdale is famous in Argyll and the Isles for the old slate quarries on the island that were flooded during a bad storm years ago and now make beautiful swimming pools for locals and visitors. The water is clear, deep and on some sunny days looks bright turquoise. The Goddess pool is a great pool to dip in as it has easier access than some of the other pools with a gradual sloping entrance. The pools opposite this pool are a favourite of many visitors as they are enjoyed for a dip.
Please be sure to look at tide times if you are seeking to wild swim in these areas. Please be aware that there could be old equipment at the bottom of some disused quarries. Wild Swimming is own risk and responsibility of individuals.
Walking on Easdale
The main route around the island is a nice, simple walking loop which takes roughly a leisurely hour to complete. You can also ascend to the only summit on the island when you reach the half-way point around the island as there is a pathway that leads directly upwards to it. On reaching the top of the summit (that is in the centre of the island) you can enjoy the stunning views across the water to see local islands including Mull, Luing and Scarba. Here is the perfect spot to have a picnic break and use the Trig point to help identify the islands in the distance.
How to get to Easdale
Planning Your VisitFrom Oban by Car
Follow the A816 south of Oban before coming to a minor road heading west, signposted the ‘Atlantic Bridge’. Cross over this iconic bridge to the Isle of Seil and continue to the village of Ellenabeich. From the pier at Ellenabeich, you can jump on the small, passenger-only ferry to cross the narrow channel to Easdale Island. There's parking available at the ferry port on Seil.
From Oban by Public Transport
Board the West Coast Motors 418 bus from Oban (Station Road) to the Turning Area in Ellenabeich on Seil. The journey takes about 49–59 minutes and runs every three hours. From Seil, board the passenger ferry to Easdale.
Discover the Easdale and beyond!
Head to our blog for more inspiration
5 islands to visit in a day trip from Oban | Argyll & the Isles
The busy town of Oban is known as ‘The Gateway to the Isles’ where you can visit the islands of Isle of Mull, Isle of Iona, Kerrera, Lismore and Coll & Tiree
See & Do | Bridge over the Atlantic | Oban | Isle of Seil
Just 10 miles south of Oban lies the island of Seil, the most northerly of the Slate Isles. Here are six good reasons to cross the Bridge over the Atlantic.
