Isle of Kerrera

The Isle of Kerrera is located directly opposite the town of Oban in the Argyll and Bute district and is a small, inhabited island in the Inner Hebrides. It is one of the easiest of the Argyll Isles to visit. Kerrera is great for a day visit from the mainland, but also offers several accommodation options, so you could do an overnighter or a few days on the island to really enjoy the atmosphere and explore the whole island either on foot or by bike. It is a great island to visit for a short break or holiday in Scotland.

The ferry across to the island of Kerrera is a mere 5-minute crossing and covers the lovely, clear waters between Kerrera and the mainland. The ferry port is a short 5 to 10 minutes’ drive down a single-track road from the centre of the town of Oban in Argyll and Bute. It's encouraged to walk or bike to the ferry to reduce traffic on this road. There is a second option to reach the island at the North end – the Waypoint Marina offers a water taxi that can be booked in advance via their website. This is a 10–15-minute crossing and departs from the centre of Oban at the North Pier.

Kerrera Tearooms and Garden

The walk to the tearooms and the castle is about an hour to an hour and 15 minutes’ walk from the ferry terminal at the south end. This walk is a scenic route to take after you've disembarked the ferry. You go past Balliemore Farm on your right, on the West coast of the island, and you go towards Upper and Lower Gylen. The famous Kerrera Tearooms and Garden are located about an hour into this walk, and Gylen Castle is located an extra pleasant 20 minutes’ walk from the tearooms.

The tearooms offer a perfect halfway point along this southern circuit route. A perfect place to stop for elevenses with a cup of hot tea or coffee and a fresh, homemade cake, such as Lemon Drizzle, Chocolate Brownie, or the seasonal Rhubarb and Custard slice! Alternatively, time your journey to stop for lunch if you're ravenous - think homemade fresh lentil soup, traditional Scottish Stovies, filled bread rolls and a chilled drink. Kerrera Tearooms offers a lovely selection of homemade beverages and food, made on-site, and these options include vegetarian and vegan choices. There is a quaint, renovated barn that you can sit in if you encounter bad weather. The tearooms also advocate for ethical consumption. Having their fantastic recycling and compost scheme within the barn and making it easily understood by visitors with clear signage. This building is decorated with cheerful, bright bunting and a variety of old teapots and plants, making it a lovely, kooky, and welcoming area.

Outside, you have got the stunning scenery looking out to the sea and the working farm below the tearooms. There is an assortment of wooden picnic tables to sit at, either in groups or as individuals, on the hill to stop and enjoy the moment. This is a delightfully quirky tea room - you order at the gate of the little white building, and they bring you your order into the garden. There is the option to take away or eat on-site, so if you want to rush off on your bike to your next destination, you can; or you can stop and savour your meal.

The tearooms also have a bunkhouse and accommodation to stay at onsite- a great choice to be able to stay longer on Kerrera for a short break or holiday in Scotland. These tearooms are situated within a working farm with sheep around below the tearooms, and it is lovely in the springtime to see lambing and the ewes with their young lambs nearby. Please ensure dogs are on leads and keep a reasonable distance from livestock during your visit.

Gylen Castle

Gylen Castle is a key place to visit when you go to the island of Kerrera. It also marks a nice, convenient halfway point on the South end of the island to walk to and back to the ferry. The castle is now a ruin, but you can still look around and explore it. This is a free entry site. Although there is no livestock within the castle, there is a colony of breeding Ravens at the castle and sheep around it on the working farmland.

Gylen Castle overlooks the sea on the West coast of the island and is a key historical site within Argyll and the Inner Hebrides. Below the castle is a beautiful, stunning bay and beach area, which is a great place to stop for a picnic, lunch, a swim, or a paddle in the clear water. The views from this side of the island are a great thing to witness on a sunny or stormy day. Gylen Castle is a short 15–to 20-minute walk from the Kerrera Tearooms and is located up a steep hill to reach the ruins. On reaching the castle, you will be provided with beautiful views across the waters and out across the rest of Kerrera.

Gylen Castle has a fascinating and torrid history behind it. In Gaelic, Gylen translates to ‘the castle of fountains’, although there is no running water there now in the present day. Gylen Castle was created and built in 1582 by the MacDougall clan. The MacDougall clan and family are famous in the local area, as they also built the nearby castle of Dunollie, located just outside Oban. It is believed that Gylen Castle was built as a second fortress on the Isle of Kerrera to help defend the area and its surrounding waters. The castle did not even manage 100 years of occupation as another local, neighbouring clan attacked it.

If you were to continue this walking circuit, the wide track continues around to the eastern shore, back to the CalMac ferry port, but it will take about four hours. Therefore, a trip just to the South end of the island can easily be done in a 4–5-hour period, depending on what you want to explore whilst there.