Colonsay – your small island getaway

Scotland may not be known for their islands, they’re wee in size and sometimes off the beaten path, but there’s so much to do if you have the time. Recently, I took a short day trip to Colonsay, with full expectations of returning again in the future for a longer stay. Even though the island is small, there’s so much to do, that a day trip was simply not enough! My post will cover the best things to do in Colonsay – mostly things that I did, as well as things I’m looking forward to on my next trip. But first, where is Colonsay?

1. Arriving and Getting Around Colonsay

Colonsay is an island in the Inner Hebrides, located off of the western coast of mainland Scotland. It is directly north of Islay and south of Mull. Being an island, Colonsay is only accessible by ferry or by airplane.

1.1 Arrival in Colonsay by Ferry

• Islay to Colonsay by ferry – Ferry service on Wednesday and Saturdays on the Summer Timetable (March/April to October), and takes 70 minutes from Port Askaig. Upcoming winter timetables not yet published, but likely have reduced sailings.
  • The ferry departs Port Askaig (Islay) at 12:15, arrives Colonsay at 13:25. If you’re only doing a day trip, you’ll get a full 6 hours on Colonsay.
  • The return ferry departs Colonsay at 19:35 and returns to Port Askaig at 20:45.
  • Fare for vehicle: 34.30 GBP (return)
  • Adult fare: 6.90 GBP (return).
  • For me, since I brought a car, that was a combined total of 41.20 GBP / $59 USD return trip.
  • If you’re going from Islay to Colonsay, you’ll get a view of the three northern distilleries on Islay on your way out – Caol Ila, Ardnahoe and Bunnahabhein, as well as the Paps of Jura!
• Oban to Colonsay by ferry (mainland Scotland) – Daily ferry service (Summer timetable) and takes appropriately 2+ hours. Winter sailings are reduced to 4x a week.
  • Ferry departure and arrival times vary depending on the day of the week.
  • Fare for vehicle: 79.80 GBP (return)
  • Adult fare: 15.60 GBP (return)

Although Colonsay only 10 miles long by 2 miles wide, a car is not necessary. Many people say the best way to explore the island is by bike. But for me, I brought my car due to my limited time on Colonsay.

1.2 Arrive in Colonsay by Air

Hebridean Air currently services Colonsay, from Oban. Flights are on Thursdays, and regardless of summer or winter, Hebridean Air operates 2 flights per day.

• Depending on which flight you take that day, fares are either 32.50 GBP or 67 GBP each way. Return trips therefore range between 65 GBP to 130 GBP. Bookings can be done online.

1.3 Getting around Colonsay

As far as my research could tell me, taxis and rental cars are not available on Colonsay, which is part of the reason I suggested you bring a car onto the ferry with you. However, walking holidays are quite popular on Colonsay, as are biking holidays.

1.3.1 By bike or paddle board

Bikes are available to rent from Colonsay Bikes and Boards. Bike rental for adults are 15 GBP per day, or 70 GBP per week. Bikes will be delivered to your accommodation or anywhere on the island (i.e. ferry terminal). There is a delivery charge of 5 GBP. The bike rental includes a helmet for safety and an island map! Just so you have a slight indication of size, it takes 1-2 hours to bike around the whole island, with a few big hills.

While I do recommend a car on your Colonsay trip, be sure you’re comfortable driving on single track roads. You often share the road with sheep, cattle, cyclists, and pedestrians. While there are plenty of passing places, many tourists use these as stopping places – avoid doing this! Passing places are there for a reason.

Also, due to the high number of wildife and animals on Colonsay, don’t honk your horn! You’ll freak out the animals.

1.4.1 See the best things in Colonsay by foot

There are plenty of great walks to go on when in Colonsay. Unfortunately, I just didn’t have the time. However, there are several walks between 2 – 5 miles long that can be enjoyed. I mean, given that the entire island is 10 miles by 2 miles wide, you could walk everywhere if you wanted. While driving through the island, I definitely saw several people walking from place to place. With single track roads and a small island, its hard to miss the walkers!

So now that you can get around, here are the best things to do in Colonsay. Although I wasn’t able to do everything on the list below, I will next time!

2. The Best things to do in Colonsay

2.1 Enjoy a gorgeous beach at Kiloran Bay

Many people don’t realize that the Hebrides has some of the most stunning beaches in the world. Fine sandy beaches, with turquoise and blue waters. Many people liken them to beaches in the Caribbean, but geologically, the Hebridean beaches are older. So really, Caribbean beaches are actually like Hebridean beaches. Remember that next time you’re in Jamaica or the Bahamas. Ok, possibly the only dfference is the sunshine and warmth. The day I visited was sunny and .. not warm enough for a swim. But, it would have been perfect for a beach day with a picnic, enjoying the view.

Located in the northern part of Colonsay, surprise! It’s gorgeous.

2.2 Colonsay Gin tasting at Wild Thyme Distillery

Neighboring Islay has its whisky, and Colonsay has its gin. With two gin distilleries on the island, I chose to visit Wild Thyme Distillery, located in the middle of the island. Wild Thyme Distillery was started by Eileen and Finlay, who left life in Oxfordshire and moved to Colonsay. They distill a variety of spirits, primarily London Dry gin, as well as a vodka, a bramble (or blackberry for us Americans) liquer, and Cait Sith (an Old Tom style gin). For 10£, I took a tour of the wee distillery and tasted all of their gins on offer.

Like many small batch distilleries, Eileen and Finlay do everything themselves – from the distillation, to the bottling, and labeling. As tradition goes for gin distillers, their copper pot still has a name – she’s called Jinty.

Bottles of Colonsay Gin are so stunning, adorned with art nouveau-styled artwork of Alva, a mythical Celtic brownie (or spirit). Long ago, Alva’s Viking long boat crashed onto the rocky shores of Colonsay. She stumbled ashore and sought shelter at Tigh Na Uruisg (Wild Thyme Distillery HQ), where she still remains and helps in the magical transformation of botanicals into gin.

My thoughts on the tastings:

• Colonsay Gin – 47% ABV – two different ways – one with an orange garnish (to bring out the citrusy flavors), and one with a jalapeno pepper. The absolute wild thing to me, is that I actually liked it better with the pepper! I never would have guessed. It had such a spicy, fresh kick. I absolutely loved it.
• Cait Sith (pronounced Caught Shee) – 40% ABV – an old Tom-style gin. For those who don’t know, that means its sweeter than your London Dry gin. This one had a rich vanilla flavor and was delightfully sweet.
• Bramble Liquer – fruity and sweet, and much lighter at 20% ABV. Delicious!!

Overall, it was a really fun visit to a small batch gin distillery. Eileen gave a great tour, and I loved hearing about their passion for gin. I came back with a couple bottles of my favorite gins, as well as the gorgeous “gin”saw puzzle and a few coloring books for those stressful days.

For those absolute gin fans, the Gin Lovers Retreat at Wild Thyme Distillery is for you! A weekend of gin and home cooked meals on the island of Colonsay. Offered Friday to Sunday! I cannot wait to book a gin retreat sometime!

Wild Thyme Distillery
email: [email protected]
phone: +44 1951 200082
Website: https://www.wildthymespirits.com/

2.3 Eat a phenomenal meal at the Colonsay Pantry

If you had one meal on Colonsay, make sure it’s at the Colonsay Pantry! Located next to the ferry terminal in Scalasaig, it’s the perfect spots to grab a bite before setting sail. My ferry back to Islay left at 7:35 pm, which meant that I had time for dinner. And, Wednesday and Saturdays are seafood night at the Pantry! So for those coming for a day trip from Islay – get ready for seafood night! Email them in advance and book your seafood platter. Otherwise, you may not get it!

Awarded the Scotsman Food and Drink’s Hidden Gem in 2019, the Pantry is one of those great meals that I will always remember. The seafood platter, which cost a cool 35£ for 1 person, was remarkably fresh and so incredible, and is included on my list of Best Seafood in Scotland!

Contents of my gorgeous seafood platter:

• salad
• shrimp
• oysters
• hot smoked salmon
• smoked mussels
• scallops
• crab
• steamed mussels (not pictured)
• battered cod bites (also not pictured)

Let me just say, I was hungry and I scarfed this down in a matter of minutes! Is it too much food for one person? Um, I’d say it is the perfect portion for one person!

The Colonsay Pantry also have different themed nights. In addition to Wednesday & Saturday Seafood Nights, Monday & Friday is Steak Night. The Pantry is closed on Tuesdays, so plan in advance or be in a world of regret!

The Colonsay Pantry
Email: [email protected] – book your dinners (especially seafood night) in advance! and, when the weather is wet!
Phone: +44 1951 200325
Website: https://www.thecolonsaypantry.co.uk/

2.4 Walk to Oronsay

Tidal islands are not something I’m familiar with, being an American from a landlocked state. For those who know, tidal islands are islands created with the ebb and flow of the tides. That means, there are times where you can walk to the island (if the tide is low), and others where you cannot (because the tide has risen and now there’s water in between your two locations). Oronsay is one of those islands, located about 2 miles off the coast of Colonsay, connected by “the Big Strand beach.”

According to the Colonsay website,

You will find that the best time to cross is in the two days following a New Moon or a Full Moon; low-water will be in the early afternoon and you may be able to take 4 or 5 hours over the round trip

Isle of Colonsay website

Besides lots of birdwatching on Oronsay, the main site on the island is the Oronsay Priory, a monastery which has been in existence since at least 1353. The Oronsay Priory, which was likely founded by John of Islay, Lord of the Isles, continued as a monastery until the Scottish Reformation around 1560. While ruins of the priory still stands, a 4-meter (12 feet) tall high cross, likely dated to 1510, is still intact and in relatively good condition given its age. If you’ve read my Islay post, another example of a high cross (from 8th century AD) is the Kildalton Cross.

If you’re coming on a day trip, visiting Oronsay is possible, but it may be one of the few things you get to do. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to walk to Oronsay, being the wrong time of the month. But, I did make it down to the Big Strand for a walk along the beach.

2.5 Visit small businesses in Scalasaig

I didn’t get to spend too much time in Scalasaig, but if I did, here are some of the businesses I would definitely check out:

• Sea Pink Gallery – Colonsay and sea-themed gifts and household goods. Something to look out for – Sea Pink Gallery sells Pot Still Yarns, in collaboration with their friends at Colonsay Gin. (What does gin have to do with wool yarn?) The yarns are dyed with the “spent botanicals, the distilling ‘tails’ and the bramble husks left after pressing” to natural, botanic-dyed wool yarn!
• Colonsay Bookshop – bookstore stocking Hebridean history and culture;
• The Old Waiting Room Gallery – an arts and crafts shop selling handmade goods from the island;
• Wild Island Distillery – distillery producing Wild Island Gin. I haven’t tried this but I will!
• Colonsay Hotel – stay at the only hotel on the island or grab a bite to eat in their gastro pub! (located just outside of Scalasaig).

3. Things for a longer stay in Colonsay

If you have the chance to stay on Colonsay for longer, here are some other things for you to do.

• The Colonsay House Gardens and Tea Room are known throughout Scotland for its rhododendron garden. Although day trippers from Islay won’t be able to visit – this season, they’re only open on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Entry costs 3 GBP ($4.25 USD). I did have a poke around, and although I could see no rhododendron from the outside, there were beautiful fields of bluebells and wild garlic all around.
• Go golfing (18 holes) at Machrins – Share the golf course with people, cows, and sheep alike, and golf like they did in the old days!
• Watch some wildlife! I know I’ve shown you sheep across the island, but Colonsay is actually home to a large variety of seabirds. Grab your binoculars and go bird watching!
• Visit during some of their incredible festivals:
  • Ceol Cholasa, Colonsay’s Music Festival – September
  • Autumn Food and Drink Festival – October
  • Colonsay Book Festival – April

Check the latest Colonsay Times for the latest opening dates and times. Not all businesses are open every day!

4. Places to stay on Colonsay

If you’re planning to stay longer than a day trip, there are a few options for accommodation on the island.

• Colonsay Hotel – the only hotel on the island, located outside of Scalasaig;
• The Gin Lovers Retreat at Wild Thyme Distillery – full board, including gin tastings and cocktails;
• self catering accommodations;
• wild camping;
• your own campervan / motorhome.

Please note that if you are wild camping or taking your campervan, overnight parking permits are required. For more detailed information, the Visit Colonsay site has all the available options.

5. Parting thoughts on my day trip to Colonsay

I think you can see how much I enjoyed my day trip to Colonsay. For a small island, with a little over 100 inhabitants, it really packs a punch. Although a day trip from Islay was short, I felt like I accomplished a lot during that time! Still makes me want to go back for more though. I’ve highlighted some of the best things to do in Colonsay, including things I wasn’t able to do, just in case I’ve inspired you to visit and stay longer!

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Lannie

Lannie is a perpetual wanderer and loves to share her travel adventures and the food she eats along the way with everyone.  She works during the day while bouncing around the world and dreams about new places and faces at night!  She has a home on the magical Isle of Islay in Scotland, where the whisky flows freely and happily.

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