Welcome to Hooked on Walking holidays and our walking holiday in Scotland. This hiking vacation takes you through the Isles of Arran, Islay and Jura. One of Scotland’s greatest scenic assets are its famous Western Isles. Often very remote, often a haven for wildlife and bird life, often very little explored by the tourist due to the lack of accommodation, limits the numbers of people who can visit. Our tour starts off on the Isle of Arran just off the west coast of Scotland and easily reached from Glasgow’s airports by train.Arran is known as Scotland in Miniature, this is so because the scenery has all that the whole of Scotland is famous for, dramatic coastlines of the west coast of Scotland, mountains and glens and rolling pastures to the south, mountains ( highest 950m) . After three days on Arran we have a day transferring to the Isle of Islay.  Islay is a whisky lovers paradise. The clean waters and air have made it a classic location for many famous malts.  Such names as Oban, Isle of Jura, Bunnahahain, bruichladdich, Laphroaic, Ardbeg, Bowmore to name but a few. We take a days trip onto the Isle of Jura which is extremely remote, certainly here there is more wildlife than people and fabulous to do some bird watching. Our last day is a fabulous day walking on Islay.

Dates available April to September
Level 2 self guided tour

Day 1 Arrival
Arrival into Glasgow of Glasgow Prestwick airport where you can take the train to Ardrossan. Here you take the ferry to Arran. Ferries cross several times a day to Arran  and the trip lasts around 1 hour. Night in Brodick

Day 2 Glen Rosa
Today your walk takes you past Brodick Castle and up Glen Rosa before descending down the Glen to Sannox. For those who wish to walk to a high altitude there is an optional extension which will take you up Goat Fell. Take a coffee in a local hotel before your short bus ride back to Brodick.  Distance 13k m  up 600m optional route to goat fell 15 km up 850m , Night in Brodick

Day 3 Sannox to Lochranza
A short transfer by bus to Sannox . Today walk takes you along the rugged coastline from Sannox to Lochranza. Mostly right on the seas edge. Lochranza a remote hamlet of a few houses and a tiny ferry port where you catch the ferry to the mainland. Lochranza is very romantic with its ancient castle sitting not far from the coast and often the setting for a fabulous photo shot which is very typical Scottish.  Lochranza also has its own whisky distillery. On today’s walk you can look for seals and whales off shore. Transfer back by bus to Brodick. Distance 13km up 260m Night in Brodick

Day 4 Lamlash to Brodick  
Start with a short transfer to Lamlash south of Brodick. Once in Lamlash take the optional ferry to Holy Island the home of a Budhist Monks Monastery. The walk follows the coastline north back to Brodick through rolling coastlines. Distance 10 km up 150m.
Night in Brodick

Day 5 transfer to Islay
Today you take the public bus with your luggage to Lochranza , across on the ferry to the Kintyre peninsular. The a short bus transfer 8km to the other side of the peninsular before taking the ferry to Port Askaig on Islay. Overnight in Port Askaig or Ballygrant Islay.

Day 6 Islay circular
Now on Islay you will notice the influence of Gaelic – many landmarks of the Gaelic nature and some words become almost impossible to pronounce. The walk today takes you north to Bunnahabhain and past the distillery before heading inland in a circular fashion to Ballygrant. From Ballygrant we take a east route back toward Port Askaig via the little Loch Ballygrant. Distance 20 km up 100m . Overnight in Port Askaig or Ballygrant.

Day 7  Isle of Jura
Take the short ferry crossing across the Sound of Islay to Jura and Feolin. Here we head north on a circular route past Loch a Chnuic Bhric and to the lower slopes of Benn Chaolais. These are the Paps of Jura the hills to the west of the Island. Here you will have wonderful views of Islay , sound of Islay and in the distance Colonsay. Distance 18 km up 250m . Overnight in Port Askaig or Ballygrant.

Day 8 Your tour is complete
Today you  make your journey back to Glasgow . The earliest you can reach Glasgow is around
15:00

Difficulty: Walks from 4 hours to 6 hours with climbs up to around 450m maximum height , but most days a fairly easy walking

Accommodation: Standard – 3 star Hotels / Guest houses on Arran and 2 star on Islay or upgrade to 5 star accommodation on Islay

2013 Prices

How to get there
By Plane to Edinburgh or Glasgow  airport where trains are available to Ardrossan the ferry terminal.
By Car to Ardossan where parking is available
By Train / Bus to Ardossan where parking is available

To view other walking holidays in Scotland

Click below to view our
Cycling Holidays in Scotland

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