The Perfect Daytrip To The Isle of Kerrera – Hidden Gem of The Hebrides

The west coast of Scotland is blessed with dozens of incredible islands, but one that doesn’t get nearly enough attention is the Isle of Kerrera. It’s easy to reach and even though thousands gaze out to it from Oban every year, most have no idea it’s there!

I’ll admit that it took me far too long before I spent a day on Kerrera, but it’s become one of my favourite islands. It’s a quiet place, a world away from the hustle and bustle of Oban, but it’s packed with stories from royal prophecies to ruined castles. Hopefully, this guide will help you plan your own perfect daytrip to Kerrera!

How To Get To Kerrera

The Isle of Kerrera sits just off the coast from the town of Oban, it’s the bit of land you can see as you look out from the town. This wee island is actually what protects the bay at Oban from westerly storms! You can reach Oban easily by car, bus or train and it’s a very short hop to Kerrera from there!

The main ferry over to Kerrera leaves from Gallanach, just a 5 minute drive south of Oban. It costs a couple of pounds and only takes a few minutes. Even though there’s a 12 passenger limit, if more people are waiting then the ferry will come back for you. There are no vehicles allowed (apart from residents) so you’re going to need to bring your walking boots!

There is another option at the north of the island by using the water taxi run by the marina. However, most of the interesting stuff is found at the south of Kerrera, so bear that in mind! I’ve only ever used the Gallanach ferry and that’s the one I would recommend.

Walk The Southern Trail

I’ve visited Kerrera twice now, both with Molly the dog and without, but if you are bringing dogs then please keep them on a lead. You’ll soon see that lots of sheep roam around freely and the last thing you want is to worry them! On both of my trips, I turned left off the ferry and headed onto the southern trail around the island.

Completing the whole walk without stopping would take you around 4 hours, although you can easily take longer than that. Lots of people making the daytrip to Kerrera will only do the first section, leading to Gylen Castle and returning the same way. It’s an easy path for most of the route, with no big hills and lots of big views!

The Story Of Dail Righ – King’s Field

As you hike around the coast of Kerrera, you’ll come to Horseshoe Bay with Dail Righ on the other side. This is the site of one of the island’s best known stories, dating way back to the 13th century. In 1249, this is where King Alexander II decided to reclaim the west coast islands for Scotland!

Officially, the islands were controlled by the Norse, although the King of Scots had plenty of sway out here. Alexander was an effective ruler and after gaining the support of the clans in Argyll, felt he had the power to subdue the islands as well. His fleet anchored in Horseshoe Bay, ready to begin the conquest in one of the smallest and easily attacked islands – Kerrera.

However, during the night, Alexander was visited by three ghostly saints – Columba, Magnus and Olaf. Each in turn warned him not to land on Kerrera otherwise disaster would befall him and his realm. Unfortunately, the King ignored the prophetic visions and as soon as he stepped foot on Kerrera, he had a fit and died. The spot where that happened is still known as Dail Righ – The Field Of The King!

Kerrera’s Iron Age Hillfort

Just before you start to turn a little inland, a grassy field stretches on the left before a rocky outcrop. That’s the site of an Iron Age fort, showing that Kerrera has been inhabited for at least 2000 years! It’s a very short hike to the top and worth it for the incredible views!

Just make sure that you hike the right outcrop. I accidentally went up the one on the right and was a little underwhelmed at first! The actual fort is immediately obvious when you see the remains of a low wall around the perimeter. It does take a bit of imagination, but those stones were put there by hand 2000 years ago and to me, that’s pretty amazing!

Stop At The Kerrera Tea Garden

If there’s one thing that really makes a daytrip to Kerrera, it’s a visit to the tea garden! Open 7 days a week from the 1st April to the end of September, the best way to keep up to date is on their Facebook page. You can’t miss it, just follow the teapots and signs along the main path until you reach the beautiful wee cottage.

The food is incredible, with soups, sandwiches and more, along with good coffee to keep the energy up. For many, this is the main goal of the journey over here and I don’t blame them. There’s an outdoor byre in case the weather is poor and composting toilets just a short distance away.

Climb To Gylen Castle

From the tea garden it’s a very short walk to the impressive ruins of Gylen Castle! Impossibly perched on a cliff over the crashing waves, this soaring tower dominates the skyline. It’s an icon of the island and this alone is worth a visit to Kerrera.

Gylen might look ancient, but it’s almost modern by the standards of Scotland’s West Coast. Built in 1582 by the MacDougalls, their main stronghold at Dunollie on the mainland already guarded the northern end of the sound of Kerrera. The chief’s brother Duncan built this to guard access from the south.

It’s an impressive place, but it wasn’t to last. Just 65 years later, the Royalist MacDougalls in Gylen found themselves under siege by an army of Covenanters. The castle’s position was near impossible to attack, but the defenders weren’t well prepared. Even though its name means Castle of the Fountains in Gaelic, thanks to an unusually dry spell they were running out of water.

After being offered good terms for surrender, the garrison decided it was their best chance of survival. They were wrong. The Covenanters murdered everyone inside apart from John the 19th MacDougall chief because he was just a baby at the time. Gylen Castle was destroyed and abandoned to become the romantic ruin we see today!

Hike The Western Coast Of Kerrera

After all the excitement of Gylen Castle, kingly deaths and ancient forts, it was time for something calmer. Just after the castle, the southern trail turns to take in the western side of Kerrera. It was a beautiful walk, with sweeping views out to the mountains of Mull and the low-lying Isle of Lismore.

With most people who visit Kerrera turning back after Gylen, this section is even quieter. It’s somewhere that I enjoyed being alone with my thoughts, imagining what life was once like here. In the last 15 years, the population has doubled here, but it’s still a long way from it’s height.

You pass ruined cottages lying beside modern homes, while cows laze on the beach in the sunshine. Cattle would have once been a common stop here, with drovers using this as a stepping stone from Mull to the mainland! Eventually, you’ll reach the middle of the island, with the choice to return to the ferry or spend another 3 hours exploring the north of Kerrera.

Stop Into The Balliemore Farm Shop

Just a few minutes before you return to the ferry, you’ll see the bright blue shed of the Balliemore Farm Shop. Inside, you’ll find locally raised meat as well as crafts, sweet treats and ice cream! Pop in to see what they have available, it’s close to the ferry so you can reach it no matter where you head to on Kerrera.

Supporting local communities is an important part of travelling, so consider picking up some locally made knitting or jewellery to bring home with you! It makes a better gift or memento than something out of the tartan tat shops in Edinburgh.

Where To Stay On Kerrera

There aren’t lots of options to stay on Kerrera itself, but here they are:

Kerrera Bunkhouse – The budget option is the bunkhouse that you’ll find at the tearoom with space for 7!

Horseshoe Bay Chalet – A lodge with beautiful views over Horseshoe Bay sleeping 5 people in 3 beds.

Galley Cabin – A cosy cabin at the south of Kerrera for 2 people.

If you would rather stay in Oban and travel over to Kerrera for the day, here are my favourite places to stay!

No 17 The Promenade – My absolute favourite place to stay in Oban, beautiful rooms with a spectacular view!

Kilchrenan House – Just along the promenade, I’ve stayed here a few times and the hosts are the friendliest couple you could meet!

Glenburnie House – Slightly more affordable but still very high quality, it’s a great base to explore from!

Oban Youth Hostel – This is my usual budget option for those who don’t mind bunkbeds. There are private rooms available as well and they do a good breakfast!

Where To Visit After A Day On Kerrera?

After spending a day on Kerrera, you’re in a great position to explore Scotland’s west coast! Why not head out to some more islands like Mull or even go right to Barra in the Outer Hebrides? If you’d rather stay on the mainland, then travel south to the amazing Kilmartin Glen for lots of ancient history. Or you could travel north to enjoy some of the great walks around Glencoe?

If you like the sound of a day on Kerrera, then how about going there on a Scotland’s Stories Tour?

Just click this link to make an enquiry and book your private driving tour today!