ARRAN, KINTYRE, ISLAY, JURA, COLONSAY,
KNAPDALE, MULL, IONA AND BUTE
TOUR 252 - Arran, Kintyre, Islay, Jura, Colonsay, Knapdale, Mull, Iona and Bute
Saturday 4th to Wednesday 15th June 2005 - 12 days - US$3,750
A twelve day tour to the southern Inner Hebrides from whence so many folk emigrated to North Carolina in the 18th century.
Cross to the Isle of Arran and visit the Duke of Hamilton's 'cottage' - magnificent Brodick Castle - before crossing on to Kintyre and driving south to Campbeltown. Visit Southend, where St Columba set foot, and the Mull of Kintyre so close to the Antrim coast of Ireland. Visit the Isle of Gigha, with fine gardens and Glenbarr Abbey, home of the MacAllisters. Drive north to Kennacraig and cross to Port Askaig on the Isle of Islay.
Make a day trip to the Isle of Colonsay with fine beaches, mansion house and ruined priory on the adjacent Isle of Oronsay. Make a day trip to the Isle of Jura, famous for its distillery and deer. On Islay, visit Kilchoman, Port Charlotte and Bowmore and the Kildalton Cross, carved 1200 years ago.
Return to the mainland and drive to Cairnbaan on the Crinan Canal. Visit Knapdale and Loch Sween and nearby Kilmartin, full of ancient stones. Drive north to Oban and cross to Mull and the sacred Isle of Iona. Visit the restored Abbey and Fingal's cave on Staffa. Return to Oban and drive through Cowal and cross to the Isle of Bute. Visit St Blane's church and the magnificent mansion of the Marquis of Bute at Mount Stuart. Cross back to the mainland and drive to Glasgow where the tour ends.
Saturday 4th June.
Depart from Paisley by Lochwinnoch and Largs to Ardrossan. Cross by ferry to the Isle of Arran. Drive to Brodick Castle and Gardens. The castle was built in striking red sandstone for the earls and dukes of Hamilton, who extended a mediaeval fortress into a country mansion. There are fine woodland gardens.
Drive by Glensannox to Lochranza and cross by ferry to Kintyre. Drive down the wooded and undulating east side of Kintyre, by Carradale to Saddell. Visit ruined Saddell Abbey where there is a collection of mediaeval carved grave stones. Drive to Campbeltown. Accommodation for three nights.
Sunday 5th June.
Free morning. People may wish to attend a service in the huge Church of Scotland Presbyterian Church.
Drive to Southend, where St Columba left his footprint on a rock, and visit the Mull of Kintyre lighthouse with views towards Ballycastle and Rathlin Island in Ireland. Return to Campbeltown.
Monday 6th June.
Depart by coach up the west coast of Kintyre by Glenbarr to Tayinloan. Cross by ferry to the tiny Isle of Gigha - pronounced 'ghee-a'. The island is now owned by the islanders themselves. Drive the short distance to Ardmore House. Visit the gardens laid out by Sir John Horlick, who made his money with a malted milk drink 'Horlicks'. Tour round this small island.
Return by ferry to Kintyre and drive to Glenbarr. Visit Angus and Jeanne MacAllister at Glenbarr Abbey. This Victorian 'abbey' is a treasure trove of Angus' family heirlooms and memorabilia. Return to Campbeltown.
Tuesday 7th June.
Time for shopping and to visit the Museum. Depart by coach to Killean Church. It was from here that the emigrants left, in 1739 for the Upper Cape Fear River in North Carolina. Drive by Clachan to Kennacraig. Depart by ferry and cruise by Gigha and the Sound of Jura by MacArthur Head to the Isle of Islay.
Arrive at Port Askaig. Drive to nearby Finlaggan. Visit the Lord of the Isles Museum and walk out to the island home of the MacDonald Lords of the Isles. Visit the Islay Tweed Mill and drive to Bridgend. Accommodation for four nights.
Wednesday 8th June.
A day visit to the Isle of Colonsay.
Drive to Port Askaig, and depart by ferry to Colonsay and arrive at Scallisaig. The island was once the stronghold of the MacPhees and was later acquired by the MacNeills. Drive to Garvald and cross the strand to Oronsay. Visit the ruined mediaeval Priory at Oronsay with church, cloister and monastic buildings. There is a fine standing cross and a collection of late mediaeval carved grave stones.
Visit Colonsay House, with woodland gardens. Walk on the glorious white beach of Kiloran Bay. Return to Scallisaig and depart by ferry to Port Askaig and drive back to Bridgend.
Thursday 9th June.
A day to tour the Isle of Islay.
Depart by coach to Gruinart where the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds owns a farm and protects wintering geese. Visit Ardnave church, with the first of several ancient crosses. Visit ruined Kilchoman church, with mediaeval carved stones. At the museum at Port Charlotte there is a research centre.
Return to Bridgend and Bowmore. Visit the circular church and distillery, but not necessarily in that order. Drive to Port Ellen and visit Kildalton church with its magnificent high cross, carved more than 1200 years ago. Return to Bridgend.
Friday 10th June.
A day visit to the Isle of Jura.
Depart by coach to Port Askaig and make the short ferry crossing to the Isle of Jura. Drive by Craighouse to Lagg, where the old ferry crossed to Argyll, and Tarbert, where there will be red deer to see. At Lussa there will be more deer and a graveyard where Mary McCraine was buried, aged 126 years. Her father was said to be 180 years old !! Beyond Lussa is Barnyards where George Orwell wrote "1984" in 1948. Return to visit the walled garden at Jura House and drive to Feorlinn and cross by ferry to Port Askaig. Return to Bridgend.
Saturday 11th June.
Drive to Port Ellen and depart by ferry by the south coast of Islay to Kennacraig. Drive by Tarbert, Loch Fyne, with its picturesque fishing village to Cairnbaan on the Crinan Canal. Accommodation for one night.
Drive down to Loch Sween and visit the church at Kilmory Knapdale, with fine carved gravestones and Castle Sween. This was Macmillan country. Drive by Tighnabruaich to Keills church with cross and gravestones. This was MacNeill country. Return to Cairnbaan.
Sunday 12th June.
Drive to nearby Dunadd, first capital of the "Scotti" from Ireland. Walk up to the hilltop fort. The Kilmartin valley is full of ancient standing stones and chambered cairns. Walk to the chambered cairn at Nether Largie and the stone circles at Templewood, erected 4,000 years ago. Visit Kilmartin House with museum and audio-visual display.
Drive north by Kilmelfort to Oban. Depart by ferry to the Isle of Mull. Drive to nearby Duart Castle, the restored stronghold of the Macleans. Drive by the Ross of Mull to Fionnphort. Cross by ferry to the sacred Isle of Iona. Accommodation for two nights. Attend a church service in the abbey in the evening.
Monday 13th June.
Visit the restored Abbey with fine mediaeval features; cloister and collection of late mediaeval grave stones and remain of five early Christian c crosses. Walk down to the ruined Nunnery.
If the weather is fine, take a boat trip to the isle of Staff and visit Fingal's Cave, which inspired Felix Mendelssohn to write the "Hebrides Overture". Return to Iona. Attend a church service in the abbey in the evening.
Tuesday 14th June.
Depart by ferry to Fionnphort. Drive by Bunessan and the Ross of Mull to Craignure. Depart by ferry and return to Oban on the mainland. Drive by Loch Awe to Inveraray. Drive by Strachur to Colintraive on the Kyles of Bute. Make the short ferry crossing to the Isle of Bute and drive to Rothesay. Accommodation one night.
Wednesday 15th June.
Depart by coach to Dunagoil Bay. At the south end of the island are the ruins of St Blane's church. Return to Mount Stuart. Visit the magnificent home of the Marquis of Bute. The mansion, built in the 1880s if full of carvings, tapestries, portraits and paintings. There is a magnificent central hall with tapestries and stained glass windows high in the walls. Walk in the gardens.
Drive to Rothesay and depart by ferry back to the mainland to Wemyss Bay. Drive by Greenock to Paisley, where the tour finishes.
Tour includes dinner bed and breakfast for eleven nights in first class hotels with facilities; all entries and ferries; sole use of a coach and Ruari Halford-MacLeod as Tour Director.
The Tour itinerary may be altered.
