NATURAL HEBRIDEAN BEAUTY
Tucked away between the better known islands of Islay and Mull, and nestling close to neighbouring Jura, is just under a two-and-a-half-hour ferry journey from Oban on the West Coast of Scotland.
The tiny island is quietly renowned for its tranquillity, exquisite sandy beaches, rear flora and fauna and abundance of wildlife. It is a treasured destination for those holiday cognoscente. With an abundance of varied habitats, Colonsay has an enormous range of bird life making it a firm favourite with naturalists and environmentalists.
The dramatic cliffs of the western coast are home to enormous colonies of seabird, and the beaches and rocky inlets support colonies of ringed plover, terns, oystercatchers and eiders amongst others.
The central part of the island, especially the Kiloran valley, with over 500 species of flora and fauna has possibly the greatest variety of flora in the Hebrides. The woodland garden at Colonsay House is also considered to be one of the finest rhododendron gardens in Scotland.
THE TRANSPORT
CalMac Ferries Ltd
Colonsay is served by a CalMac Ferries Ltd. ferry service from the port of Oban seven times a week in summer, three times a week in winter. The journey takes two and a quarter hours, passing between the mainland and the islands of Kererra and Mull and then sailing south and west past the islands of Seil, Luing, Scarba and Jura.
Hebridean Air Services
A scheduled air service operates twice daily, Tuesdays and Thursdays, from Connel (by Oban) including a link via Islay. This service is operated by Hebridean Air Services.
Costal Connection
They make the islands and lochs of the west coast of Scotland more accessible than ever before. Their services range from commercial exercises to scenic tours of the Western Isles as well as private charters.
THE WILDLIFE
With an abundance of varied habitats, Colonsay has an enormous range of bird life making it a firm favourite with naturalists and environmentalists. The Corncrake, one of Britain’s rarest birds, is probably the islands most famous avian resident and is part of the reason for the RSPB’s permanent presence, but the list of resident and visiting birds include many more rarities.
The dramatic cliffs of the western coast are home to enormous colonies of seabirds, notably fulmars, guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes, shags and all types of gull. The beaches and rocky inlets support colonies of ringed plover, terns, oystercatchers and eiders amongst others.
FLORA & FAUNA
The central part of the island, especially the Kiloran valley, with over 500 species including Sea Samphire and Marsh Helleborine and the very rare Orchis, Spiranthes Romanzoffiana, has, possibly, the greatest variety of flora in the Hebrides.
The woodland garden at Colonsay House is also considered to be one of the finest rhododendron gardens in Scotland. Such botanical resources provide a rich and inspirational larder for any gin maker.