The island of Jura has around 200 inhabitants over 142 square miles, making it one of the most deserted places I’ve hiked. Writing in a remote house in the north, George Orwell described it as “in an extremely un-get-atable place”. It still takes me two days to get there, culminating in a tiny ferry from Islay.
The only road on the island runs from the ferry in the south to Ardlussa in the north. The pathless west coast is as wild and unforgiving as anywhere in Scotland. I’ve only found a couple of reports of people attempting to walk the entire west coastline and they both headed inland at some point. After the off-piste experience of my last trip, I plan to follow the road, interspersed with challenging hikes to the remote Glengarrisdale bothy on the west coast and the iconic Paps, three mountains of scree and rock.
The quiet road weaves through the lovely countryside. The ferry only carries five vehicles and crosses every half hour, so traffic passes periodically in tiny convoys. Two cars offer a lift, but it’s only nine miles from the capital village of Craighouse.
A standing stone draws me off the road for a closer inspection. Stonechats tap away.
The island is partitioned into seven deer-stalking estates, necessary to cull the 7,000 red deer population. Peering through locked wrought iron gates, an old gatehouse is straight from a fairy tale — apart from the satellite dish.
Arriving at Craighouse, there are only two other tents on the expanse of lush grass in front of the Jura Hotel.
Drifting off in my sleeping bag, a pair of antlers rise from the shoreline. What a thrilling end to the day.
Date of walk: Thursday 16th May 2024.
Walk distance: 9 miles.
Total distance: 4,234 miles.
Next day
I’m woken at 4 am by an orange glow and the sound of munching grass.
A stag and three hinds are grazing cautiously. Slipping my boots on quietly, I creep round the edge of the campsite to position the stag in front of the fiery dawn.
The Garelochhead Coaches minibus will take me north. The entertaining driver, Stewart, hopes my fillings are secure, as the road is rough. He’s not kidding. We bounce along, chatting on the 40-minute drive to the end of the road, where he will begin picking up primary school children.
After a few miles through the pretty Ardlussa Estate, the public road ends and the path to the Corryvreckan whirlpool begins. It’s much hotter than expected, so I’m overdressed for hiking.
The privately-owned Barnhill appears, nestled in a shallow valley, where Orwell wrote 1984 in the late 1940s. Perhaps I’ll be inspired.
Kinuachdrachd Harbour lies two miles south of Corryvreckan. I’d read that someone had wild camped here, but it’s not promising.
The water is crystal clear and inviting.
Climbing up the hill out of the bay, it appears someone is creating a campsite down by the water.
A mile short of Corryvrekkan, the path heads into a bog. I’m uncomfortably hot in this gear, my right shoulder strap is rubbing, and I’m worried about finding a good water source and place to pitch before the midges descend, so turn back. The whirlpool is not the dramatic image from movies, more like turbulence in the water and is best viewed from a boat, convincing myself I’m not missing much.
After filtering water from a nearby stream, I squeeze between rocks hidden beneath the grass, pitching next to the sea and cooling my feet in the water.
Things start to go wrong on the second water run, as the midges arrive at the shady stream while I’m filtering water, attracted by my CO2 emissions. Once a female bites she releases pheromones to signal others to join the feast. Thankfully, Smidge cream protects my hands and face.
Hundreds more wait to greet me outside the tent. I jump in and zip up the mesh but not before 20 or so join me. Killing them as they rest on the inside of the tarp, I’m trapped, which defeats the point of camping. I want to cook outside and then watch for otters. This has confirmed my original plan to avoid NorthWest Scotland in the summer months. I’ll switch back to the East Coast in June.
Date of walk: Friday 17th May 2024.
Walk distance: 10 miles.
Total distance: 4,244 miles.
I was so envious of your trip until the midges appeared,
Things improved as the trip progressed, as the wind picked up thankfully.
Oh dear, are the midges out already? I’m on the east coast and no sign of midges here.
George Orwell nearly drowned himself and his 4 yr old adopted son when his boat got caught in the corryvreckan whirlpool. He was rather a reckless man.
The east coast is generally much better for midges, which is why I’m switching to that side in the summer.
I’d read about Orwell’s boating incident. There are quite a few boat trips advertised, although people seem to have unrealistic expectations of what they will see.
Great blog!
The west coast is quite a well-known walk, with 3 bothies if you wish to use them. It is very beautiful.
Thanks. I could not find any reports of anyone walking the entire west coast. I know the three bothies are accessible by walking west across tracks, but linking them up by hiking along the coastline looks challenging. Have you walked it?
Hi Tony
I have, twice. Peter Edwards @writesofway is the guru. He is the author of the Cicerone guide to ‘Walking on Jura, Islay and Colonsay’. The route guide is also in his Cicerone book ‘The Hebrides, 50 walking and backpacking routes’.
Here’s my guide – ‘going south, keep the sea on your right’.
Thank you again for a great blog.
Thanks. There was a map showing his route on the Cicerone page. Pretty much as you described it, so I don’t think I need the guide. 🙂
Of course, now I have an excuse to go back!
I think those tents you saw at the north end of Jura might be the luxury glamping ones where you’re provided with a personal chef and butler!
It’s an awful lot of money to get eaten alive by midgies!
They were the large circus-style tents and there was a dock nearby, so that sounds right. There were quite a few expensive yachts in the various bays.
I remember as a teen looking up the Isle of Jura to see where it was. This is because I used to like the somewhat eccentric band The KLF. Who at the height of their career at the Brit awards in 1992 announced they were leaving the music business. They withdrew £1,000,000 in cash and took it to an abandoned cottage on the Isle of Jura and then burnt it all, apparently in the name of art. All very bizarre! I’m assuming you didn’t find any of it blowing about!
Hah! I remember the band but not the ceremonial burning. If I’d known about this beforehand I would have searched a few ruined cottages! 🙂
Magical to see the deer at close quarters at sunset and sunrise. But I don’t envy you the midges (those midge headnets are great, by the way). Just been in Skye for a week, the midges were about but not terrible – but then we were in a house, not a tent!
I have a headnet, but it does not help much with the whole camping experience.
Skye? Lucky man. I’m looking forward to spending a couple of weeks hiking there. 🙂
Some great coastal walking to be had on Skye. I would especially recommend the boat trip from Elgol to Coruisk, phenomenal scenery – you can get a one way trip and walk back out to Elgol along the shore, over the ‘Bad Step’ (didn’t look too bad from the water to me), or walk out northwards through Glen Sligachan.
The coast S and E of Torrin is gorgeous too.
I was planning to walk in and out as that features in The Wild Places. Still not sure about the Bad Step as I will be on my own.
Those damn midges – my husband and I were very lucky when we walked the West Highland Way some years ago in June – not a single midge!