Island Activities and Events

There is a vast range of activities for visitors to enjoy on the islands served by Caledonian MacBrayne.

This page provides information on some of the most popular island activities, and details of where you can find more information. However, this page is by no means exhaustive, if you require information about an activity that is not featured on this page please contact us at enquiries@calmac.co.uk.

Walking

Walking is by far the most popular activity on the islands, each island has a number of walks that accommodate the visitor’s own level of fitness, ranging from moderate, long distance paths to hill and mountain walks.

To cater for participants of this popular activity VisitScotland have set up a dedicated website which gives details of walk information, safety advice and other tips. To visit this site go to http://www.walkingwild.co.uk

Cycling

The Scottish Islands are a great place for cycling, enthusiasts and novices alike, due to the low volume of traffic on their roads. Many of the islands also have cycle hire shops for those wishing to spend a day or two cycling as part of their holiday, without having to take their own bicycle.

VisitScotland have put together a website which gives a wide range of information for all visitors who wish to find out more about cycling on the islands. The site offers information on cycle routes, events and much more. Visit the site at http://www.cycling.visitscotland.com

Wildlife

The wildlife inhabiting the islands and surrounding waters that CalMac serve is as diverse as the landscape itself.

Dolphins, Whales and Seals can often be spotted from our ferries as they travel through the islands. For more information on the Sealife surrounding the islands go to http://www.hwdt.org.

Birdwatching on the islands is extremely popular as a number of species that have long since become extinct on the mainland can still be spotted on the islands. http://www.rspb.co.uk.

Isle of Mull Wildlife Expeditions run Landrover expeditions on Mull led by one of Scotland's top guides.A chance to see golden eagles, otters and porpoises amongst other species.          http://holidaymull.org/members/wildlife.html

Turus Mara operate daily seabird and wildlife cruise-tours from Ulva Ferry and Oban to Lunga in the Treshnish Isles and Staffa.  www.turusmara.com

Genealogy

For many decades Scots have been emigrating to far-flung places such as America, Australia and New Zealand. This has led to a great number of Island visitors retracing the steps of their ancestors as part of a Scottish holiday.

To trace relatives from the islands of Lewis, Harris, The Uists or Barra visit http://www.rootshebrides.com.

Information on past and present residents of Bute can be found at http://www.butesonsanddaughters.com. Alternatively genealogy information for all Scotland can be found at http://www.ancestralscotland.com.

Fishing

The relaxing atmosphere of Scotland’s islands make them the perfect setting to enjoy a day fishing in beautiful surroundings.

The Hebrides are a popular destination for keen freshwater and sea anglers alike as they are home to a huge number of large and small lochs containing a variety of fish. For more information about fishing in the Hebrides see http://www.fishhebrides.com.

Food and Drink

Scotland is renowned for its quality produce, much of which is produced on the islands that Caledonian MacBrayne serve.

The Isle of Arran for example has it’s own creamery, brewery, cheese company and distillery, all of which are open to visitors. For those with a sweet tooth there is also a chocolate factory, which hosts a visitor centre, in Tobermory on Mull.

There are also many famous distilleries spread around the islands including Talisker on Skye, Tobermory on Mull and a further 6 on Islay. For more information about the island distilleries please see our Whisky Hopscotch page.