Five Ferries Island Hopping Adventure

Five Ferries Island Hopping Adventure

Create your own unforgettable Five Ferries Island Hopping Adventure with Caledonian MacBrayne. It's the perfect way to enjoy the endless splendours of Arran and Bute - the beautiful islands in the Firth of Clyde as well as the wild, remote and unspoiled parts of the mainland at Cowal and Kintyre, via five distinct ferry routes. It's the ideal itinerary for a multi-destination mini-break or the ultimate cycling challenge! 

Begin your adventure when you take the ferry from Ardrossan to the isle of Arran, the island that's known as 'Scotland in miniature'. All the most famous aspects of Scotland's scenery can be found on this beautiful island. 

Next, enjoy the scenery on the sailing from Lochranza on the north end of Arran to Kintyre, from where you can explore the wild and beautiful Kintyre peninsula. After Kintyre, sail from Tarbert to Portavadie to see the rich and contrasting landscape of the Cowal Peninsula, before taking the ferry to the peaceful island of Bute before travelling back to Wemyss Bay. 

You can travel in either direction, between the following routes and purchase tickets for your journey in one transaction:  

• Ardrossan / Troon* (*29 March - 21 August 2024) - Brodick (Arran)

• Lochranza (Arran) - *Claonaig (Kintyre) or Tarbert (Kintyre) between 21 October 2024 and 27 March 2025

• *Tarbert (Kintyre) - Portavadie (Cowal) 

• *Colintraive (Cowal) - Rhubodach (Bute) 

• *Rothesay (Bute) - Wemyss Bay

View timetables to plan your journey here. 

Booking your tickets

Pre-purchasing your tickets in advance of travel is recommended for all routes, and advance booking is recommended for vehicles on the Ardrossan to Brodick route all year around and Lochranza to Tarbert during the winter season.

You can do this online by using our multiple-journey option to book travel for the above itinerary in one transaction.

You'll receive an eTicket direct to your email with a QR code, this can be scanned from your device, meaning you are instantly ready to board.  

More information on ticket types

Ardrossan-Brodick route is a 'Bookable' route, meaning you'll be booked onto a specific sailing for a specific time. All other legs of the journey are Turn up and Go, where you'll be purchasing an 'open' ticket for a chosen departure date, valid for the season in which you've purchased it, but it won't have a specific sailing time. Please do give yourself enough time to get to the other ports for the sailing you had in mind. Plan ahead as your first choice of sailing may not always be available and wait times may be extended.  

Find further information on ticket types.