Isle of Tiree Travel Guide - Scotland

If you choose the beautiful Isle of Tiree as you next vacation destination, you won't have any difficulty getting there. You can fly from Glasgow to a small airport on the southeastern part of the island. Loganair provides scheduled flights on a twin otter plane, but you can also charter flights to take you there as well. During the summer, there is a ferry service from Oban every day of the week except Thursday. The ferry ride to Tiree takes about 3 hours and 45 minutes if you sail direct and longer if you take the ferry that stops in Isle of Coll.

Tiree reports the highest levels of sunshine in the United Kingdom and the waters around the island are very popular with surfers. The island measures 10 miles long by about 4.5 miles wide and is home to about 800–900 people. At one time there were almost 5000 people living on this island, but many of the families were forced out during the time of the Clearances. The climate here is quite mild and the land is flat and very fertile for farming. One thing you will notice about Tiree is that there are not very many trees here because of the high winds.

There are many beautiful sandy beaches on Tiree and abundant wildlife. Two of the best bird watching sites in Scotland are located on Loch Bhasapoll and Kenavara. The main town on the island is Scarinish and hosts the shopping centre of Tiree with a supermarket, a bank and an art gallery and gift store. There is also a general store in Crossapol and you can buy hand knitted items and homemade jams in Rustics.

Although the land on Tiree is low, there are some excellent peaks for hillwalking, climbing and sightseeing. From the peaks of Ben Hynish and Benin Hough, you have a stunning view of the island and the waters beyond. Visit the archaeological sites on the island to learn of the ancient peoples that once lived here. Vaul Bay has a 30-foor–diameter broch and has walls that are 12 feet thick. At Kilkenneth, you can visit the ruins of the Chapel of Saint Kenneth, who was one of the followers of St. Columba. There are also four ancient loch dwellings at Na Buaile, Na Gile, Eilean Aird nam Brathan and Eilean Mhic Chonnill. Take time to see the Ringing Stone, located between Vaul and Balephetrish, which gives a ringing sound when you hit it. You can see the marks where the ancient people used this stone with the imprints of Bronze Age cups.

The terrace of thatched buildings at the Sandaig Museum is also a must–see on your Tiree itinerary. If you like golf, then you will surely want to tee off at the 9–hole golf course in Vaul and pony trekking is an exciting way to see the island. Visit the Tiree Archive and Museum located in Scarinish.

When you are driving on Tiree, you don't have to worry about anyone behind you blowing the horn to tell you to speed up. No one minds how slowly you drive as long as you are courteous and allow other drivers to pass. There is plenty of accommodation on the island as well as restaurants and pubs where you can have a good meal or just relax with a drink.