All over Scotland there are places that capture your imagination and linger around like a beautiful dream. The Isle of Kerrera is one of these places.
This small, enchanting island is imbued with natural beauty and a sense of mystery. It feels like a million miles away from civilisation, and yet, it is just a short ferry ride away from Oban, the nearest town.

Go where the locals go
Surprisingly, I’d never heard of Kerrera until my friend proposed that I should visit. She lives in Glasgow, and has travelled all over Scotland, so if she said I should visit, then it’s really worth visiting.
It’s only a 5-minute ferry ride away from Oban so I had no good reason not to go, and yet for some reason I didn’t feel entirely compelled to visit. I’m not sure why I felt so ambivalent since I trusted my friend’s opinion. I guess at the back of my mind I figured I had already read about all the places worth visiting. If the Isle of Kerrera was as lovely as my friend claimed, why had I not already heard or read about it?
This is an easy assumption to make, and a rather foolish one. In reality, I hadn’t done that much research, and my main source of reading had been other travel blogs written mainly by people who had only visited Scotland, unlike like my friend who actually lived there.
With larger and more famous islands like Mull, Islay, and Jura all within striking distance of Oban, somehow I think Kerrera gets lost in the shuffle. In some ways, this makes it even more special for those who visit because there’s so few people by comparison. Once you get off the ferry, and walk just a short distance, it can easily feel like there’s not another soul around for miles. A heavenly feeling.
Catching the ferry to Isle of Kerrera from Oban
My brother and I pulled up in the free car park next to the terminal and waited in line with three other people. It wasn’t busy which probably had something to do with the weather. Unfortunately for us, rain was forecast and deep clouds were already forming.
Ferries depart every 30 minutes for the most part until the afternoon, but off-record the ferries seem to whizz back and fourth depending on whether they see people waiting. How’s that for small-town charm?

As the ferry docked, the skipper welcomed us onboard with an energy and enthusiasm that could’ve put a person half his age to shame. Fashioning a pair of yellow wellies and a long wiry, beard, he looked like the man from the Fisherman’s Friend advert.
I was half expecting him to offer me a mint, but sadly he didn’t. For local vibes it couldn’t get much more authentic. You realise what a small operation it is after discovering the ferry only takes 12 people at a time and no cars are allowed.
For somewhere that’s so close to town, it feels incredibly remote. The Isle of Kerrera is also home to a whopping 40 inhabitants, give or take a few. If you want to escape the crowds, this is most certainly the place for you.
Walking routes on the Isle of Kerrera
On arrival we saw a map that showed two walking routes. One was the whole 9 km circumference of the island that starts and finishes at the ferry port in the middle of the island, and the other was a western route to the tea house and Gylen Castle which is the main attraction of the island. We opted for the Western route at a distance of around 4 – 5 km.
After walking at a slow pace for about 35 minutes (our legs were still aching from climbing Ben Nevis the day before), we spotted a wreckage of a boat swept up on the beach and wandered over to have a closer inspection. It was completely abandoned and looked like it had been mysteriously left there for years, actually, more like decades.

Soon after the path led inland for views of rolling hills, a few cottages, countryside gates and no one but sheep for company. The trail was well sign-posted, and most of them were hand-written.
Occasionally, we spotted quirky tea pots attached to tea branches and walls to indicate that refreshments weren’t too far away. If you could ever describe a walking route as ‘homely’, this was it.

Gylen Castle
After making a bend in the path the lone castle sitting on top of a craggy hill that swept down into the the sea began to creep into vision.
The word fairytale often gets bandied around for describing places in Scotland, so I’m cautious about using it, but the vision of Gylen castle really did look like something straight out of a fairytale.

We walked around the castle, trying to imagine what it must have been like centuries ago. It looked like a relic from the past now being reclaimed by nature.
Brief history of Gylen Castle
Gylen Castle was built in 1582 by Duncan MacDougall, Chief of Clan MacDougall. The castle served as a strategic lookout over the Firth of Lorne and a defense stronghold against potential invaders. Its placement on a rocky outcrop provided excellent views of the sea, making it an ideal defensive position.
Gylen’s history took a violent turn in 1647 during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, a period of civil and religious conflict across England, Scotland, and Ireland.
During this time, it was captured and burnt by a Covenanter army, led by General David Leslie, in 1647. The Covenanters were a powerful political and religious movement in the 17th century that fought against the Royalist for Scotland’s religious independence and the right to maintain Presbyterianism as the national religion.
A wonderful tidbit about the castle is that J.M.W. William drew sketches of it in 1831 and which are now kept in the Tate archives.
Return walk back
We took pictures from various angles and basked in having the place almost entirely to ourselves. Unfortunately, however, it wasn’t long until we felt the first few droplets of rain.
We wanted to stay for longer, but knew if we stay for too long we’ll get soaking wet. Stupidly, I didn’t pack a raincoat. If there’s anywhere you need a raincoat, it’s Scotland. The day before the weather had been sweltering hot but there’s no guessing how it can easily turn. Pack for all occasions.

The tea house was closing at 2.30pm. We checked the time and realised that we didn’t have time to go in and shelter. A warm tea and some snacks would have gone down a treat. Oh well, not everything goes to plan.
Instead, we trudged along and made the most of the cinematic backdrop before turning around the way we came. Once we arrived back into Oban, we headed straight to the nearest fish and chip shop. We had deserved it after so much hiking in Scotland.
Despite the rain, my visit to the Isle of Kerrera was easily one of the best days I had in Scotland. Simply put, if you’re in Oban for any amount of time, don’t miss this enchanting little gem. You won’t regret it.
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