ISLE OF COLL

West of Ardnamurchan Point is 20km long and 6km wide at its widest point. Renowned for its fabulous unspoilt beaches and sunny climate, Coll has a rich history including two magnificent ruined brochs and an abandoned crofting settlement at Sorisdale. Coll is a stronghold of the endangered corncrake and home to many other bird species. Its scattered lochans are home to many rare water plants such as pipewort and the Irish Lady's-tresses orchid. Access by ferry from Oban.

ISLE OF TIREE

A low-lying island renowned for sunshine (especially in early summer), its Gaelic name means 'land of corn' and has beautiful white sandy beaches. Covering 75km² Tiree is an important habitat for many species of birds, including corncrake, snipe, shovelers and little tern, and some of the finest stretches of machair (seaside flower meadows) in the Hebrides. Men emigrating to other parts of the world have become important political figures, such as Malcolm MacLean who left Tiree and became the first mayor of Vancouver in Canada, and Sir Donald MacLean, who emigrated to New Zealand and became Minister for Maori Affairs and Defence Minister of the New Zealand government! In October each year Tiree attracts the world's surfers for the Tiree Wave Classic competition. Access by ferry from Oban/Coll, and by air from Glasgow.

WILDLIFE

Isle of Coll

With its deserted beaches and rugged landscape you will see a wide variety of birds on Coll and corncrake can be spotted at the RSPB Totronald Reserve. If you look out to sea you may also see Orcas, basking sharks, dolphins and of course the mischievous otter!

Isle of Tiree

Experience the stunning wildflowers of the coastal machair and visit the RSPB Reef Reserve and the bird hide at Loch Bhasapol during the summer months as they are alive with the acrobatic displays of lapwing and oystercatcher. You can also spot otters and seals playing and basking around the coast of Tiree.

CULTURE

Isle of Tiree

Sandaig Museum
A warm Tiree welcome greets visitors to the Island Life Museum which is a terrace of thatched buildings carefully restored by the Hebridean Trust. It houses a unique collection of local items illustrating life in a late nineteenth century cottar's home.

Skerryvore Lighthouse Museum
Restored in 1984 by the Hebridean Trust, the Old Signal Tower was turned into the Skerryvore Lighthouse Museum and records the remarkable story of the design and construction of the lighthouse by Alan Stevenson (uncle of Robert Louis Stevenson).

HERITAGE

Isle of Tiree

Tiree abounds with Iron Age remains such as forts and brochs, the most intact of which is Dun Mor Bhalla at Vaul. In addition to the many standing stones and a stone circle, the cup-shaped hollows in the Ringing Stone on Tiree's north shore are further evidence of pre-Christian religion.

Tiree Archive (An Iodhlann)
Work in progress, the Tiree Archive or 'Stackyard' as it is called in Gaelic, is the perfect place to find out information on Tiree's heritage. In the mid 19th century Tiree had a population of 4,500 but the years of emigration have taken their toll and today the total is 764. With some 38,000 people with a connection to the island across the world, the archive aims to maintain the stories and family trees of all Tiree descendants.

SPIRITUAL/MAGIC

Isle of Tiree

Kirkapol Chapels
The present ruins of the smaller chapel are thought to be 13th century and the larger chapel is 14th century. The larger chapel served as the Parish Church from 1375 and there are two Latin crosses incised in rock outcrops to the north of the smaller chapel suggesting the whole site was a place of Christian worship and pilgrimage prior to the establishment of the chapels. There is a graveyard with eight narrow sculptured grave slabs - the most legible one is from 1492.

Tiree Pilgrimage Route
The Tiree Pilgrimage Route is an innovative 30 mile waymarked trail around Tiree linking a number of ancient chapels with other places of ecclesiastical significance such as the old manse and the "Hill of the Monk's Cells", the probable site of an old monastic settlement.

White Sandy Beaches
The island has been described as 'an enchanted island - the sea rolls on in miles and miles of sandy bays with opalescent reflections in its pools and shallows'. (Jean Storey 'Ethica')