Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Coach tours flock to the
Highland Arts Studio
(
01852-300273;
www.highlandarts.co.uk
;
Ellanbeich; admission free; 9am-7pm Apr-Sep, to 5pm Oct-
Mar)
, a crafts and gift shop and a shrine to the eccentric output of the late 'poet, artist and
composer' C John Taylor. Please, try to keep a straight face.
Just offshore from Ellanbeich is the small island of
Easdale
, which has more old slate-
workers' cottages and the interesting
Easdale Island Folk Museum
(
01852-300370;
www.easdalemuseum.org
;
adult/child £2.25/50p; 11am-4.30pm Apr-Oct, to 5pm Jul &
Aug)
. The museum has displays about the slate industry and life on the islands in the 18th
and 19th centuries. Climb to the top of the island (a 38m peak!) for a great view of the
surrounding area.
Anyone who fancies their hand at ducks and drakes should try to attend the
World
Stone-Skimming Championships
(
www.stoneskimming.com
)
, held each year in Easdale
on the last Sunday in September.
A short ferry trip from the south end of Seil takes you to the neighbouring
Isle of
Luing
, a quiet backwater that has no real sights but is ideal for wildlife walks and easy-
going bike rides.
BOAT TRIPS
From April to October
Sea.fari Adventures
(
01852-300003;
www.seafari.co.uk
; Eas-
dale Harbour; Apr-Oct)
runs exciting boat trips in high-speed rigid inflatable boats
(RIBs) to the
Corryvreckan Whirlpool
(adult/child £38/29; call for the dates of 'Whirl-
pool Specials', when the tide is at its strongest) and the remote
Garvellach Islands
(£48/
36). There are also 2½-hour
whale-watching trips
(£48/36), mostly in July and August,
cruises to
Iona and Staffa
(£75/55) and a weekly day trip to
Colonsay
(£48/36).
Sea Life Adventures
(
01631-571010;
www.sealife-adventures.co.uk
)
offers similar
trips, but is based on the eastern side of the island and has a bigger, more comfortable
boat.
Getting There & Around
West Coast Motors
(
www.westcoastmotors.co.uk
)
bus 418 runs four times a day, except
Sunday, from Oban to Ellanbeich (45 minutes) and on to North Cuan (one hour) for the
ferry
(
per person/car £1.75/7 return, three minutes, every 30 minutes)
to Luing.
Argyll & Bute Council
(
01631-562125)
operates the daily passenger-only ferry ser-
vice from Ellanbeich to Easdale island (£1.75 return, bicycles free, five minutes, every 30
minutes).
