{"id":28336,"date":"2023-06-28T10:24:48","date_gmt":"2023-06-28T08:24:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/?post_type=purple_issue&p=28336"},"modified":"2023-06-28T10:24:48","modified_gmt":"2023-06-28T08:24:48","slug":"10-kerrera-inner-hebrides","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/2023\/06\/28\/10-kerrera-inner-hebrides\/","title":{"rendered":"10. Kerrera, Inner Hebrides"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
<\/div>
\n
SCOTLAND<\/span><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

10. Kerrera, Inner Hebrides<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Distance: 6.6 miles\/10.6km | Time: 4-5 hours | Grade: Moderate | Ascent: 380m<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n

<\/p>\n\n

\"\"
Stop along the way for a dip at Port a\u2019 Chaisteil, followed by refreshments at Kerrera Tea Garden<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
\n\n

Walked by Fergal MacErlean<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

\n\n

Islands always have a magical pull, and Kerrera, nestled in Oban Bay, can prove intoxicating. Just four miles long, with a population of some 70 souls, this is indeed a tranquil haven. And if you have never swum in a narrow bay fit for a Highland chief, this is your chance.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

You can reach this idyllic spot \u2013 with views to Jura, beneath a ruined castle, and handily beside the excellent Kerrera Tea Garden \u2013 on an easy walk from the island\u2019s eastcoast slipway. More rugged country is traversed, with everchanging views of the Firth of Lorn, to complete the circuit. <\/p>\n\n

1 START <\/h5>\n\n

Catch the ferry to Kerrera from Gallanach slipway a few miles south of Oban. From the island slipway, follow the old drove road left alongside The Horse Shoe bay. The island exploration gets underway as you head south by the Sound of Kerrera on a level vehicle track.  <\/p>\n\n

2 0.6 MILES  <\/h5>\n\n

Keep left at a fork to  reach The Little Horse  Shoe bay, complete with  picturesque wreck.  As you walk up a small  hill, you can see the  remains of an Iron Age  fort on a rocky hillock at  the far end of the bay. Further on, at a second  fork by a house, keep on  the main track to veer right  uphill. You may hear  greylag and Canada geese. The road hesitates  briefly before a descent  to the sparkling sea, where  it levels out beside the  Kerrera Tea Garden and Bunkhouse at Lower Gylen. This can be a real suntrap, where you can relax with birdsong in your ears.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n
3 2.1 MILES<\/h5>\n\n

From the tea garden, follow the burn down to the sea at Port a\u2019 Chaisteil. The narrow, seaweed-filled bay is a popular swimming spot, where you can enjoy wonderful views out to the islands of Seil, Colonsay, Scarba and Jura. Seals may keep you company! Over the hill on your left, on its dramatic rocky perch, stand the ruins of 16th-century Gylen Castle, formerly a MacDougall stronghold. Enjoy tea and cake before continuing on the track. After following the shore, where otters are often seen, the track swings inland and uphill past a house, Ardmore, on the right. <\/p>\n\n

4 3.6 MILES<\/h5>\n\n

From Ardmore, a path ascends steeply through ferns. Walk on to enjoy excellent views of the long island of Lismore and the Firth of Lorn. <\/p>\n\n

5 4.6 MILES <\/h5>\n\n

Once level with Barr-nam-boc Bay, a landrover track climbs sharply by a farmhouse. From the crest, it\u2019s downhill all the way back to the slipway, with ice cream en route from the Balliemore Farm shop.<\/p>\n\n

<\/div>
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USEFUL INFO<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Starting point
<\/strong>Buy ferry tickets on board the CalMac boat (calmac.co.uk<\/a>) from Gallanach Slipway (PA34 4QH, free car park). The slipway is served by bus number 417 (limited service) from Oban bus station.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Terrain<\/strong>
Hilly, circular walk mostly on tracks. Some boggy path sections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Map <\/strong>
OS Explorer 359<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Swim<\/strong>
Wade into the narrow bay at Port a\u2019 Chaisteil to enjoy this popular swimming spot. Exercise caution if the sea is rough. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n

Photo: Alamy<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Islands always have a magical pull, and Kerrera, nestled in Oban Bay, can prove intoxicating<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":28676,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ub_ctt_via":"","purple_page_number":"103","purple_custom_meta_purple_page_number":"103","purple_seq_number":"2","purple_custom_meta_purple_seq_number":"2","purple_source_article":"article_103-2.xml","purple_custom_meta_purple_source_article":"article_103-2.xml","purple_source_issue":"July-2023","purple_custom_meta_purple_source_issue":"July-2023","purple_external_id":"July-2023-103-2","purple_custom_meta_purple_external_id":"July-2023-103-2","purple_issue_code":"|0000084071||","purple_custom_meta_purple_issue_code":"|0000084071||","purple_android_product":"com.im.countryfile.205","purple_custom_meta_purple_android_product":"com.im.countryfile.205","purple_ios_product":"com.im.countryfile.205","purple_custom_meta_purple_ios_product":"com.im.countryfile.205","purple_web_product":"","purple_custom_meta_purple_web_product":"","purple_publication_id":"91da22fd-9e7f-40d1-a93f-fc46e9516d91","purple_migrated":"","kt_blocks_editor_width":"","apple_news_api_created_at":"2023-06-28T08:24:55Z","apple_news_article-theme":"","apple_news_api_id":"18ce243b-ecf7-4ed0-a12b-6603c3318a54","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2023-06-28T08:24:55Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAD\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/w==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/AGM4kO-z3TtChK2YDwzGKVA","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":true,"apple_news_is_preview":true,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_article_theme":"","apple_news_sections":"[]"},"categories":[135],"tags":[14],"apple_news_notices":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/06\/H3ANJK-1_preview-scaled.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"3","apple_news_title":""},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/06\/H3ANJK-1_preview-scaled.jpg",2560,1920,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/06\/H3ANJK-1_preview-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/06\/H3ANJK-1_preview-300x225.jpg",300,225,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/06\/H3ANJK-1_preview-768x576.jpg",768,576,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/06\/H3ANJK-1_preview-1024x768.jpg",800,600,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/06\/H3ANJK-1_preview-1536x1152.jpg",1536,1152,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/06\/H3ANJK-1_preview-2048x1536.jpg",2048,1536,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Islands always have a magical pull, and Kerrera, nestled in Oban Bay, can prove intoxicating","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28336"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28336"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28336\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28792,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28336\/revisions\/28792"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/28676"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28336"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28336"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28336"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}