Jura Travel Guide: Practical Islands Advice
Jura is a long, thin island off Scotlands west coast, home to a couple of hundred people, thousands of deer, and one very famous whisky. It is the kind of place where the practical details matter more than anywhere else, because you cannot simply improvise your way around. I have been a few times and here is everything I wish I had known before the first trip.
Getting There
There is no airport on Jura. You reach it by ferry, and the main route is the short Caledonian MacBrayne crossing from the neighbouring island of Islay. To get to Islay first, you fly in from Glasgow or take the ferry from Ardrossan or Kennacraig on the mainland. The other option, less used, is a ferry from Tayvallich on the mainland over to Craighouse. I tend to fly to Islay, cross over, and treat the journey as worthwhile in its own right. Check sailings ahead and book in summer, and know that the crossing can be cancelled in rough weather, so give yourself a buffer.
The One Road
Jura has essentially a single main road running along its west coast for about twenty miles. That is your world. It is single track in places, which means pull-ins and patience, and the traffic is light enough that you will not resent it. The car is essential. Public transport is thin and would tie you to a handful of moments. Hire a car, ideally one you are happy enough to get muddy, and let the road be your guide.
Where to Stay
Craighouse is the island’s only village and the natural base, clustering around the distillery and the harbour. East I down the coast holds the Jura Hotel and a scattering of self-catering cottages and bunkhouses. Options are limited and they fill up, so book well ahead for summer. For a first visit I would base myself at Craighouse for the facilities, then happily spend a night further out for the solitude if you can get it.
Eating, Drinking and the Distillery
Jura is not a foodie destination, but it does not let you down. The Jura Hotel serves decent pub food and local seafood, and there are a couple of cafes and a shop for supplies. Bring snacks and dinner staples if you are self-catering, because choice is thin. The distillery is the essential visit, with a tour and a good selection of the islands malt in the shop. Book the tour ahead in the season.
What to Pack
Jura is one of the windiest places I have been, and the weather turns fast. Bring a genuinely waterproof jacket, warm layers, a windproof layer and gloves even in summer, and boots you trust on wet moorland and scree. The Paps will punish bad footwear. A small pair of binoculars pays for itself when the deer and dolphins appear, and a sense of flexibility matters most of all.
Should You Add Islay?
More often than not, the answer is yes. Islay right next door is the world-famous whisky island, with eight distilleries, its own festivals, and far more infrastructure. Combining the two makes a brilliant week, using Jura for its wildness and solitude and Islay for its whisky and comfort. The ferry runs between them, so you can base yourself on one and day trip to the other, or split your nights. Jura alone makes a perfect short escape, but Jura and Islay together make a trip I would happily give you a second helping of.
