11. Sailing & Walking Holiday in Scotland’s Hebridean Islands 2025

• ISLAND HOPPING
• VARYING HIKES FROM 10 TO 20 KM.
• HIKING ON THE SMALL ISLES
• WILDLIFE WATCHING
• GUIDES INCLUDED
• PRIVATE CABINS
• FULLY SKIPPERED
• FULL BOARD

YOUR SAILING AREA

THE SMALL ISLES, SCOTLAND

Besides being sailors, skippers and owners, Jan-Willem and Marielle are also keen walkers. The hikes will be guided by them and there is also the opportunity to enjoy shorter walks on your own if you’d like. The hiking routes on the islands are well-known to us but the weather is good here and we do sometimes have to adjust our itinerary so please use the below itinerary as a guide only!

DAY 1 – OBAN

Your sailing and walking adventure starts in the Scottish port town of Oban at 17:00.  After getting acquainted with fellow guests and crew, set the sails to enjoy your first night on a quiet anchorage were we have diner on board.

DAY 2 – TOBERMORY, ISLE OF MULL

We start the voyage gently so everyone can get used to each other and the boat. Sail along the sheltered Sound of Mull to the colourful town of Tobermory on the Isle of Mull. From Tobermory, there are some lovely short hiking trails to warm us up and there are also some lovely pubs and shops to enjoy in the afternoon.

DAY 3 – SAILING TO THE ISLAND OF CANNA

Today we will set course for the Small Isles, a few hours under sail will see us reach the island of Canna, the most remote island in the archipelago. You cannot see Canna from the mainland as it is hidden behind the high mountains of Rum.

Canna is an island of great beauty and variety, with green meadows and forests, wild heathlands and dramatic cliffs on the north and west sides. There are two fascinating churches, an ancient cross, an inaccessible ‘castle’ atop a large rock and Canna House – the former home of folklorist and Gaelic scholar John Lorne Campbell. This is a great island to explore on foot. The walk along the coastline offers fantastic views of the Outer Hebrides, Rum and the Cuillin of Skye, and there are a few fine sandy beaches. The neighbouring island of Sanday is connected by a bridge and has some impressive cliffs, with two large rocky cliffs providing an ideal base for a colony of puffins Small Isles.

DAY 4 – CANNA & PUFFINS

Our first long walk is on the island of Canna. A varied walk along cliffs and over hills highlighting the beautiful cliffs of Sanday where we will look for the puffins. With luck, we will also see the great skua here. We will have lunch in the middle of nature from our own packed picnic.

DAY 5 – SKYE, LOCH SCAVAIG & CORUSK

We take you to one of the Hebrides’ most beautiful anchorages. Nestled at the foot of Skye’s Cuillins lies Loch Scavaig. Surrounded by impressive pointed mountain peaks, you’ll see large numbers of grey and common seals at very close distances. Loch Scavaig is connected to the inland lake Loch Corusk and walking around the loch is breathtaking. The lake is fresh water so also great for taking a refreshing dip!

DAY 6 – RUM

We raise anchor and sail to the island of Rum. Rum is a national nature reserve and the largest island of the Small Isles. The island’s most famous residents are the golden eagles (reintroduced in the 1980s), red deer and the hardy Rum ponies. We anchor here in the natural bay overlooking the architectural Kinloch Castle. After lunch, there is an opportunity to go ashore by dinghy. There are several beautiful hiking trails on Rum Island allowing you to fully enjoy the breathtaking mountain and coastal scenery.

DAY 7 – HIKING RUM

We make a joint hike in which we will head into the hills. The route will take us past streams and waterfalls and once at the top, enjoy the beautiful scenery. Good chance of spotting red deer and the golden eagle.

DAY 8 – EIGG AND CLIMBING AN SGURR

Eigg is the second largest and most populous island of the beautiful Small Isles. Dominated by a remarkable vertical blockstone of An Sgurr, this impressive peak was originally a lava flow from the volcano on Rum some 58 million years ago. The lava followed an ancient riverbed and filled the valley. Over the following millions of years, the pitchstone lava, which is harder than the surrounding basalt, withstood erosion and remained standing while the surrounding rock was gradually worn away. Now the kilometre-long ridge stands proudly, with the summit at 393 metres. The climb to the top offers truly fantastic views of the other Small Isles and Skye and Ardnamurchan. The route is fairly easy, but the last part is a steep climb and we have to rock climb (very easy) along the ridge.

DAY 9 – MUCK, A DROP IN THE OCEAN

Muck is the smallest island, measuring less than 4 km by 2 km. Muck is a beautiful island, from fertile fields to sandy beaches and a beautiful west coast, it has much to offer the walker. A visit to the tearoom for the delicious homemade pastries is a must! After the joint walk, we will sail to the beautifully secluded Loch Drumbuie in the afternoon where we will anchor overnight.

DAY 10 – KERRERA

In the morning we sail to the green paradise island of Kerrera, followed by a hike on the island. Compared to all the hustle and bustle of the nearby tourist centre of Oban, Kerrera is very Quiet and offers stunning views of the surrounding coastal areas. Cars are banned on the island except for a few locals, making it a walker’s paradise. In the evening, we enjoy the Captain’s dinner together before disembarking in Oban in the morning.

DAY 11 – OBAN

Disembarking in Oban after breakfast at 10:00

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