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Island and parish in Scotland
Photo: Alexey Komarov, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Coll (Gaelic Cola) is an island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. It's about 12 miles long by 3 miles wide and in 2011 had a population of 195, mostly in the ferry port of Arinagour (Gaelic Àirigh nan Gobhar). Coll is rocky and tussocky, dotted with little lochans and lochs, and with sandy beaches heaped up into sand dunes. If it looks familiar, it’s because the author Mairi Hedderwick grew up here, and used it as the basis for her “Katie Morag” stories set on the fictional island of Struay. Coll is separated by a short strait from the island of Tiree, and the two are easily combined for a visit.
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Information room and viewing benches. Their signature bird is the corncrake, a summer visitor, now rare in the UK. Here and throughout Coll you'll also see Greenland and Barnacle geese, lapwing and redshank. See RSPB website for expected and observed birds by season. Two suggested walks. Please keep dogs under close control.
There are two: admire their exteriors from the lane, but neither can be visited. The old castle is a 15th-century tower house, now in private ownership. The “new” castle was built adjacent in 1750; in 1773 Samuel Johnson and James Boswell stayed here on their tour of the Hebrides. It’s structurally unsafe and its owner faces an immense repair task.
Island Cafe
Licensed café doing lunches and dinners. Brews its own beer. The owners used to run Cafe Canna.
Cosy hotel, far better than its 2 stars suggest, with good restaurant.
14-bed hostel constructed in modern pine, open year-round. One mixed dorm of six, one room of 5 and one of 3 for exclusive use. Self-catering kitchen. Dogs welcome by arrangement. Pitches for 4 motorhomes, but no tents.
Seven rooms for B&B, plus “Wee House” for self-catering. Clean, comfy and friendly, Open Dec-Oct, 2 night minimum stay.
Basic campsite with 3 pitches for camper vans and 7 pitches for tents. You need to go back to the village for a shower.
Campsite in the walled garden of Breachacha New Castle, with space for 20 tents and several mobile homes (some pitches only for smaller vans). Wet room, fridge/freezer and microwave.
General store, stocks basics including fuel. You can order ahead by phone or email.
Gift shop that stocks maps, woollies, crafts, gifts and postcards. There's an ATM here.
second-hand shop in the Old Hall at the west edge of Arinagour.
sells local crafts and baking.
By plane
Coll airfield (COL) is 6 miles southwest of Arinagour along B8070. Hebridean Air Services fly from Oban (Connel airfield) one day a week, usually Wednesday.
By car
Bringing your own car on the ferry gives you the most flexibility for exploring the island.
By bicycle
Bikes and e-bikes can be hired from the Post Office, community centre, or some accommodations.
On foot
Many of Coll’s best natural sites are only accessible on foot, so expect to do some walking or hiking even if you have a car.
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Balemartine, Argyll and Bute · Regional · TRE
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