Isle of Islay self catering accommodation
| country: | Scotland |
| location: | Mull of Oa, Isle of Islay, Inner Hebrides |
| price: | From £400 - £600 per cottage per week (sleeps 6) |
| offers: | November and December weeks (excluding festive weeks) are available at £400. |
 | View availability here |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
description
Isle of Islay self catering accommodation
With miles of low-level moorland and cliff top tracks to enjoy, two RSPB reserves within walking distance and a fishing permit with access to rowing boats on a nearby loch, it’s no wonder many of our guests ignore their cars for the duration of their stay at this Isle of Islay self catering accommodation .
When the weather’s wild or you don’t have the inclination to go far, well-stocked bookcases, a vintage record collection and a crackling open fire provide the perfect excuse to stay put and be. A huge variety of wildlife including choughs and Golden Eagles are regularly spotted from the cottage garden and a lucky few have come across the elusive otters. Families can take advantage of our tailor made bushcraft experience based on the farm.
The Oa is steeped in history and your walks will bring you to deserted townships, a Neolithic burial chamber and holy celtic sites. The ancient geology of the area is also fascinating. Talk to the locals and you’ll hear stories and pieces of wisdom that maybe no-one has ever written down. Ask them to teach you a bit of the Gaelic.
With miles of low-level moorland and cliff top tracks to enjoy, two RSPB reserves within walking distance and a fishing permit with access to rowing boats on a nearby loch, it’s no wonder many of our guests ignore their cars for the duration of their stay at this Isle of Islay self catering accommodation .
When the weather’s wild or you don’t have the inclination to go far, well-stocked bookcases, a vintage record collection and a crackling open fire provide the perfect excuse to stay put and be. A huge variety of wildlife including choughs and Golden Eagles are regularly spotted from the cottage garden and a lucky few have come across the elusive otters. Families can take advantage of our tailor made bushcraft experience based on the farm.
The Oa is steeped in history and your walks will bring you to deserted townships, a Neolithic burial chamber and holy celtic sites. The ancient geology of the area is also fascinating. Talk to the locals and you’ll hear stories and pieces of wisdom that maybe no-one has ever written down. Ask them to teach you a bit of the Gaelic.
special things to do and see here
And you will want to venture beyond the Oa – at least once. The cottage is only a short drive away from Islay’s renowned whisky distilleries - offering excellent tours and tastings – the famous Machrie golf course, award winning restaurants, craft shops, potteries and miles of sandy beaches. The Islay Woollen Mill wove the tweed for Braveheart and is worth a visit as is our local museum and archives. If you’re interested in researching your Islay roots we can find someone to help you with that. Bike hire, pony trekking, watersports, sea safaris, are all available locally. And a birding or bushcraft day out with the five star Islay Birding is a must. rooms, food and facilities
Bedrooms: Master double bedroom with seating area. Fluffy white robes; twin bedroom; family room with twin beds and set of bunks for flexible accommodation (house sleeps total 6). All with local art on the walls.Kitchen: Well-equipped fitted kitchen with dining area. A-rated appliances: washing machine, freezer, fridge, microwave.
Living room: Comfortable living room with open fire. Local art and a good selection of board games and books. Turntable and vintage record collection.
Garden Room: Perfect place to curl up with a good book.Bathroom: Spacious bathroom; bath with shower over.
Family & baby friendly: We have a rainy day drawer with craft materials etc, a good selection of board games and Jacques croquet set. We offer a baby sitting service (with child protection certificate) and craft sessions for children. We also have a high chair and travel cot available.
Cycling & walking friendly: We have VisitScotland Walkers and Cyclist accreditation.
how to find the Isle of Islay self catering accommodation
By car & ferry: From Central Scotland take the A82 then A83 to the ferry port at Kennacraig.By bus: Take the city link to Kennacraig from Buchanan Street Bus Station, then the ferry from Kennacraig to Port Ellen.
By air: There are regular flights from Glasgow International Airport. A taxi or car and bike hire can be arranged locally.
how this holiday makes a difference
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We are passionate about the wild place that is the Oa and are committed to sharing it with our guests by providing high-quality low impact holiday experiences. Tourism is important to the sustainability of our island community. Traditionally people have visited Islay mainly in the High season summer months.
We are committed to support a wide range of local businesses and enterprises in our operations including care and maintenance of the property. We encourage our guests to support local suppliers and use local services. We believe that in order to be sustainable this support needs to be year round rather than only in the high season summer months. We encourage our guests to enjoy and appreciate the fragile local environment. We offer tailormade bushcraft experiences from a five star wildlife operator. The family farm is operated using the traditional farming methods which have encouraged wildlife for generations and we work in co-operation with the neighbouring RSPB reserve. The local angling club has improved access to the nearby Glenastle Loch and we support the club with corporate membership fees and sponsor the annual Coillabus Quaich. We share our passion for wild places with The John Muir Trust. We support the work of the Trust and provide information on the Trust for our guests. Should they wish to do so we encourage our guests to offset the carbon emissions made in travelling to Islay by supporting the John Muir Trust.  We operate a paper-free marketing policy and use a website to promote the cottage. We use email and electronic means of communication where possible. When we do use paper and envelopes they are made from recycled paper. We provide facilities for our guests to recycle paper, card, plastic, aluminium and glass.Weather permitting we line dry our towels and bedlinen which also minimises electricity used in ironing. 100% of our electricity is produced from sustainable Hydro Electric plants. We use eco friendly cleaning materials and provide recycled toilet rolls and bin bags and have recently installed massive amounts of loft insulation. The open fire burns local fallen trees and the back boiler supplements the immersion heater. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |