Ferry to Jura

The main route to Jura starts at Kennacraig on the Kintyre peninsular on the mainland, about 2.5 hours' drive from Glasgow, or 3.5 hours on the Citylink bus, up through Loch Lomond and along Loch Fyne. CalMac runs up to 5 sailings a day in summer to Port Askaig on Islay's north-east coast or Port Ellen on its south coast. The crossing takes about two hours.

Port Askaig is the easiest ferry port for a Jura trip - you drive straight off the CalMac and onto the Jura ferry, call the wee ferry, because it is! Ten minutes across the Sound of Islay to Feolin, and you're on Jura. No booking needed for the wee ferry - just roll up. It runs at least hourly until 1830.

From Feolin, the single-track road runs 30 miles along Jura's east coast. Knockrome, where we are, is about 12 miles from Feolin, 4 miles around Small Isles Bay north of Craighouse, and takes about 25 minutes to drive.

The whole journey from Glasgow is about 6 hours, depending on connections. Allow a day. It sounds like a lot, but there's something about the shift from motorway to A-road to single-track to ferry to single-track again that does something to you. By the time you arrive, you've already slowed down. Honestly, it genuinely never loses that feeling, even after years of doing it.

Book the CalMac ferry to Islay as soon as you book your accommodation. Summer sailings and Fèis Ìle (the whisky festival, end of May) fill up fast - months ahead. The 12-week booking window opens and the popular crossings go quickly.

A tip - if the exact sailing you want isn't available, book the closest you can and call back every day or two to see if you can change it. Distilleries block book lots of space for their lorries and change plans regularly so places do become free.

Ideally book Kennacraig to Port Askaig (not Port Ellen, unless you fancy a 40-minute drive across Islay to reach the Jura ferry). But depending on the timings of your other connections and driving it's not always possible.

If you want to arrive at one port and leave from another, you'll need a "multi-island" ticket as CalMac irritatingly classes Port Askaig and Port Ellen as separate destinations.

If you can't get a sailing to Port Askaig, Port Ellen works fine - just allow extra time to cross Islay and make sure you book the late Jura ferry if you're arriving after 1830.

The wee ferry from Port Askaig to Feolin doesn't need booking during the day. Just arrive 10 minutes before departure and drive on. But remember: the last scheduled Jura ferry is 18:30. If you're on a later CalMac, or if the CalMac is even 10 minutes delayed, you will miss it. This does catch people out and you can end up spending an extra night on Islay if you're not careful.

If your CalMac arrives late, you have two options. One: book the late Jura ferry in advance. There is a late service but it has to be pre-booked - call the Jura ferry office on 01496 840681. Two: stay the night at Port Askaig. The Port Askaig Hotel is right at the ferry terminal and they're used to this. It's actually a lovely spot - a pint or a dram overlooking the Sound of Islay, an early ferry in the morning, and no stress.

It does happen from time to time, even with good planning. If you're cutting it fine, or the weather turns, let us know - we can advise on the best option and we'll make sure everything's sorted at the Jura end.

CalMac ferries get cancelled in bad weather. It happens. The west coast of Scotland and the Atlantic don't always cooperate. But in the years since we arrived, we've rarely had a guest's booking collapse completely because of a ferry cancellation.

Really, really important: make sure you have adequate travel insurance that covers you for this. Unfortunately we can't offer refunds if you don't make it, although we always try to fill any cancelled slots and will refund your money if we're able to find a new booking.

Here's what to do if your ferry is cancelled:

1. Call CalMac immediately - they'll rebook you on the next available sailing. Sign up to CalMac alerts in advance - you'll get texts about cancellations and diversions.

2. Contact us. We know the system inside out. We know which sailings are likely to run even when others are cancelled. We know the backup routes. We know who to call.

3. Don't panic about accommodation. If you're stuck on the mainland, Kennacraig has limited options but Tarbert is 10 minutes away. If you're stuck on Islay, the Port Askaig Hotel is your best bet. If you're stuck anywhere, we can usually help work something out.

The weather usually passes in a day, sometimes less. Keep an eye on the forecasts, keep an eye on CalMac's service status, and keep our number in your phone. We've got your back.

Coming without a car? It's really doable and we get a lot of guests on foot or with bike. In fact it's a lot easier than Islay in many ways. The Jura Passenger Ferry from Tayvallich is the easiest option in summer - see our separate guide for that.

If you're coming via Islay as a foot passenger: the CalMac from Kennacraig gets you to Port Askaig, and the wee ferry takes foot passengers. At Feolin, there's no taxi rank, but there is a local bus service that meets certain ferries. It's about 8 miles to Craighouse if you feel like stretching your legs after a long journey. One road, you can't get lost. If you stick a thumb out, or ask cars on the ferry, there's a good chance you'll get a lift.

Getting from Feolin to us: We can arrange collection for a small fee. Just let us know your ferry time. Gordon at Jura Taxis (07803 198 320) is the other option. Or hire bikes from Stuart at Jura Cycles in Craighouse (07562 762382) and make the journey part of the adventure.

Citylink bus from Glasgow connects to Kennacraig ferry terminal. The Jura Passenger Ferry connects with the 425 bus from Lochgilphead to Tayvallich, which then meets the Citylink service to Glasgow. The local transport operators stay in touch and Nicol who runs the JPF will actually call ahead to the bus driver to let them know you're on the ferry if you ask him. Glasgow to Jura by public transport, in under 4 hours in summer. Definitely worth it!