Key Facts

• Location: Inner Hebrides, near Oban
• Size: 1214 hectares
• Terrain: Easy tracks; free range on grassy raised beaches with some boggy areas; beach crossings
• Access: Ferry
• Height gain: 456 metres
• Map: OS Explorer 359 Oban, Kerrera, and Loch Melfort
• Starting point: From Oban take the Gallanach ferry, just south of Oban; there is also a ferry offering a service to the north end of Kerrera that leaves from the North Pier in Oban

Kerrera coastal walk summary

Kerrera forms a natural breakwater that sits just a few hundred metres away from the hustle and bustle of the harbour town of Oban. From the jetty the clockwise route follows a stone track, signed using teapots, to the café and the romantic ruins of Gylen Castle with an easy grass path beyond to Barbabuck.

The rest of the west coast route is free-range through pasture, some of which is boggy, that passes caves, beaches and rock gardens on the low plateau between the old cliffs and the coast. This coastline is a stunning example of the effects of changing sea levels the hilly island has a terraced coastline with an ancient cliff line above dry raised beaches which makes for a perfect walking platform.

With farming and tourism its mainstay it also has a busy marina in the north, close to the Hutcheson monument, and romantic castle ruins and fabulous Kerrera tearooms and Gylan Castle in the south. We also saw plenty of otters near Slatrach Bay. Depending on the season there may be some bracken whacking around the northern tip of the island at the base of Hutchinson’s Monument before a good free-range path continues through the farm at Ardantrive and along the east coast on the return leg.

An easier walk used by most visitors avoids the free-range elements by sticking to the marked 11km south circuit passed the castle and tearooms or the easy track; or take a linear walk to Hutcheson’s Monument in the north. The island map at the jetty displays both routes but for the adventurous we’d recommend our Islandeering route.

A full route description can be found in our book ‘Islandeering: adventures around the edge of Britain’s hidden islands’; the GPX for Kerrera coastal walk can also be downloaded here. Full route description can be found in ‘Islandeering: adventures around the edge of Britain’s hidden islands’; or download route GPX.

Walking on Kerrera, following the teapots to the tea garden

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Email *

Download Kerrera walking route gpx