Ad: This complimentary trip was provided by West Coast Tours. Views are all my own.

Ever wondered how it’s possible to visit 3 Scottish islands in just 10 hours? I can’t say I had either. Yet for us, this jam-packed mission was about to become a reality as we packed our overnight bag, left Edinburgh behind and headed west.

We would be travelling with West Coast Tours, Calmac and Staffa Tours, a tripartite journey that was entirely included in the ticket price. Arriving in Oban bright and early (and finding day parking for just £5, a real-life miracle when you live in Edinburgh) we stopped by the West Coast Tours offices to collect our tickets before boarding the ferry.

Here are a few of my favourite snaps from the ten hours we were island hopping. I’ll be sharing edits over on my Instagram account too over the following months! As always, a big thanks for following along.

Leaving Oban — ‘Gateway to the Isles’ — at 10am.

Grey morning skies over this quaint little seaside town, known in guidebooks and on tourist paraphernalia as ‘The Gateway to the Isles’. With ferries going to Mull, Tiree, Coll and Lismore among other destinations, it comes alive with visitors and locals alike making the most of our short-lived summer.

I took this photo just after our ship, the MV Isle of Mull, pulled away from the terminal. Initially we were sitting inside, recovering from our drive west from Glasgow with coffee and hot chocolate, but when we saw the scenery — which was actually so much more atmospheric because it was grey! — we spent the rest of the crossing outside. Can you beat fresh sea air?

Sailing past dream houses on the horizon.

More shots from the ferry as it passed Kerrera, Oban’s neighbouring small island. Clocking up a tiny 4.7 square miles of space, there are apparently around 30 people who live permanently on the isle.

This detached home looks back towards the town of Oban itself, with the beautiful Roman-inspired McCaig’s Tower on the skyline. Just around the peninsula is a more modern equivalent of this house, with a geometric roofline and an extended balcony. Imagine sitting there and, instead of watching cars blur by on a busy road, seeing the ferries glide in and out the bay, followed by gulls and tiny fishing boats.

The wheels on the west coast bus.

After stepping off the ferry at Craignure and sprinting through a downpour, we huddled into our two seats on the West Coast Tours bus. The driver — who was also the guide — talked us through our itinerary for the day.

First, we were heading for Fionnphort where we’d be transferred to a small Staffa Tours boat. From Staffa, we’d return to Iona where we’d have two hours to wander the island. A quick stop at Fionnphort before being bused back to the Craignure ferry, we’d then arrive back in Oban by eight o’clock. A busy day ahead!

Views from the window.

Just one of the pretty scenes we saw as the bus wound through the south coast of the island. The driver told us how, if we were lucky, we might be able to spot golden eagles, deer and otters… Unfortunately though, it was a bad wildlife day!

That didn’t stop us from enjoying the landscapes and hills, which were touched by the odd ray of sunshine between the rain showers. Another highlight was squealing as the bus driver crossed a narrow, stone bridge.

I had mentally prepared for a disaster (i.e. the bus tumbling off the overpass) but luckily the driver was far more talented than I am in front of the wheel.

Our first view of Staffa.

After hopping on the powerful Staffa Tours boat and clearing the protective coast of Iona, we were out into the Atlantic. The swell grew, pushing waves against the hull of the boat, and everyone on board began to keep their heads down to fend off the spray. So, by the time we’d actually spotted the island, it was right in front of us!

And it was the most impressive way to see it. Out of the sea rose the huge basalt columns and, at the south end of the island, two cave mouths. It was breathtaking.

Peering into the iconic Fingal’s Cave.

Visited by artists and authors like Mendelssohn, Keats and Wordsworth — not to mention Queen Victoria! — this is the most famous cavern on Staffa. The boat’s skipper went right up to the mouth of the cave, and we were honestly in awe of the scale of the place.

Waves bashed into the basalt pillars, creating a bath of foam at the entrance, and visibility disappeared into darkness as we gazed into the cave. Sadly, due to the size of the swell, it wasn’t safe to land on Staffa… Which just makes me all the more determined to get back there and see the puffins close up.

Wild waves and the Boat Cave.

Fingal’s smaller neighbour takes on the incessant waves that batter it and the surrounding cliffs. The swell continued to rock our small Staffa Tours boat as we left the island behind, causing many tourists to take refuge inside the cabin with a sick bag for company.

We remained outside, benefitting from the fresh air and sea spray, but I won’t lie: I was beginning to feel rather nauseous. It’s been a while since I’ve been out in seas like that!

Approaching the peaceful isle of Iona.

Thankfully, some calmer seas as our Staffa Tours boat approached the beautiful harbour at Iona. The sun was shining, so we sat beside this beach eating our picnic lunch, and watching a fellow visitor play around with his drone.

Whilst we ate our squashed sandwiches, some confident sparrows approached the table, shying away from seagulls as we tried to feed them scraps. A pretty perfect spot for a picnic, wouldn’t you agree?

Inside the revered Iona Abbey.

Although largely rebuilt in the twentieth century, Iona Abbey remains on the site of St Columba’s original monastery and hasn’t lost any of its ethereal magic.

As with all religious spaces, you experience a suspended silence when you go inside, like time has stopped and you’re safe from whatever’s going on in the outside world. I loved how the hymn books, in their blue and green coupling on the pews, added a burst of colour to the building.

The site is now maintained by Historic Scotland and, for £7.10/£4.30 entry, you’ll also be given an informative audio guide and access to the neighbouring museum.

From the old to the new.

It can be challenging when you’re exploring ancient places to differentiate between the old and the refurbished (I felt like this at the Roman Forum and my brother reported the same during his recent visit to the Forbidden City).

The above image of the Abbey cloisters highlights this well, I think: although it’s clear that the cream, clean stone behind is from a recent restoration, we weren’t sure about the grey material in the foreground.

Was this from a mid-twentieth century restoration, or did it date from centuries ago when the cloisters were enlarged in the 1400s? Like the rest of the Abbey and its mythical beginnings, it’s a bit of a mystery.

Iona’s ancient burial area.

Our last stop-off of the day before we rejoined the ferry and West Coast Tours coach, we wandered along the medieval Street of the Dead. This cobbled walkway, leading from Iona Abbey to Reilig Odhrain burial ground, was an early Christian processional path that was originally lined with crosses.

We imagined monks, with their flowing cloaks (probably soaked in mud, knowing Scottish weather!) moving slowly towards Reilig Odhrain with coffins of clan chieftains and kings on their shoulders. Ancient artefacts found on this plot include early Christian tombstones, the eighth century St Oran’s Cross and graveslabs belonging to the local Lords. They are now carefully preserved in the adjacent museum (entry fee included in original ticket).

As we waited on the embarkment call from the Calmac ferry, the rain finally closed in on us for the day. Just in time for the sailing home.

Which west coast islands have you visited?