Coast writer Simon Baldwin enjoys a unique stay in the stunning Scottish coastal location of the Isle of Carna.
It is not every day that you’re asked to stay on a private island. When that invitation arrived, Google was the first port of call. Despite visiting many Scottish islands over more than a decade, the Isle of Carna was not on my radar.
‘Remote’ is an oft-used word in travel and seldom used when sharing stories from across our own islands, but there’s no escaping it: Carna is remote. That is one of its key charms.
Four hours north west of Edinburgh, the private island has no permanent residents. We would be the only people on a 600-acre island – set in Loch Sunart, between the Ardnamurchan and Morvern peninsulas.
Taking a ferry to reach a destination confirms you are on a journey: someone else is in control of the direction. The five-minute, 400m Coran Ferry across Loch Linnhe may not be the most adventurous but, driving off on the north shore, you enter a whole different world.
You head west – beyond Strontian. Roads narrow, narrow again to a single track and then, taking a left turn at Salen, it becomes a viewing gallery of the most spectacular scenery along Loch Sunart. Time slows.
The specific instructions from Andy Jackson, who has been an integral part of running Carna for more than 20 years, led us to Laga Bay. We offloaded our cars on the stony beach before parking atop the 1-in-3 road, walking back down to take in the air, views and all that lay ahead.
Andy and his wife, Allison, are based at Laga Bay – and have been for over 35 years. Andy is general manager and co-founder of the Carna Conservation Initiative and, together, they run Ardnamurchan Charters and provide essential support to the island.
To and fro across the jetty, we loaded provisions onto MV Laurenca for the days ahead – and set off for Carna.
The sea loch was millpond calm reflecting blue skies, sunshine and acting as a mirror for the surrounding hills.
The crossing to the island is short – 15 minutes or so – but time ceases to have any real meaning. We were about to disembark onto an off-grid island surrounded by abundant native wildlife, awash with peace and tranquillity. All that really matters are the tides – they ebb and flow as they have for millennia and dictate the day to day.
Bags and boxes carried onto the island across the Carna jetty and loaded onto a vintage Land Rover that acted as a packhorse for the short trek to Carna House. Andy and the change of pace helped us unload – physically and mentally – and then he talked us through the property.
The period 1920s cottage is complete with log fires and gas lighting – yes, real gas lighting that’s lit with matches. Andy gave us a careful demonstration. Some are being replaced with LED versions – and will continue to be over time – but they are reusing the core parts of the lights in that process.
It has all you need for a relaxing ‘switch off’. One double bedroom (ground floor), two twins (up a very steep flight of steps) and one small bunk room off the kitchen provide accommodation for up to eight. There’s only one bathroom – but there are two toilets (one up, one down) – and the kitchen is well equipped: a gas hob and oven, fridge-freezer (the only electric appliance) and plenty of crockery, cutlery and glassware.
There’s a snug dining room with fire and sitting room with a log burner. It may be ‘back to basics’ but, for those desperate to stay in touch, there is a mobile phone and camera charging point…and outdoor wi-fi that works. At present? In a small patch of ground near to the jetty!
You have to slow down. Step back in time. Stop rushing – and just enjoy the unique location.
The days go slowly. The sea air makes you tired. Lazy evenings with early meals – and then bed, reading books or leafing through the exceptional particulars detailing the island’s sale in 1905 when prospective buyers had an overnight train ride from London followed by a four-hour sail from Oban just to visit. The descendants of the stags that roamed the surrounding hills in Edwardian times can still be heard rutting during the still, moonlit nights.
It has a fascinating history with earliest records tracking Carna’s place as part of the Kingdom of Dalriada some 1,400 years ago. Vikings, the Norse-Gaelic dynasty, Clans, Scottish and English Royalty – they have all played their part. By the 1800s, the island supported 17 households – growing crops, keeping livestock and fishing to survive. Those times have passed. In 1881, it was purchased by the Canon Newton whose descendants, the Milward-Towers family, own it to this day.
Included as part of your stay is use of a boat. We were given a thorough safety briefing with tuition and, once the boat had been refuelled, went to explore.
Coastal walking around Scotland
Loch Sunart and Carna Island are part of the Marine Protected Area and the UK’s only Mission Blue Hope Spot. Carna is an SSI – Site of Special Scientific Interest – as well as an SAC, a designated Special Area of Conservation. There are no roads on the island, no traffic noise or light pollution, no TV vying for your attention and, at most, a few handfuls of people – most likely your own party – sharing this magical place.
On our boat trip, taking account of the incoming and outgoing tides to manage the shallower waters on the southern shores of Carna, we felt as characters in Swallows & Amazons. We’d cut the engine from time to time and just sit – mid loch – to enjoy coffee and cake as well as the majestic beauty of it all.
An abundance of sea life – otters, starfish, sea urchins and fish aplenty. Turning our faces to the skies? We spied the daintiest butterflies to mighty eagles. Back on land, the island is your own. There are no real waymarked paths – so you are free to tread and scramble to your heart’s content. The flora will undoubtedly change season to season. On our visit (in September) it was stunning. Carna is alive with biodiversity.
Back at base, outside the house is your garden with table and chairs to sit and enjoy the views – the seashore is a stone’s throw away. On our final day, we packed a picnic lunch and set off to ‘climb the summit’ – the island’s only peak, the Carna Marilyn. The name was coined with a tip of a hat to the Munro designation used to mark a Scottish mountain with a height of more than 3,000 feet. A Marilyn has a height of at least 150m … and the view from the top is breathtaking.
Taking in a landscape that has been shaped by time and tides, where man’s influence has played its part and where our influence – as visitors to this corner of Scotland – can only help to contribute to conservation projects and the sustainability of the local community to help protect it for generations to come.
The return to Laga Bay came all too soon. A clean of the cottage, then packing up to retrace our steps to the jetty and Andy and Allison’s boat.
The time may have been short – just three nights. The memories? They will last a lifetime.
KEY INFORMATION
Pets are allowed (up to three dogs). The properties on the island (there are two, the house and one cottage overlooking the island’s jetty) are non-smoking. Included in your stay are transfers on and off the island, all bedding and towels and fuel – and 24-hour support if required. Changeover day is Saturday (in July & August) and flexible at other times of the year.
Optional extras include fishing rod hire, outside catering, guided wildlife watching and wildlife boat trips. They can also arrange kayaking and diving with notice and discounts are offered for couples and small groups staying between November and March.
YOUR HOSTS
Andy and Allison provide all the essential support to the island – ensuring all runs smoothly. They look after guests before and during your stay, offer up their considerable knowledge of the area to make sure holidaying is a fun, relaxing and interesting adventure. Combined, that’s more than 60 years of experience!
Allison, a retired nurse, manages the housekeeping side of the island’s operations.
Andy, a trained engineer and local Coastguard Search and Rescue Station Officer, operates the logistics whether maintenance and transport or delivering guided wildlife trips and boat training.
As a Director of Carna Conservation Initiative, he is heavily involved in the island’s conservation projects. A founder member of the marine protection initiative, Community Association Of Lochs And Sounds, and founder member of West Highland Peninsulas Tourist Association, he dedicates his time to promoting and protecting this very special area. He is also a Wildlife Safe qualified skipper, able to provide wildlife guiding on and around the island in his charter vessel MV Laurenca.
Together, the couple have been instrumental is creating Carna Hope Week, delivering a fully accessible immersive week to young people of all abilities. The project’s aim is to address the growing mental health issues affecting 15–18-year-olds – with a particular focus on eco and climate anxiety. Cana Hope Week ran for the first time in the summer of 2024. Plans are already being made to repeat and build on the success in the coming years. Staying on Carna helps to support this unique initiative.
