If you’re yearning for a day trip to a beautiful Hebridean Island then look no further! Our day trips to Iona and Staffa will take you past the dramatic scenery of Mull and Erraid, then onto the gentle, sandy beaches of Iona where you will disembark to explore the island.
Iona really does have something for everyone; the gorgeous white sandy beaches and turquoise water entertain swimmers and wildlife alike, whilst any historians among us will be enthralled with the island’s rich Celtic past.
You will have 2 and a half hours on Iona to explore the beaches, meadows, cafes, abbey and even climb to its highest point – Dun I !
Iona itself is a wee island, only 3 miles long with 170 or so residents.Iona’s wild flower meadows are a safe haven for skylarks and goldfinches and even corncrakes – listen out for their distinctive rattle-like call.
The surrounding waters are peppered with sea life; seals, otters, porpoise and bottlenose dolphins can be seen all year round whilst summer visitors include minke whales, puffins and common dolphins; even the occasional orca sighting has been reported – so get those binoculars out!
Puffins can be seen around Iona and Staffa in June and July, before they head back out to the open sea in August.
Our Iona day trips will also take you to the uninhabited island of Staffa, home to Fingal’s Cave and, in the summer, a bustling colony of puffins. Despite not landing on Staffa our customers are often delighted with close up puffin shots as we bob around in the water with our orange-clad pals. Fingal’s Cave is an important part of Celtic folklore, rumoured to be the home of a giant!
The Iona Abbey brings visitors from all around the globe to Iona
Iona has long been considered the ‘Cradle of Christianity’ in Scotland as the ancient abbey has been a centre of faith, education and craftmanship for well over a thousand years. Iona Abbey was founded by in 563 AD (that’s 1459 years ago!) by an Irish Monk named St Columba.
Though Iona Abbey survived many Viking raids through the middle-ages, few ofthe original monasticbuildings remain. Nonetheless the Abbey today stands proudly within Iona’s pastures – a beacon of faith and history for all those sailing pas