Isle of Jura
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Jura
Isle of Jura | Around the Island
Introduction to Jura
Phone code: +44 (0)1496
The words 'wild' and 'remote' tend to get overused in describing the many Hebridean islands, but in the case of Jura they are, if anything, an understatement. The short ferry crossing from neighbouring Islay takes you into another world, pervaded by an almost haunting silence. Jura has one road, one hotel, six sporting estates and 5,000 red deer, which outnumber the 200 people by 25:1, the human population having been cleared to turn the island into a huge deer forest. Rather appropriately, the name Jura derives from the Norse 'dyr-ey', meaning deer island.
Getting there
A small car and passenger ferry makes the regular 5-min crossing daily from Port Askaig on Islay to Feolin Ferry. For times, contact Cerco Denholm, Tel. 01496 840681. A one-way ticket costs £10 per car and £1.80 per passenger.
Getting around
Amazingly enough, there is a bus service on Jura, which runs from Feolin Ferry to Craighouse several times a day, Mon-Sat. A few buses continue to Lagg and Inverlussa and return to Craighouse. Note that some journeys are by request only and must be booked the day before, Tel. 820314.
For bus times, see the timetable, available free at TICs