We doing a Highland loop in July, with two nights in Oban in order to take the ferry out to Mull and Iona. Our itinerary is pretty set at this point (e.g., no time to stay over on Iona).
1. Is two hours in Iona, as is offered on the recommended tour, enough? It looks lovely, and I want to explore the abbey.
2. If not, the book says that you can take the ferries and bus on your own, but only Tues-Saturday, and as luck would have it, we'll be there on Monday. Is the day restriction true?
3. The book also says that you can get more time on Iona with the Staffa Tours, but it's not clear how that's the case.
Posted by
Lynnwood, Washington
8821 posts
I took the West Coast Tours, 3 island tour (Mull, Iona and Staffa) several years ago. They offered an "early bird" tour and a regular tour at that time. We had an early start and a full day, but I felt like I had seen the highlights of Iona. We viewed the Abbey and even went for a nice walk across the Island.
I liked the tour and felt it gave good value.
Posted by
Duluth 🛶
7683 posts
I was there last year and I think you could easily see Iona in 2 hours. It's a small island, and most of the major sites are centrally located. I don't know which tour you are taking, or which book you are referring to, but as I mentioned, 2 hours should be fine for you to see the highlights.
Posted by
Lake District, England
7458 posts
No, the day restriction is untrue. The same buses and ferries run on a Monday as on a Tuesday to Saturday.
The only difference is that the connecting ferry from Oban on Monday is at 0645 on Monday, as against 0725 on the other days.
Personally to get up to the top of the island, where very few tourists get to due to lack of time also have time in the little known Oratory, I would prefer 3 or even 4 hours. And an overnight is great to experience the peace of the place without all the tourists, but two will do you.
The reason the Monday ferry runs early is to take Mull and Iona school children over to Oban on the return passage, where they board at the High School during the week and return home on Friday afternoon.
This year be aware of a new phenomenon (and a good reason to be on Iona early)- cruise ship passengers. Tobermory is now accepting cruise ships in significant numbers (some diverted from Oban). Oban and even Iona have always had the very odd cruise ship but this year it will be a regular thing.
So they will be dispersing throughout Mull by bus, and doubtless to Iona, and affecting capacity on the boat tours to Staffa and Treshnish from Tobermory.
Posted by
Lake District, England
7458 posts
By the way if you do the service bus route you get effectively 4 or 6 hours on the island anyway, no choice on that.
THE bus leaves Craignure at 0830, arrives Fionnphort at 0945, so Iona arrive at about 1000.
The next bus back is at 1520 arrives Craignure at 1635 thus leaving Iona at about 1430.
The later bus is at 1745.
That last bus would allow you to see the key sites on Iona and do a boat trip to Staffa.
Posted by
Lincolnshire, UK
2224 posts
I'm not sure what 'book' you are referring to.
Iona isn't very big but two hours isn't very long if you are wanting to explore the Abbey as well as seeimng more of the island. I had three hours and even that was tight.
See my reply on your other post.
Posted by
1 posts
We had a hiccup on the Iona/Mull portion of the tour because of another tour bus that broke down. We did catch the ferry, but late. It was an entertaining adventure, but dont count on the amount of time estimated!