Scotland’s got a lot of beautiful islands, and Islay is probably the most idyllic. When you first arrive, you’re greeted by white houses on the shore, bright yellow shrubbery, and small sandy beaches. Now, getting to the island can be a bit intimidating for first-timers, especially if you don’t know much about Scottish ferries. But as luck would have it, I’m basically a salty sea dog after all the boats I boarded there. Having weathered a few (metaphorical) storms, there’s quite a bit I can say about ferries to Islay.
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Where To Stay on Islay
I’ve already talked about this hotel in a previous post, but I’ll sing its praises until the day I die. Glenegedale House is the best hotel on Islay.
The owners are so warm and welcoming, and they know tons about the island. They were also super helpful when I had to book a ferry last-minute, which makes this recommendation even more relevant.
Be sure to try some of the traditional Scottish porridge with scotch and cream. Nothing like whisky-laced oatmeal to wake you up!
PHOTO CREDITS: GLENEGEDALE HOUSE VIA HOTELS.COM
PLANNING A TRIP TO ISLAY ISLAND SOON?
Below are some of the best tours, hotels, and more to kickstart your plans!
Popular Tours & Activities on Islay Island:
- 4-Day Islay Whisky Distilleries Tour from Edinburgh
- 4-Day Islay & Whisky Tour from Edinburgh
- 5-Day Islay & Whisky Distilleries Tour from Edinburgh – includes 10 distillery tours!
Top Places to Stay on Islay Island:
You Might Also Like These Global Debauchery Posts:
- Accommodation on Islay: 6 Exclusive Retreats for a Perfect Stay
- 8 Best Sightseeing for a Wild Islay Day Trip (Coming soon!)
- Whisky Paradise: Unveiling the Secrets of Islay’s Laphroaig Distillery! (Coming soon!)
Keeping Your Ferries to Islay Organized
Like I mentioned before, I made the huge mistake of forgetting to book one of the ferries in advance on my trip. It turned out okay thanks to my amazing B&B hosts, but if the ferries had been fully booked, I would’ve been shit out of luck.
To avoid the same mistake, start by compiling a list or excel sheet of all the islands you want to visit. Even if you’re only visiting Islay, this list will help keep you organized, since you can compile notes for your ferries here for quick reference. It can be as simple as a list that says “ferry to Islay” and then “Islay to next destination.” Then, once you’ve actually booked the ferry tickets, you can fill those details in on your list.
Honestly, I’d recommend you use an excel sheet to keep track of all your travel plans – hotels, transportation, and so on. It’s too easy to get lost in a foreign country if you’re careless.
What to Know Before Taking Ferries to Islay
Mainland Ports You Can Catch a Ferry to Islay
Now, before you book anything, you need to find the right port. Finding which port you depart from depends on which country you’re departing from. Mainland Scotland only has one port to Islay, Kennacraig. There’s another port in Ballycastle, at the northern tip of Ireland, but most of the ferry traffic to Islay comes from Scotland, so I’ll focus on Kennacraig.
Kennacraig is a city in the Argyll and Bute Council. There are two main ways to get there:
- Car rental, roughly a 2-hour drive from Glasgow
- A Citylink Scotland bus will get you there from Glasgow in about 3.5 hours
If you choose to rent a car, you’ll be able to load it onto the ferry. It’s handy to have a rental on the island since you won’t have to rely on public transportation. Just make sure you book a space for your car too!
Personally, I wanted to nab a morning ferry, so we stayed the night in a nearby town, Inveraray. Then we drove on over to Kennacraig bright and early so we could board.
Islay’s Ports: Ellen and Askaig
Islay, meanwhile, has two ports: Port Ellen and Port Askaig. Port Ellen has more ferries headed there per day (during summer, anywho), but sometimes water conditions there can be a little choppier. When that happens, ferries redirect to Askaig.
As a general rule of thumb, avoid Port Ellen if you’re traveling between October and February since ferry service can be pretty sparse. Though to be honest, even if you book there and end up at Askaig, it’s not too big of a deal. Islay is pretty small, and the two ports are only separated by a single 50-minute bus ride.
Just go for the one with easier access to wherever you want to stay on Islay. If you’re renting a car, you have even less to worry about.
Booking Your Ferry Trip to Islay
Once you’ve decided on the port, you’ll want to check the timetables for the ferries in order to figure out which one you want to nab for your trip.
There are two: summer and winter. Timetables between the two can be wildly different, and once one season’s timetable is done, they take it down until the current one is nearly over. It can be a pain if you’re planning your trip far in advance, so you might have to put off booking ferry tickets until you’re closer to your travel dates. Don’t wait too long, though. Set a notification on your calendar app! Or make a note on your day planner if you’re more old school.
But I guess I get it. Tides can be very different depending on the time of the year, and they don’t want to give their customers wrong information. They’re just being responsible.
Once you make an account on the website, you can book a ticket. If you’re bringing a rental car with you, now’s the time to book some space for that, too. And once you’re done, don’t forget to update your list/excel sheet so you can organized!
Prices can be found on a different tab on the timetable tab – you’ll see it! The list includes prices for walk-on and drive-on of all types of vehicles.
Riding the Ferry – Passengers & Cars Alike
If you’re a passenger, riding the ferry is pretty straightforward. There is some accessibility for those with disabilities, but not a ton. It also got ridiculously crowded when I was there, so I don’t know how you’d navigate it with a wheelchair. It’s probably safest to travel during off-season.
In either case, your best bet would be to call the ferry ahead of time and talk to them about accessibility. I can’t give any personal experience on that front, but I’d hope a company this long-lasting would know what to do.
If you have a rental car with you, don’t stress it too much. The ferry people won’t act as your personal valet, but they’ll tell you where to drive, park, and so on. It’s pretty straightforward, and they do a good job keeping things organized.
Donโt Let the Islay Ferry Stress You Out
Booking ferries to Islay can feel like a weird little travel puzzle at first, but once you figure out the ports, timetables, and car situation, itโs really not that scary. Just book early, keep your plans organized, and donโt assume the ferry gods will magically have space for you.
If youโre building a bigger Scotland trip, you might also want to check out my guides to planning a full Scottish adventure, spending a quick day in Edinburgh, exploring Glasgow on a budget, or hopping over to other dreamy islands like Mull and Skye. Because apparently, once you survive one Scottish ferry, youโre legally required to become obsessed with all of them.
