Remote Islands, Gardens and Beaches

In the south-west Hebrides closest to Glenapp Castle sits the Island of Gigha. Gigha is a beautiful small fertile island just three miles off the west coast of Kintyre. The Hebridean islands are touched by the gulf stream, a warm ocean current which over the centuries has allowed many unique species to thrive in these sheltered island stately gardens. One such garden is Achamore with fifty-four acres of unusual plants and trees flourishing in this microclimate.

On the nearby Island of Colonsay is the famous eighteenth-century Colonsay House with its many hybrid species of rhododendrons and exotic plants from the southern hemisphere.

The weather in the Hebrides can, of course, be changeable, but in recent years the summers have been beautiful. As we move between the islands, you will glimpse the white sandy beaches of Gigha or Tiree or the steep pebble beaches of the Island of Jura.

West of the famous Isle of Mull sits Fingal’s Cave. Hidden away until 1772 due to its remote location, you will see here a most remarkable sight. Columns of basalt, seemingly man-made but in fact, the result of volcanic eruptions millions of years ago has been revealed with the passing of time.

In years gone by, the cave has mesmerised many literary figures, including Jules Verne and John Keats. While its most famous visitor may have been Queen Victoria, Fingal’s Cave has undoubtedly been immortalised by Felix Mendelssohn’s renowned composition, known as the ‘Overture of the Hebrides.’