Day 1
We depart from our designated pick up points and head for the West of Scotland, travelling via Loch Lomond and the mountain pass known as the 'Rest and Be Thankful', stopping en route for refreshments (not included). On arrival in Oban we will board the mid-afternoon ferry for the island of Coll. Sailing up the Sound of Mull look out for the mountains of Morvern to our right and the brightly painted houses of Tobermory to our left. We will arrive in the little harbour of Arinagour early evening and transfer to our guesthouse in time for dinner.

Day 2
After our full Scottish breakfast we will depart for a tour of the island where along the way we shall see some of the beaches of white sparkling sand bordered by vast areas of 'machair' (seashore flower meadows). We will also get an insight into some of the island's history when it was inhabited by a larger population. There are relics of its ancient past dotted all over such as the cairn at Arinagour, a souterrain at the Arnabost crossroads and Iron Age forts such as those at Dun an Achaidh and Feall Bay, as well as ancient loch dwellings called crannogs and mysterious standing stones. In the afternoon, we will visit the RSPB Reserve and Visitor Centre at Totronald in the South West corner of the island. The reserve was established to help protect the Corncrake and the numbers of calling males has risen from 10 to over 130 in the last 5 years - you may hear their distinctive rasping call on a quiet evening. Here, the typical Hebridean habitat of white shell sand beaches, sand dunes and machair is also home to Lapwings, Redshanks, Gannets and Puffins to name but a few. We return to our guesthouse where dinner is served in the evening.

Day 3
After breakfast we must check out of the guesthouse. For the next couple of hours, we are free to explore the surrounding area, maybe taking a walk along one of the beautiful beaches or climb to the top of Ben Hogh at 104m, the highest point on the island where the views are spectacular and on a clear day you can see the Paps of Jura. We will then leave Coll behind and catch the ferry for the ten minute sailing to Scarinish, the old harbour on the island of Tiree. This afternoon, we will visit the Island Life Museum at Sandaig, a terrace of thatched buildings restored in the early 1990's which now houses a wonderful collection of artefacts cataloguing Tiree's past and the traditional lifestyle of the islanders. We may even hear stories of bygone years from local volunteers. We will then make our way to our guesthouse, where dinner will be served in the evening.

Day 4
This morning, after our full Scottish breakfast, we will visit the Skerryvore Lighthouse Museum which records the building of Britain's tallest lighthouse, built on treacherous rocks over 10 nautical miles out to sea. The lighthouse was designed by Alan Stevenson (uncle of Robert Louis Stevenson). We will then have a tour of the island, visiting the tiny village of Hynish, golden beaches including Gott Bay, which arches round over 4km, and the cliffs at Ceann a' Mhara, where buzzards and peregrine falcons may be seen. If you wish, make the short climb to the top of the cliffs, where you can view the thousands of seabirds nesting on the cliffs, a wonderful experience well worth the modest climb. As we circle the island, there is abounding evidence of the long history of the island, from Bronze Age standing stones and Iron Age fortifications through to the Gaelic-speaking Celts and the crofting communities which exist today. West of Vaul, on a remote section of the coast, we will find The Ringing Stone, carried from the island of Rum during the last ice age. When hit with another stone, the Ringing Stone clangs like iron and legend has it that should the boulder ever be broken, Tiree will sink beneath the waves! The Machair at the RSPB Reef Reserve comes alive during the summer months, changing from mauve to yellow to reds and pinks through to purple, while in the skies above Lapwings and Oyster Catchers provide an energetic and acrobatic display. We return to our guest house in time for dinner.

Day 5
Following breakfast we must check out of our guesthouse and begin our journey home. Before we catch the ferry back to Oban, we have some free time to explore at our own pace and hopefully enjoy the summer sun for which the island is famous for. On our way back to the harbour, we will see Tiree from a different perspective - 'An Turas', a piece of architecture the locals have named the 'Wind Tunnel'. It is a very modern piece of architecture which gives ferry passengers a refuge from the wind whilst waiting for the ferry; it also has an enclosed viewing room at one end. We will arrive back in Oban mid-afternoon and continue our homeward journey, arriving back at our original pick-up points during the evening.

4 nights dinner, bed and full breakfast in comfortable guesthouses: 2 nights on Coll and 2 nights on Tiree