Summer Isles Voyage Tips and guide

Contents

The Summer Isles are an archipelago off the coast of Ross and Cromarty in the northwest Highlands of Scotland. The largest island, Tanera Mòr, is occasionally inhabited. Since 2014 the Summer Isles have been owned by the financier Ian Wace, who intends to build a holiday resort, but to date nothing's come of this.

• 58.011-5.4081 Tanera Mòr
• 58.01-5.4442 Tanera Beag
• 58.044-5.4373 Isle Ristol is tidal, walk across from Old Dorney.
• 58.047-5.4614 Eilean Mullagrach
• 57.986-5.3445 Horse Island
• 57.978-5.4316 Eilean Dubh
• 57.961-5.467 Bottle Island
• 57.9583-5.58 Priest Island
• 57.947-5.2259 Isle Martin: see Ullapool for this outlier.

In summer, non-landing boat trips are operated by Shearwater Cruises from Ullapool and Summer Isles Sea Tours from Badentarbet pier in Achiltibuie.

Landing would require the owner's permission.

Boats tour several of the islands. Tanera Mòr has walking trails.

Wildlife includes dolphins, porpoises, seals and thousands of sea-birds.

Line fishing is permitted in the surrounding seas.

Because it was so remote, Tanera Mòr estate was authorised to run a private postal service. It issued its own stamps, which became collectors' items, but you needed to add a conventional UK stamp for the item to be delivered on the mainland. This lapsed with the change of ownership and it's not known if it will resume. Lundy in southwest England and Caldey Island off Tenby in Wales in bygone years had a similar service.

Bring all you need, the cafe is no longer open.

There are five cottages on Tanera Mòr for holiday rental, but these were not available in 2024.

As of August 2024, the islands have no mobile signal from any carrier.

• Achiltibuie is near Inverpolly Nature Reserve and has mountains to hike up.
• Ullapool is the area transport hub, with buses to Inverness and ferries to Stornoway on Lewis.
• North Coast 500 is a motoring itinerary, with Achiltibuie a side-loop.