About Jura
The Isle of Jura -whose small population of around 200 is dwarfed by that of its 6,000 resident red deer, is one of Argyll’s secret places - now easily acessible direct from the Argyll mainland via a new fast passenger ferry from Tayvallich on Kintyre’s Loch Sween.
The island is dominated in the south by the legendary walkers’ favourites - the Paps of Jura (all three of them) with the highest, Ben Oir, being a Corbett (over 2,500 ft).
Jura’s west side has strong geological features like raised beaches. It is all but cut in two by the great bite of Loch Tarbert, eating into it from the west. It’s single track road dwindles and peters out north of Ardlussa in the north east. This is of course the area where the writer George Orwell lived when he wrote his famous - and prophetic - social satire ‘1984′. At this point, anyone trekking about seven miles further will come to the north shore of the island, overlooking the awesome Corryvreckan whirlpool which separates Jura from the neighbouring island of Scarba. This area is also home to feral goats whose rock-hopping skills are breathtaking.
The island has a rich biodiversity and its visible wildlife includes otters and seals - the latter having a convenient colony in Small Isles Bay at Craighouse, from where they can be seen hauled out on the reefs.
Jura is a time-warp paradise for walkers, sailors and families and also hosts the Jura distillery at Craighouse, one of Scotland’s major single malt whisky distillers.
One of the UK’s most individual and provocative contemporary writers, Will Self, was recently Writer in Residence on the island.
