Category: Jura Excursion

An excursion to Islay’s neighbour Jura

Mount Everest vs the Paps of Jura

Jura Excursions

Playing around with AI image generation earlier today after watching a video of someone flying past Mount Everest in a plane. This led me to wondering, how tall is Mount Everest compared to the famous (admittedly not as famous as Mount Everest) Paps of Jura? So I asked Gemini to create a picture of them next to each other. Not sure how accurate it is, but this is what it came up with:

Picture of a landscape showing Mount Everest and the Paps of Jura for a size/scale comparison
Mount Everest vs the Paps of Jura

Larger version

Seen from Islay and Jura I think the Paps look huge, but this makes them look rather tiny. The rendering of the Paps isn’t particularly accurate, but if you’re generous it looks a bit like a view from the north of Islay near Rhuvaal across the Sound of Islay. Just with Mount Everest in the background instead of Mull with Ben More (the only Munro you can see from Islay, weather permitting).

Nice Islay and Jura 2023 drone video

Islay on Video

Found a rather nice Islay and Jura drone video this evening. It was filmed and edited by Phil Curry, you can find quite a few drone videos on his channel, from Scotland and many other places. But as this blog is about Islay (and Islay’s neighbours) we of course focus on this video:

Islay & Jura 2023

Beaches, dolphins, a walking excursion to the Corryvreckan whirlpool north of Jura, lighthouse, hills, many great views of Islay. I hope you enjoyed the video.

Stunning videos of Islay, Jura and Colonsay from an inflatable and a drone

Islay on Video

The attribute “stunning” I often feel is overused and through that sadly devalued. But when I watched Donny Wilcox’s videos from Islay, Jura and Colonsay this evening I couldn’t think of anything else but “stunning” several times. Some really amazing views and different perspectives, views I’ve never seen that way before. Let’s start with Islay and Colonsay:

The Gurnard at Sea in 2023 Part Four ..Islay and Colonsay

Now let’s rewind to Donny’s arrival on Jura, his base for his time in the area:

The Gurnard at Sea in 2023 Part Three ..The Jura Area

And to close some more of Donny’s time on Jura, exploring Loch Tarbert:

The Gurnard at Sea in 2023 Part Five ..Loch Tarbert, Jura

I hope you enjoyed Donny’s videos as much as I did, the great views from the air, the sea and the land. Many thanks to Donny for sharing your adventures!

Sailing, diving and wildlife at Islay, Gigha and Jura (2 videos)

Islay on Video

Found two beautiful videos tonight which I’d like to share with you. They are both from the YouTube channel DiveClyde which mainly focuses on narrated scuba dive videos. At least two of their videos (I haven’t gone through all of their videos yet) feature Islay, Jura and Gigha, the topic of this blog. The first one covers a trip from Campbeltown to the Southern Skerries of Islay with some of the wildlife including Seals and Otters:

Sailing Scotland – Campbeltown to Islay

For the second video we cross over to Gigha and then to Jura for some fascinating scuba diving views and more, including a bonus view of a Sea Eagle:

Sailing Diving Scotland – Sound of Jura

I hope you’ve enjoyed the videos, I loved the views of the Otters and the various fish under water.

Paddleboarding and whisky on Islay and Jura – Videos and more

Islay on Video

During my after work internet surfing I came across an interesting video, which then led to another video and also a blog post with more background. So I thought I might as well share it with you as well. As the title says, it’s about paddleboarding, a very popular sport these days, and as in this case it took place on Islay there was also some whisky involved. Let’s start with the second video I found, Meaghan and Neal’s adventures on Islay and Jura:

SUP Safari Scotland Ep 2 Islay and Jura

The other video (the one I came across first) just focuses on Claggain Bay and their paddleboarding there:

Paddleboarding in Claggain Bay – Islay

And as promised, there’s more: There are also two posts on their blog/website, SUP Chick, titled Paddleboarding in Claggain Bay – Islay and SUP Safari Scotland – Isle of Islay & Jura Stand up Paddleboarding.

I hope you enjoyed the videos and blog posts, maybe you’ll go on your own paddleboarding adventure on Islay and Jura?

Interesting drone video from Islay’s neighbour Jura

Jura Excursions

Taking you over to Islay’s neighbour Jura for an interesting drone video today. The views are mainly of Craighouse, the Bay of Small Isles and the Corran Sands, with the famous Paps of Jura featuring large in the background. And there’s something special about the music playing:

The Isle of Jura

Visitors to the Corran Sands might have recognised where the music came from, as it says in the description:

Original music performed on 2 Sonic Sculptures by Giles Perring at Corran Sands by Sebastian McCallum, Philippa Gregory, Sally Truswell and Joe Truswell

From the video description

I think not many videos can claim this….

Beautiful Jura fell running video

Jura Excursions

Time for a visit to Islay’s neighbour Jura. I first spotted this on Facebook, then looked if I could find it on YouTube, which I did. The video in question is called “Across The Sound” and was created by Alfie Smith and Louis MacMillan. It shows Louis taking the Jura Passenger from Tayvallich to Craighouse and then going fell running on Jura, covering the famous Paps of Jura and Corra Bheinn. Just under 9 minutes well worth watching:

Across The Sound – Trig Point Films

The scenery is stunning, beautifully filmed by Alfie with Louis doing all the running. Not only that, there’s also some beautiful music by Talisk and Fourth Moon. I hope you’ll enjoy the video as much as I did.

Great video of the Corryvreckan whirlpool between Jura and Scarba

Jura Excursions

Recently a quite interesting visitor was spotted around Islay and Jura, the Thunder Child II, a very impressive boat. The first XSV20 built by Safehaven Marine in Co Cork, Ireland. Unfortunately it had to be postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but they hope to set a new record for a trans Atlantic crossing soon. This week they didn’t go that far, but visited one of the local attractions where they filmed a great video of the famous Corryvreckan whirlpool:

I’m pretty sure Thunder Child II could have easily coped with even wilder conditions, but even here the waves and views are impressive. I also found their way to “land” their drone after filming them quite interesting (you’ll have to watch the video to see how they do it), first time I’ve seen it done that way.

I can only recommend a boat tour to the Corryvreckan, I went with Jura Boat Tours in June 2019 and enjoyed every minute of it. Seeing the whirlpool up close is a great experience, even if it is running at less than half of its full strength.

Nice walking on Islay (and Jura and Colonsay) video

Islay on Video

While we don’t know when, if it’s going to be this year or next year, at some point we will be able to go walking in the beautiful wide open spaces of Islay, Jura and Colonsay again. Until then we have to watch videos like this, showing walking on mainly Islay, but also Jura and Colonsay, in all weathers, from beautiful sunshine to pouring rain:

There are many ways to walk on Islay: you can go on organised walking holidays like in this video with About Argyll, you can come for the Islay walking week or you can go just for yourself whenever you want and wherever you want.

Claig Castle in the Sound of Islay (video)

Islay on Video

Most people who have travelled to/from Islay via Port Askaig will at some point have noticed the ruins on Am Fraoch Eilean on the Jura side at the southern end of the Sound of Islay. This is Claig Castle, once a quite important castle on the west coast of Scotland. Someone from Cine Gate has flown a drone over it for a closer look:

Claig Castle by Cine Gate

It is probably around 500 years old, dating back to medieval times, and once was a Macdonald stronghold. Certainly an excellent position to control the area and any traffic passing through the Sound of Islay!