If you have already visited this blog before, you know I love travelling to Scotland. I had visited Edinburgh a few times and even did a 6 Days Backpacking in the Highlands. But this time, my adventure was a bit different – staying in a Chalet on a picturesque Scottish island.
While I prepare my Kerrera Island diaries, I will tell you more about this Airbnb stay. A couple of years ago, my husband and I had the idea of visiting some remote parts of Scotland. It never materialised, and the dream stayed saved on the Wishlist of our Airbnb page.
But after two years without adventuring abroad, we just decided to give it a go. To start with, from Birmingham to Oban (the nearest city to the Island) is a quite long track by car. The good news is that we do love a bit of challenge.
But where is Kerrera Island?
Kerrera is an island located in the Inner Hebrides – an archipelago off the west coast of mainland Scotland, close to the town of Oban.
The island is known for the ruined Gylen Castle, a small tower house built in 1582. According to the IKDT, more than 15,000 day-trippers visit the island annually from Oban. And Kerrera has 68 full-time residents.
Some of those residents we had the pleasure to meet when we stayed in the Horseshoe Bay Chalet for a week.
As you can imagine, there is a limited number of accommodations when you stay on an island.
We picked this Airbnb was picked some years before visiting Kerrera. We thought it would be great to have this experience and the positive reviews about the place were an important fact too.
After a long 8-hour drive from the Midlands to Oban, we took the ferry from Oban to Kerrera in a ride that last only five minutes in total. Our host Zoe sent her partner to pick us up on the ferry. They carried our luggage to the chalet while my husband and I preferred to walk there.
It’s important to highlight that you have a 30-minute walk from the ferry to the chalet. If the day is sunny, it is a quite gorgeous walk to do, anyways.
Also, there is an islanders car only policy, so, it is better to get used to walking around because this is the only way to go around the island.
How is the Horseshoe Bay Chalet?
The accommodation is a cosy chalet with fantastic views from the sea.
It was a quite good surprise to see this chalet from inside. A quite spacious Airbnb that can easily accommodate six people. It’s a fantastic retreat for families or couples that are looking for spending a holiday on a picturesque Scottish island.
For us, it was a perfect spot to spend our 10th Wedding Anniversary. We got wine and biscuits as a welcome treat. A nice touch from Zoe and her beautiful family.
Starting with the fitted kitchen that is quite spacious and well-equipped. It has a dining table that we used all the time, not just for eating, but also to build a jigsaw puzzle that we brought. I loved the fact that we had a lot of space to cook and chill in this area.
It is also equipped with a washing machine that was so helpful considering we stayed for a week on the island and could wash our clothes anytime we wanted.
In the same space, we had a lounge with a comfortable sofa set and TV. What I loved most about both spaces was the fact it has big windows facing the sea, and you can have fresh and a nice breeze air first thing in the morning.
The toilet is also spacious, and the shower was a perfect treat after long walking on the island.
We were supplied with cleaning products and extra toiletries, which was quite helpful considering that we need to walk to the nearest shop to get a few supplies, which means crossing by ferry to go to the nearest shop or supermarket in Oban. So, it is important to be prepared when visiting Kerrera.
The master bedroom was also a great deal. The king-sized bed was comfy enough and the quietness of the island before the ferry is open for the visitors was a plus. We had great nights of sleep and felt very relaxed during our stay.
There is a second bedroom with a bunk bed and a double bed. We have used this space to keep suitcases and clothes. But it is also a comfy bedroom for families with kids, for example.
The outside area is a great spot to relax during the evenings. You have your own private deck and grounds to play a few games or stargazing. And can visit the private pebbly beach right next to your doorstep.
I loved this Airbnb, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for the magic experience of staying a couple of nights on an island. I am going to start sharing my posts on staying on Kerrera Island for a week. I hope you enjoy the journey!
