THE ISLANDS

Fancy an island holiday? Well, we have got plenty to offer and so have the islands. There are 23 inhabited islands in the council region of Argyll and Bute, the 2011 census said. Can you name them all? * (Big hint: everyone forgets that little one on Loch Lomond). Each one of them offers its own blend of bustling villages, great beaches, stunning scenery, wildlife on land and sea, and clear night skies. You just have to find the island mix that suits you best.

Golf, whisky and migrating seabirds? Head for Islay. Mull for sea eagles, marine wildlife, the bustle of Tobermory and an excellent selection of shops and eateries; Coll and Colonsay for dark skies, Tiree for the windsurfing and water sports, Jura for deer and whisky; Iona for the abbey and its spiritual landscape, Gigha and Lismore for their incredible micro-climates and gardens, and all the wee islands in between for great days out or longer stays.

Don’t think that it is all tranquil all the time; some of these islands are parties waiting to happen. The craic is phenomenal at festivals and with live music in bars and hotels as and when conditions allow. For one weekend on Mull you could be forgiven for thinking you have walked into an episode of Top Gear when the island’s motorsport rally takes place.

Unless you fly – and we have a great number of airports – you will be using a ferry. This could be Caledonian MacBrayne on boats large and small or one of the passenger-only or car ferries run by Argyll and Bute Council or private operators.

The crossing is part of the fun and makes your holiday feel all the more special – you leave all the worries behind on the mainland.

And never forget that a ferry is not just for islands – it can be the quickest route between peninsulas.

*Bute, Coll, Colonsay, Danna, Easdale, Eilean da Mheinn, Erraid, Gigha, Gometra, Inchtavannach, Innischonan, Iona, Islay, Jura, Kerrera, Lismore, Luing, Mull, Oronsay, Seil, Shuna, Tiree and Ulva. (Remember some of the smaller islands are private).