Tour summary & highlights
While each private, tailormade tour to Coll &Tiree is different, personalised, flexible, weather and season-dependent, this is a sample 3 day tour itinerary of one of our recent Coll & Tiree tours:
Isle of Coll & Tiree via Oban and the Western Highlands – 3 days’ tour
Day 1 – Journey from Stirling to Oban
At Stirling we meet and drive past the National Wallace monument
– to the stunning University of Stirling
– for a walk across the University loch bridge with views ranging from the Ochils, the National Wallace monument as far as to the mountain peaks of the Trossachs nationalpark
– while Mike from Unicorn Tours picks up 2 more passengers
– Start of the tour with a drive through Bridge of Allan and a photostop at Doune castle (Castle Leoch of the Mackenzie Clan in Outlander)
– after a stop at the Klippen farm shop we head to the Southern shores at Loch Lomond at the organic farm before walking from Lomond Shores towards the Cameron hotel
– We travel along the seafjords/sealochs Loch Long and Loch Fyne past the Arrochar Alps and Rest and be thankful to Inveraray & it’s castle
– on to Loch Awe and a view of Kilchurn castle
– after a scenic stop at sealoch Loch Etive in Taynuilt for a stop at the Highland Cows before heading to Ganavan beach and the McCaig”s Folly view of Oban for free time in Oban
Day 2
After an early ferry from Oban we head through the Sound of Mull, past the Lismore lighthouse and castle Duart through the Sound of Mull and past the Isle of Coll on to Tiree.
On Tiree after having arrived on Gott Bay pier in the capital Scarinish we head west along the southcoast with a photostop at Traigh Bagh – beach, before meeting the cows along the way to the road-end towards Hynish “also made famous by the band Skippinish – Walking on the waves – watch the sunset over Hynish” , where we visit the Skerryvore lighthouse museum & have a coffee break.
Via Balephuil we head for the great views from top of the Carnan Mor radarstation, before stopping off at the Tiree distillery for a tasting and also sampling the wild ocean views.
At the majestic great Balephuil beach we go for a stroll and have a first lunch snack.
As we are heading towards the northwest of Tiree, where we intended to go for a walk along the wild shores of Traigh nan Gilean with the cliffs and mountains of Beinn Cean a Mhara with its backdrop, we are being surprised by a sharp sudden downpour of heavy rain and leave without the walk and just a photostop, before heading for a stroll overlooking Balevulin beach with all its many surfers and bodyboders.
Via Balephetrish beach we complete our western Tiree loop and past the ferry port we do our Scarinish Co-op grocery shopping for our upcoming Sunday on the next day on the Isle of Coll and a short Scarinish beach & pier walk before the next downpour comes.
We are heading along Gott Bay beach to the east of the Isle of Tiree with great views from Miodar across towards Coll and on to Salum for a beach walk.
As the weather is clearing and brightening up and we go for a “longer” 1 hour+ beautiful coastal walk from Vaul beach towards the headland.
With the remaining time before the ferry we do a mini-loop past Balephetric beach, Tiree airport, the rural centre and via Traigh beach back to Gott Bay pier, where we await the delayed arrival of the ferry to Coll.
We leave Tiree and enjoy a calm, sunny, bright beautiful 1 hour sailing from the Isle of Tiree to Coll.
After settling in at the Coll bunkhouse, Kristen is joining the Isle of Coll Ceilidh next door at the Community hall.
Day 3 – Isle of Coll & homeward journey via the ferry to Oban
Having only half a day on Coll, we leave our accommodation in Arinagour at 8am and head towards the eastend of Coll with a beach & dune coastal photostop among the farm campsite along the way.
From the east end of Coll at Sorisdale we get great views of the Isle of Mull, Ardnamurchan and the small isles of Muck, Eigg & Rum while overlooking the wee beach and its small traditional croft.
Along the north of Coll we head west and stop by the Alpaca farm and the Hebridean houses before dropping off Kristen, Leanne & Scott at the Project Trust, Hebridean centre at the Ballyhaugh road end for their walk along wild, remote & spectacular Hogh beach.
Our driver/guide Mike drives all the way from the northwest to the southwest of the island to pick up the 3 beachwalkers at the other end of the beach at the Totronald RSPB nature reserve.
After a photostop overlooking the beach at Breacha castle we head east again past the airfield and some great views south towards Iona, Dutchman’s cap-island, Staffa & the Treshnish Islands and the Westside of the Isle of Mull before heading back through Arinagour to our lunchtime ferry back to Oban.
It is a stunning, blue sky, clear bright day – so a perfect day for our crossing and for spotting some dolphins and lots of seabirds before entering the Sound of Mull past the Ardnamurchan peninsula with its lighhouse, Kilchoan & its castle and mountains, Tobermory and its lighthouse and eventually Duart castle, the Lismore lighthouse and Kerrara before entering the colourful harbour at Oban, where we say good-bye to Kristen, who is spending more time along the Westcoast.
We continue the tour with Scott & Leanne via sealoch Loch Etive & its highland cows, Loch Awe, Dalmally, Crianlarich, Glenogle, Loch Earn, Loch Lubnaig & Doune towards Stirling.
Tour itinerary
Private tour price for the 8 passenger seater mini-bus & driver/tourguide, i.e. the tour price for a private group of min. 1 and max 8 passengers
Personalised & private small group tours all over Scotland (100+ itineraries: ½ – 7 day tour options & discounted multi-day tours to choose from) – with a set daily tour price for our tour guide driver & 8 passenger seater mini-bus (due to the fixed same overall cost for up to 8 passengers, the cheapest per person price for a private small group tour is if 8, 7, 6 or 5 are travelling together to share the set fixed daily cost, which is the same total cost, no matter if there are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8 passengers on a private mini-bus tour)
All of these private & personalised, small group tours of Scotland
are available on any available green calendar days for private tours
| 5, 6, 7 days | 4 days | 3 days |
| 2 days | Scottish destinations/Tour extensions & add ons | 1 day |
| Activities, special interests & tour themes | Walking tours | ½ & short day tours |
- Choose any private & personalised tailormade 1/2 day tour on any available green calendar day.
- Choose any private & personalised tailormade 1 day tour on any available green calendar day.
- Choose any private & personalised tailormade 2 day tour on any 2 consecutive available green calendar days. Any private 2 day tours will already show a 2.5% discount.
- Choose any private & personalised tailormade 3 day tour on any 3 consecutive available green calendar days. Any private 3 day tours will already show a 5% discount.
- Choose any private & personalised tailormade 4 day tour on any 4 consecutive available green calendar days. Any private 4 day tours will already include a 7.5% discount.
- Choose any private personalised & tailormade 5 day tour on any 5 consecutive available green calendar days. Any private 5 day tours will already include a 10% discount.
- Choose any private personalised & tailormade 6 day tour on any 6 consecutive available green calendar days. Any private 6 day tours is discounted by 12.5%.
- Choose any private personalised & tailormade 7 day tour on any 7 consecutive available green calendar days. Any private 7 day tour prices already show the 15% discount.
Additionally from September to May there is a 12.5% student discount, which also applies to seniors over 65 and to children up to 17 travelling as part of a family group.
Extra costs & ferry info (if applicable)
Tour links
Isle of Tiree – Visit Scotland
A few of our past tour facebook links
Return ferry from the Isle of Coll – through the Sound of Mull & past Lismore & Kerrara to Oban bay
Western Coll loop, including beach walk
Coll – Day 1 sunset – Unicorn Tours’ Coll & Tiree trip
Isle of Coll – Unicorn Tours Coll & Tiree trip
Tour options
Information about tour options for a private tour in general
Private & personalised tailormade tours to suit your group’s preferences
This is your very own private tour for you and your friends and family members of up to 8 people travelling on this tour together.
Before any private tour, we always discuss with you and check for your must-see stops, interests, hobbies, activities, preferences, priorities and any special requests you might have and we ask you about your preferred pace of travel so to tailor make and personalise the tour to suit your needs.
The route, the stops and the itinerary we give on our website for any private tour are for information and guidance only, as in the end it is you, who decides, what you wish to do, where you wish to stop and what you wish to do and see.
Any private tour itinerary can be shortened, extended or amended, if you wish to do so.
Flexibility on private tours
We also like to keep things flexible as our experience is that there are places, once you arrive and see them, you just fall in love with and wish to spend more time and longer.
whereas some other times we arrive at a place and they are different from what you had expected and you are ok to have a shorter stop and to move on quicker.
Flexibility is also good as on a beautiful gorgeous blue sunny day when all colours in nature and the landscapes are sparkling and you have clear and amazing far distant visibility and the scenery and places are at their best, you probably prefer to spend more time outdoors, while on a stormy, wet, dark, grey and cold day, you are likely to prefer more indoor venues during your stops.
Travelling at your own pace on private tours
Some guests are on a whirlwind tour with little time and wish to pack as much into a short time as possible and are ok with just short photo stops,
whereas other tour guests prefer to travel at a more leisurely pace to be able to explore and discover and soak it all in and leaving the tour with a memorable and lasting experience.
All of this is possible within the constraints of your chosen route, the distances involved
and during the winter season the shorter daylight hours we have.
Lunch breaks on private tours
Some guests put a lot of emphasis on a good quality lunch in a good atmospheric restaurant and we can prebook lunch venues,
whereas other guests are ok to just stop at a supermarket for a sandwich to eat on the go
or just need a short lunch stop for some light snack to eat.
Your tour options on any private tour are unlimited and endless
Same place, same route – but one one private tour, the private tour guests would want to visit the castle, while on another tour at the same place, they want a whisky tour instead and yet again same place on the next tour the private tour guests, want to just go for a walk on the beach there, while another time at the same place, they just want to go shopping, visit the museum or stop at the golf course – so same place, but on each private tour at this very same place, we visit different places and the itinerary, stops and experience is different.
As this is a private & personalised tour to suit your interests, preferences, hobbies and activities, it is up to you and we can either offer our normal tour itinerary for the location with all the many local highlights and sights and be flexible depending on the season, the weather, the time we have and also be fully flexible during the tour (as some places, you will love and stay longer and at other places you come to, you might wish to just take a photo and then leave, so in the end you might on the day of the tour decide to stay longer or shorter at some of the places we visit or you might still decide to add in some additional stops and places you had not thought about before) and also partially or fully adjust it to suit your interests and preferences or entirely turn it into a specialist interest tour “a whisky tour”, “a castle, cathedral, historic sights tours”, a “walking tour”, a “nature & wildlife tour”, a “golf tour”, an “activity tour”, etc. depending on what you request (also see our full range of Activities, special interests & tour themes.)
If it says on the tour itinerary, the tour starts in A and ends in Z and on our journey from A to Z we are travelling and can be stopping at B, C, D, E, F…… X & Y,
it might be the same route on every such private tour, but with every private tour group and individuals, it could still be an entirely & very different tour after all,
as there are so many different special interests & tour themes
so that the main focus of some private tour groups could be
- architecture & charming towns & villages
- castles, history
- child-friendly stops
- churches, abbeys & religious sites
- dining & and having a great lunch eating out
- events based, such as visiting the Highland games while on the tour with us
- family history & genealogy
- gardens, flowers & parks
- golf, football or other sports’ venues
- literature, film or movie fictional based tour, i.e. visiting filming locations of Outlander, Harry Potter, Shetland crime series, Downtown Abbey. etc.
- nature & wildlife, seabirds, puffins or whale
- watching
- the scenery, the coast & beaches
- snow and wintry landscapes
- tourist steam train in conjunction with our tour
- walking
- waterfalls
- whisky distilleries, gin and breweries
- etc.
Pick ups & drop offs anywhere on private tours
As mentioned in the pick up section, on a private tour we can pick up from anywhere and drop off anywhere and offer staggered free pick ups and drop offs, which are dependent on the distance from our Alloa home base near Stirling. Our home base is 30 miles from Edinburgh, Glasgow & Perth in the heart of the Scottish Central belt:
- for short & half day tours the free pick up/drop off zone is within 15 miles of our Alloa home base (which includes Stirling, Falkirk, Dunfermline & Gleneagles)
- for 1 day tours the free pick up/drop off zone is within 35 miles of our Alloa home base (which additionally includes Edinburgh, Glasgow & Perth)
- for 2, 3 & 4 day tours the free pick up/drop off zone is within 50 miles of our Alloa home base (which additionally includes Dundee, St. Andrews & the entire Scottish Central belt)
- for 5, 6 & 7 day tours the free pick up/drop off zone is within 75 miles of our Alloa home base
Additionally as stated we sometimes offer free pick ups for places on the route to our destination, even though they might exceed the free mileage zone, so for example for a West Coast tour and we need to head westbound anyway for the tour, we could be pick up at locations west free of charge, depending on the exact route and distances involved.
(During a few weeks every year we are also Shetland, Orkney, Hebridean Isles or regionally based
and the free pick ups will then be based from that local area, such as on the Shetland, Orkney or on some of the Hebridean Isles for example.)
Accommodation on multi-day tours is your choice
Some of our guests are budget travellers, whereas others are luxurious travellers, while others chose a mid-range 3* hotel.
We are happy to give you tips, links and info about your accommodation options for the towns and villages we are staying overnight, but in the end it is up to you, where you would like to stay, at which hotel or guesthouse and for which price.
However much or however little you wish to spend for your overnight accommodation is your choice.
On a private tour we will pick you up from any accommodation in the morning and in the evening drop you off at any accommodation of your choice for your overnight tour accommodation and and chosen location.
Free time & activities
Tour pick up/start, drop off/end & joining options near to & along our tour route
private 3 day tour pick ups & drop offs anywhere throughout Scotland
Our standard tours start from and finish back at the Scottish mainland:
Pick up / drop off points for private small group 3 Days Tours, from anywhere as it is your own private tour:
- within the Stirling/Uni area
- within the Forth Valley area
- from within the Scottish Central belt, Edinburgh & Glasgow included
- from within the Dundee, St. Andrews & Perth area
- from places beyond on request
+
- from places listed along or nearby the route and the stops of this particular 3 Days Tour
*** for those in your private group, who can’t make it for the full 3 days Coll & Tiree tour
(& for those prefer to fly to/from the islands quicker
without the need to catch the ferry and include the Scottish mainland tour part to the ferry port)
***
- We are happy to pick you up from either Tiree or Coll ferry port (when you arrive on the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry from Oban, which you can reach by train)
- We are happy to pick you up from Tiree airport (there are daily flights from Glasgow)
—
- We are also happy to drop you off at either Tiree or Coll ferry port for the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry back to Oban (from where you have onward train & bus connections)
- We are also happy to drop you off at Tiree airport again for your flight back to Glasgow
Tour booking
To enquire about this tour or to book please email contact@unicorntours.co.uk
As this will be your very own tailormade, personalised, flexible private small group tour, we will discuss:
- Your preferred travel dates
- Your preferred route
- Based on your preferred route, we will give a choice of overnight locations to stay
- Once you have chosen your preferred overnight location, we would like to know about your preferred type of accommodation, any special requests or a price range and your preferred roomtypes
- Based on your choice, for example hotel with * ** *** **** ***** star rating, guesthouse/B&B, self-catering or budget hostel accommodation, etc. for each overnight location, we can then give you suggestions and also check the room availability for each night
Accommodation
- Unicorn Tours is happy to assist you with your questions regarding your accommodation & accommodation booking
- The general rule is that you should then book your accommodation yourself, let us know where you are staying during which night, as it is there that we will drop you off at the end of the tour day and pick you up on the beginning of the next tour day
- The choice of your accommodation, how much or how little you wish to spend for your overnight accommodation is unconnected and separate from your tour with Unicorn Tours throughout the daytime – for the same day and tour, we have picked up guests from 5* hotels and guests from budget hostels, but the tour experience during the daytime with Unicorn Tours remains the same.
- When ferries or any other additional costs are involved, we also want to make sure, you are happy with those
Once the tour details, including
- tour itinerary & special requests
- pick up/drop off locations & timings
- tour duration, passenger numbers and price
- etc.
- have been discussed and agreed
- and you are happy to proceed with the booking
- we send you an invoice which allows for payment by Paypal / card or by BACS bank transfer
This tour is for a private small group of up to 8 people.
We will personalise & tailor make this flexible tour itinerary to suit your preferences, interests & requirements.
This tour is available on any green calendar day
except during our Scottish Islands based tour days
for a few weeks each year.
Once you wish to book, we send you an invoice with a payment link and also allowing for a UK & international bank transfer.
Once you have paid, we send you your tour confirmation and will mark this day as “red” unavailable/booked out in our tours availability calendar
We can pick up from anywhere, but for a 3 day tour the free pick up zone is within 50 miles from our Alloa home base (which includes does Edinburgh, Glasgow, Perth, Dundee, St. Andrews & places throughout the entire Scottish Central belt and anywhere in between, such Stirling, Falkirk, Dunfermline & Gleneagles)
Pick ups & drop offs anywhere on private tours
As mentioned in the pick up section, on a private tour we can pick up from anywhere and drop off anywhere and offer staggered free pick ups and drop offs, which are dependent on the distance from our Alloa home base near Stirling. Our home base is 30 miles from Edinburgh, Glasgow & Perth in the heart of the Scottish Central belt:
- for short & half day tours the free pick up/drop off zone is within 15 miles of our Alloa home base (which includes Stirling, Falkirk, Dunfermline & Gleneagles)
- for 1 day tours the free pick up/drop off zone is within 35 miles of our Alloa home base (which additionally includes Edinburgh, Glasgow & Perth)
- for 2, 3 & 4 day tours the free pick up/drop off zone is within 50 miles of our Alloa home base (which additionally includes Dundee, St. Andrews & the entire Scottish Central belt)
- for 5, 6 & 7 day tours the free pick up/drop off zone is within 75 miles of our Alloa home base
Additionally as stated we sometimes offer free pick ups for places on the route to our destination, even though they might exceed the free mileage zone, so for example for a West Coast tour and we need to head westbound anyway for the tour, we could be pick up at locations west free of charge, depending on the exact route and distances involved.
(During a few weeks every year we are also Shetland, Orkney, Hebridean Isles or regionally based
and the free pick ups will then be based from that local area, such as on the Shetland, Orkney or on some of the Hebridean Isles for example.)
Should you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email contact@unicorntours.co.uk to discuss further
3D#10 – Coll & Tiree – beaches galore – 3 day tour
&
3D#10 -Coll & Tiree’ beaches galore
(via spectacular ferry ride through the Sound of Mull & guaranteed wildlife & all round islands spotting)
– recommend tour duration: 3 day tour (tour can be shorter or longer)
Coll and Tiree at their closest points are only 1 mile apart, but very different in feel and character.
While both have plenty of spectacular beaches and dominated inland by cattle & sheep farms/crofts, Tiree is generally flat with more facilities.
whereas Coll is remoter, hilly, rugged and rockier and an altogether more wilderness feel to it.
Isle of Coll & Tiree – 3 day tour
Basic route:
– Pick up from anywhere within the Scottish Central Belt
– Beautiful West Highland journey to Oban
– Spectacular ferry ride through the Sound of Mull (with a good chance of wildlife spotting and great island views all around)
(Ferry route: Oban – Tiree – Coll – Oban or Coll 1st and Tiree 2nd)
– Tour of Coll & Tiree – nature, beaches, walk or relax
– return
Price for a 3 day tour
Prices for 3 day tour – Unicorn Tours
(During peak season, based on a group of 8, price per person starts from £121 / standard season, based on a group of 8, price per person starts from £101 for 3 days for the tour)
plus
ferries
(Caledonian MacBrayne ferry from Oban to Coll / Coll to Tiree / Tiree to Oban or Tiree 1st & Coll 2nd – footpassenger rates for you only as Unicorn Tours is paying for the vehicle rate)
accommodation (option of low budget to 5*), food, entrance fees & your personal expenses
- Departures/pick ups & drop offs from anywhere in the Scottish Central Belt
- Stops and route along the way on day 1 and day 3 on the Scottish mainland, but also once on the Isle of Coll & Tiree flexible and personalised depending on your preferences, interests & the weather
Photos from past Coll & Tiree tours:
Journey to Tiree – Unicorn Tours’ Coll & Tiree islands tour
Coll day 1 sunset – Unicorn Tours’ Coll & Tiree trip
Isle of Coll – Unicorn Tours Coll & Tiree trip
Coll & Tiree – Unicorn Tours’ videos
Our journey takes us through the Highlands and Westcoast to the picturesque ferry port of Oban, where we embark on a spectacular journey past the Isle of Kerrara, the Lismore lighthouse, through the Sound of Mull into the open Atlantic.
Coll and Tiree at their closest points are only 1 mile apart, but very different in feel and character.
While both have plenty of spectacular beaches and dominated inland by cattle & sheep farms/crofts, Tiree is generally flat and Coll hilly, rugged and rockier and an altogether more wilderness feel to it..
During our Coll & Tiree tour – situated in the heart of the Hebrides – there are a many locations from where – just by turning your head – you can see Mingulay – Vatersay – Barra & the Uists in the North , Ardnamurchan – Canna – Rum & Skye in the West and Mull, Iona & Jura in the South with more vantage viewpoints of the Hebrides
There is a high chance of wildlife spotting, cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises), seabirds and seals during our crossing.
As Coll & Tiree are so close to each other, we use 3 ferries:
- either Oban – Coll / Coll – Tiree / Tiree – Oban
- or Oban – Tiree / Tiree – Coll / Coll – Oban
depending on the group’s preferences and the ferry schedule on our days of travel.
Please note it is possible to do visit Coll & Tiree on a shorter 2 day tour and also on longer tours.
during July the coastal machair flowers are in full blossom