On any one of our tours you will see the island of Jura. On our Corryvreckan tours you will pass by its northern tip, a great spot for grey seals, red deer, sea eagles and wild goats. On our Iona and Staffa day trips you will see Jura in its entirety, all 30 miles of it stretching from the Gulf of Corryvreckan in the North to the three paps to the South.
The three paps of Jura are an iconic part of the inner Hebridean landscape.
Jura means deer island in Old Norse, and rightfully so! Jura is home to 5,000 red deer, and only 200 people, so we are very much outnumbered! Jura is also, famously, home to an excellent whisky distillery on the south end of the island. So, if you’re looking for some peace and quiet, a slice of venison and a wee dram, Jura is the island for you!
Jura is famous amongst whisky drinkers and bookworms alike- as a very famous book was written in a small farmhouse in northern Jura. It is, of course, 1984 by George Orwell. But whilst Jura brought fame to George Orwell, it was almost the death of him too. In 1947 the author, along with his family, headed through the Corryvreckan for a fishing trip.
Jura’s whiskey distillery is on the southern end of the island, not too far to stumble back to the ferry!
He couldn’t have timed it any worse. The tides were high, flooding into the Corryvreckan to form huge whirlpools. Whilst our Seafari skippers know exactly what to do in the whirlpools– George did not. His tiny boat upturned, the engine fell off and his son was trapped beneath the boat. Remarkably, they all swam to safety to a small island nearby, where local fisherman Donald came to their rescue.
George, at the time, was not a well man, and the Scottish waters only worsened his tuberculosis, which lead to his death just three years later.
Jura’s northern coastline is dramatic and rugged, a perfect hiding spot for all sorts of wildlife.
But please, fear not! Our skippers are all expertly trained, with plenty of experience (and horse power) behind them, enough to even play in the whirlpools and take youfor a spin.