Scalasaig and Loch Staosnaig

There may not seem a lot to choose between these two anchorages, but they are very different. Either you can go for convenience and tie up to the pier and roll around with everyone else in the swell that sets into the bay at Scalasaig (and pay for the privilege) or, just around the corner, there is an easy anchorage in Loch Staosnaig (or Queen's Bay) from where it is a fifteen minute walk to the hotel (head up the hill to the right of the signs for the electricity cable). This latter anchorage has a delightful sandy bay with a beach that dries out a long way at low tide, ideal for children to mess around on. At above half tide it is good for swimming and snorkelling around the tidal islet. If you don’t fancy the water then you can just look at the view of the Paps of Jura.

200 yards from the pier (original bit 1850 with roll on roll off extension in 1988) is a convenient and quite well stocked shop, but being an island you cannot always get bread or fresh milk - but nor do you have to tolerate the horribleness of Tescos. Right by the pier, the Pantry (ph 01951 200325) is a great place for home baked cakes, real coffee and fresh bread if you order it.

Just up the road is the 18th Century and fairly recently upgraded and highly rated Colonsay Hotel which is very friendly to sailors and children (original building circa 1750). I must confess I get slightly irritated with rebadging places so when I discovered the hotel is now called "The Colonsay" and is regarded in some quarters as a "boutique" hotel, my hackles rose. However, honour redeemed, it has a good bar and a nice but not exactly cheap restaurant, but then the food is good (ph 01951 200316)

These days beer is brewed on the island and you can try it on draft here – 80 shilling, IPA or lager – or buy it from the small brewery down the road (or at Peckhams in Edinburgh for that matter!). It is said to be the most remote brewery in the UK, and I can believe it.

The parish church is nicely perched on a mound opposite the hotel but is not that interesting close up, either inside or out. It is early 19th century. The pewter baptismal basin hinged on a rail is unusual.