Information about the Isle of Coll

The isle of Coll is a small hebridean island some four miles west of Mull. It is approximately 13 miles long and 4 miles at it's widest. It has a population of around 200 all-year residents, and more in the summer. It is a holiday destination for many seeking piece and quiet and who enjoy nature and the natural beauty of the hebrides.

Coll was home for some 500 years to a branch of the Clan Maclean. In 1590 the Macleans of Duart invaded their cousins on Coll with the intention of taking the island for themselves. A battle was fought at Breachacha Castle where the Coll clan overwhelmed the Duarts, chopped off their heads and threw them in the stream which is still known as "the stream of the heads". The Macleans of Coll retained their baronial fief and Castle of Breachacha until 1848. Arh, the joys of family !

Coll, like other Hebridean islands, has several crannógs (artificial islands) located in some of its lochans. One such crannóg is Dùn Amhlaidh Location which is thought to date to at least the later Middle Ages. Local tradition states that the dun was the fortress of a Norse chieftain who was defeated in battle by the Macleans.

There are two castles, both at Breachacha and at the head of the bay of the same name. The earlier castle dates from the 14th century and both castles are family homes and NOT open to the public. They make for a formidable sight but please respect the families' privacy.

Coll is also known by the fictional name of the Isle of Struay. Mairi Hedderwick, a well know author and illustrator, set her series of children's books around her experiences on Coll. She still lives and works on the island but she will never tell if any of her fictional characters were for real! You can visit many parts of Coll and recognise Struay from her beautiful illustrations.

Tourism.
Coll welcomes visitors and without doubt, Coll is becoming more and more popular as a holiday destination - despite the fact that there is almost no where to stay and nothing to do once here!
Coll is very small with a tiny infrastructure that sometimes struggles when there is a large influx of visitors. If you wish to experience something quite unique and make the journey to Coll we hope you'll find a warm welcome but you will need to book accommodation early to avoid disappointment. The lack of accommodation ensures the island is quiet and you will probably have one of the many beaches all to yourselves. If not, you could always move to the next beach.

Today's travellers are, without doubt, more demanding than ever with some expecting to find every mainland convenience. Unfortunately, that isn't the case.
Coll has, for example, no visitor points; no tourist information; no interpretation panels to ruin the landscape; no theme parks; next to no sign posts; no mobile phone coverage (except a few spots, and then only sometimes); no public transport of any sort; no McDonald's, TESCO or Apple Store etc. (and may it remain that way); no policeman; no traffic lights; no street lights; no parking meters; the worst road surfaces you are likely to find in the UK; the most expensive diesel and petrol in the UK (maxed at £1.60/litre in 2009!); and often - nowhere to go whilst it rains.
This isn't said to put anyone off, it's said because there are a few who arrive with no idea of what there isn't, and we wouldn't wish anyone to leave disappointed.

What Coll does have is quite special and often quite intangible. Coll definitely has lots of wild, raw nature that thrives due to the solitude. It is this that brings many to our island and, perhaps, that is why you too should consider coming to somewhere where there is still, even in this day and age, absolutely 'nothing'.
To assist you doing nothing, it is suggested you bring, or buy when you get here, an Ordnance Survey map ( Explorer Map 372, Coll and Tiree). It'll help you get around and find the quieter spots.

Coll and the neighbouring island of Tiree, being so close, obviously get compared. I wouldn't dream of suggesting which is better (although there is a clear winner!) but the comparison, by seeing for yourself, can make for an interesting trip. The topography, habitats, beaches and even the communities are quite different.
One point that may be of help, Coll beaches are generally hidden from the road and need to be walked to. If you're not very mobile then you may find Tiree beaches (although obviously second class to ours...) easier to explore.

Please click through the visitors' section and the rest of the website for more information.

Population.
The earliest inhabitants to Coll were probably Mesolithic hunter-gatherers followed by Neolithic farmers. Later, Coll became part of the Celtic Kingdom of Dál Riata before coming under Viking rule. At it's peak, in the 1940's, the population reached 1500 but this was soon halved by the Highland Clearances when whole families were shipped off to Australia, Canada, South Africa and other obscure parts of the globe.
Today there are just over 200 full time residents in a young and vibrant community. The primary school is nearly always close to overflowing and demand for housing is always high. Occupations vary from farming to fishing but the largest employer is Project Trust, a gap year organisation that brings school leavers to Coll for evaluation and training before they start their big adventure. It is a great asset to the island and a major part in making Coll a valued, international dot on the world map.

The Weather.
Weather is very important on Coll, understanding it, forecasting it, experiencing it and surviving it. The most important aspect of weather is probably the wind.
The Isle of Coll enjoys a relatively mild climate, influenced by the Gulf Stream, with frosts and snow being a rarity. Tiree, the next island to Coll, has been recorded as being the sunniest place in Britain. We know on Coll that the weather is usually better here and this 'record' is nothing more than the fact that they have an 'official' weather station and we don't.........
The disadvantage of being out in the Atlantic is wind. We do get a fair bit of it but at least it keeps what few midges survive here, at bay.
Being a low lying island rain often passes by to plague the higher peaks of Mull, Ardnamurchan and Rum. One is often rewarded with bright, clear blue skies whilst all around the panorama shows pendulous clouds over the distant hills (in particular, we often pity the residents of Mull). This is the reason national TV weather forecasts have little relevance to Coll and probably why every collach is a weather guru! One thing we all agree on, you will require high factor sun cream!
Unlike many mainland areas, the weather here can change is just minutes. Always be prepared for a complete change and without any warning. One thing about the weather here, it's always exciting and in excess.