Isle of Lismore

Lismore is an island ten miles north of Oban in the sea inlet of Loch Linnhe. It's one of the Inner Hebrides islands, but little developed for tourism, and overlooked by visitors who sail by on the ferries. Lios Mòr in Gaelic means "big garden" and it's low-lying, fertile and often lashed with rain. Unusually for these parts, it's a limestone ridge, so it doesn't have the usual Hebridean peat bogs and midges. It was quarried in the 19th and early 20th century for lime but this industry has gone. In 2011 the population was 192.

Visitor information

 * Isle of Lismore visitor information website

Get in
See Oban for long-distance routes across the Scottish mainland.

midway along the island is the usual arrival point, on the Calmac ferry from Oban, which takes just under an hour. Year-round there are four sailings M-Sa and two on Sunday; times vary with the tides. Until end of March 2025, return fares are £28.30 per car, £6.70 per adult including driver, and £3.40 per child aged 5-15; bikes are free. Space for vehicles is limited so reservations are advised. The ferry MV Loch Striven was built in 1986 and looks far older, but has a small passenger lounge and toilets. Achnacroich ferry pier also has a small waiting room with toilets.

at the north tip of Lismore is the other ferry pier (sometimes loosely referred to as Port Ramsay, but that two miles south down a different lane). This foot passenger ferry sails from Port Appin 15 miles north of Oban, year round, hourly M-Sa and every couple of hours on Sunday, taking 10 minutes. It's run by Argyll and Bute Council so it's not on the Calmac website; return fares in 2023 are £4.60 adult, £2.60 child. There's no public transport to Port Appin: a school bus runs twice on schooldays from Oban to Appin village, two miles east of the pier. But if you get stuck, Port Appin has accommodation and eating and drinking places; two standouts are Pierhouse and Airds Hotel close to the ferry landing.

Lismore is within kayak-range of the mainland.

Get around
Bring a car or bike. The island is 12 miles long, with a paved single track lane running the top 9 miles of it; the south end is rough track only suitable for 4WD. There are no filling stations on Lismore.

Explore Lismore offers tours and transfers on the island.

See

 * is an Iron Age structure on the east coat by Clachan.
 * along the lane at Salen reflect the island's former industry.
 * is perhaps the island's most utterly ruined structure, an Iron Age fortification by Loch Fiart.
 * is the ruin of a 13th-century fortress. Not much left of it, you come for the walk and the views.
 * Bernera is the tidal island beyond Achanduin Castle. See the remains of its medieval chapel and burial ground, limestone cliffs, seals and bird life.
 * is the islet with the Stevenson lighthouse off the south tip of Lismore. Best view of it is from the ferry from Oban to Craignure on Mull — you only get a distant view from the ferry to Lismore.
 * is the ruin of a 13th-century fortress. Not much left of it, you come for the walk and the views.
 * Bernera is the tidal island beyond Achanduin Castle. See the remains of its medieval chapel and burial ground, limestone cliffs, seals and bird life.
 * is the islet with the Stevenson lighthouse off the south tip of Lismore. Best view of it is from the ferry from Oban to Craignure on Mull — you only get a distant view from the ferry to Lismore.

Do

 * Walk Highlands suggest several hikes. Most can be done as day trips from the ferry piers.

Buy
The Post Office and general store is open M Tu Th F 9AM-5PM, and W Sa 9AM-1PM.

Eat

 * Stock up on food essentials at the Post Office, which has meats, cheese, bread, beverages and snacks.
 * Liosbeag Cafe is at the Heritage Centre (Ionad Naomh Moluag), same hours.
 * There's a tearoom opposite the church.

Drink
Lismore has no mains water, the houses and farms all draw from bore holes. Bring your own refreshments or stop by one of the small shops. The Post Office sells bottled drinks.

Sleep

 * Self-catering: half a dozen lets available, see island website.
 * Self-catering: half a dozen lets available, see island website.

Connect
As of June 2023, Lismore has no general mobile signal from any UK carrier, but individual premises such as the Heritage Centre have Wifi. Work is under way to connect the island by broadband cable.

Go next

 * Back to Oban for all routes by car or public transport.
 * Mull and the Ardnamurchan peninsula are just five miles west, but you have to return to Oban and take a ferry or wind around Loch Linnhe by road to reach them.