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Whisky distillery
Jura Distillery
The island's distillery in Craighouse, with guided tours.
A mini guide to
Jura
The Paps of Jura, Craighouse and the whirlpool of Corryvreckan
Welcome to the area
The Paps of Jura, Craighouse and the whirlpool of Corryvreckan
Jura is reached by a 10-minute car ferry from Port Askaig on Islay to Feolin. The 2022 census counted only 258 people on an island of about 367 square kilometres, most of them in Craighouse on the east coast, where the Jura Distillery and the island's hotel stand. Wikipedia describes the island as mountainous, bare and largely infertile.
The three Paps of Jura dominate the west of the island, the highest reaching 785 m. At the northern tip, the Gulf of Corryvreckan separates Jura from Scarba. George Orwell rented Barnhill, a farmhouse in the north, from 1946 and finished Nineteen Eighty-Four there; it remains a private house.
Highlights
Start here
If you only have a few hours, these are good places to begin.
Village
Craighouse
Jura's largest settlement, home to the island's distillery and hotel.
Mountains
Paps of Jura
Three hills on the west of Jura; the highest, Beinn an Òir, reaches 785 m.
Tidal strait
Gulf of Corryvreckan
Narrow strait between Jura and Scarba; the Gaelic name means "cauldron of the speckled seas".
Literary landmark
Barnhill
Farmhouse in the north of Jura where George Orwell lived from 1946 and finished Nineteen Eighty-Four; a private house.
Find your way
On the map
The map shows Jura and the streets around it. The Getting there page lists nearby stops and stations.
Insider tips
Before you go
1
Plan around the ferry
The Jura ferry is a small council-run car ferry from Port Askaig; check times with Argyll and Bute Council before you travel.
2
Hillier for cyclists
CalMac notes that Jura is hillier than Islay but much quieter, with a real wilderness feel.
3
Respect Barnhill
Orwell's Barnhill is a private house; view it only from the track.
Tips from the Britlens editors
Islay and Jura
More areas to explore
Photo credits
- Jura (area photo): Gordon Hatton, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Jura Distillery: Rude Health, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Craighouse: Gordon Hatton, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Paps of Jura: Andrew Spenceley, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Gulf of Corryvreckan: Andrew Curtis, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Islay: Dorcas Sinclair, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, used under the licences shown. All photo credits
Keep exploring Islay and Jura