Enjoying breathtaking views to the front and rear, An Rubha is designed like a traditional slate quarriers’ cottage but has all the home comforts you need. Located just 15 miles from Oban, It is the perfect place to relax, unwind and explore.
Built in 1999, An Rubha offers comfortable, modern amenities for up to six guests with three double bedrooms. It is perfect for couples looking for a quiet retreat or a full-on family holiday. The facilities include:
Open-plan main lounge dining room features two large, comfortable sofas and a television which has Freeview and BT children’s channels. Heating is via a traditional open coal fire (supplies provided).
The centrepiece of the kitchen/dining room area is a magnificent, hand-made round table, perfect for convivial meals, games or activities. The cooking facilities include a hob, grill and oven, with a microwave in the adjoining utility room, which also houses the fridge and freezer, microwave, dishwasher and washing machine. This room has a pulley for drying clothes and workbenches and shelves from storing and preparing food. The property is all electric.
The bathroom is large, with a free-standing bath and walk-in shower area, basin and WC. It has a heated slate floor.
Upstairs features two large double bedrooms with drawers for storage. Both have Velux windows and can be warmed by wall-mounted panel heaters. There is a walk-in cupboard at the top of the stairs for additional storage.
The third bedroom, a double, is located on the ground floor and has a shelving for storage and views out the front of the property towards the island of Mull.
There is a garden to the front with a bench featuring unrivalled, spectacular views across the Firth of Lorn to Mull. It is a perfect place to watch a summer sunset.
Guest access
Guests have full access to the entire cottage and private garden to the front of the property.
Other things to note
Access to An Rubha and Easdale island is via a passenger-only ferry which runs regularly through the day and evening. The cottage is located 100 metres from the pier and there is a barrow for portering luggage. Free car parking is available adjacent to the pier in Ellenabeich, from where you embark on the three-minute ferry crossing. The fare is currently £3 return per adult.
There are a selection of games and books for visitors’ use and the property has excellent, high-speed wi-fi suitable for downloads and streaming.
Other items at the property
iron and ironing board
hair drier
Baby cot and high chair available on request
EPC rating D
The rental charge includes bed linen and towels
Coal is provided for guests use
No pets
No smoking
Open all year round
Where you’ll be
Easdale island is a small, car-free island which currently has around 65 permanent residents and a similar number of properties, some of which are holiday homes. It is the smallest permanently-inhabited Inner Hebridean island and is about 2km x 3km in area. There is a small hill at the centre of the island affording panoramic views of the surrounding area, with the islands of Luing, Jura and Mull prominent. The island was the centre of Scotland’s slate-querying industry which was at its peak in the 19th century. The legacy of these times is visible through abandoned buildings and eight large, sea-filled quarries, most of which are safe and suitable to swim in.
There is a museum which tells of the history of the most important of the Slate Islands which is open in Spring and Summer. The Puffer Bar and Restaurant has recently undergone extensive refurbishment and is open for food and drink most of the year round. The island has a community hall which stages events and performances and Easdale is also home to the annual World Stone Skimming Championships, which takes pace each September. Across at Ellenabeich, there is the Oyster Bar for food and drink and further afield on Seil is the Tigh-an-Truish, located next to the famous Atlantic Bridge. Seafari adventures based at Ellenabeich offer exciting boat trips to view wildlife and excursions to the famous Corryvreckan Whirlpool to the south of Easdale.
The local area has an abundance of hill and coastal walks and access to neighbouring islands. The town of Oban offers the visitor a huge choice of bars and restaurants, and attractions such as the Oban Distillery visitor centre, a walk up to McCaig’s folly and boat trips around the bay and out to places such as Staffa.
Getting Around
Easdale island is located 30 minutes drive (15 miles) from the town of Oban one of the principal towns in Argyll & Bute and a local hub for transport and tourism. Easdale Island is accessed by a passenger ferry from the village of Ellenabeich and is operated by Argyll& Bute Council and can transport up to 12 passengers, luggage and supplies. The ferry crew assist with loading and unloading and the service operates every day of the year apart from Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, with a shortened service on Sundays. The current fare is £3 return for adults.
There is a regular bus service from Ellenabeich to Oban, which takes around one hour. There are ferry services to many of Scotland’s main islands from the port in Oban. These are operated by Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) and offer almost unlimited possibilities to explore the west coast of Scotland. Booking is essential, especially in summer. Oban is well served by train and bus links to Glasgow and all points in between, with bus services also connecting to Fort William and the Highlands further north.