George Orwell lived here after WWII and completed his novel nineteen eighty four while living on the island

For many, the isles of Jura and its neighbouring Islay are best known for their whisky – and the islands are indeed on the bucket list for many whisky fans. But if whisky isn’t your thing, there is plenty more to see, do and experience on these lovely islands. Jura, home to just 200 people, offers fantastic walking, wildlife and space to relax.

In contrast to its tiny population, Jura is home to around 5,000 red deer – and indeed the name is thought to come from the Norse for ‘Deer Island’. Keep an eye out for these gorgeous animals, which are especially noticeable in late September when they ‘rut’, with the males roaring and clashing their formidable antlers in competition for the females.

The island’s population is mainly scattered around the south and east coasts. The west coast is unreachable by road, but for those with the skills, experience and drive to walk it, is highly rewarding with caves, raised beaches, coves and cliffs. The island’s scenery is stunning wherever you go, with the ‘Paps of Jura’ (the island’s hills) visible above pretty coastal villages.

Barnhill, at the north of Jura, was home to George Orwell while he wrote Nineteen Eighty-Fourm, and you can in fact stay in the cottage where he wrote it, only accessible by 4×4, looking out over the Sound of Jura.

The famous novel almost never came about thanks to a near-death experience Orwell experienced at Corryvreckan Whirlpool, a turbulent strait between Jura and Scarba caused by a rapid tidal race and an underwater mountain. The name comes from the Gaelic for ‘Cauldron of the Speckled Seas’, and the whirlpool is the third largest in the world. Boat trips from Jura and the surrounding coasts will take visitors to the impressive whirlpool, and brave divers have even experienced the phenomenon from below the waves!

Jura is of course famous for its whisky, and tours of the Jura Whisky Distillery are a must-do while on the island.

George Orwell, in 1946, described Jura as ‘un-get-at-able’, but fortunately transport links have improved since then and Jura can be reached by ferry from Kennacraig near Tarbert on the Kintyre peninsula. It is also linked to neighbouring Islay by passenger or car ferry.

Whether you’re coming for the whisky, the mountains, the wildlife or to trace the footsteps of the great George Orwell, Jura is a fantastically wild island to visit.