Notes from a small island

Setting foot on an island always feels like adventure, but walking all the way round takes it to a whole new level. And in some places all you need is one day.

■ Distance: 8½ miles/13.7km ■ Time: 4 hours ■ Grade: Moderate

Alastair MacDonald Jackson spent two years visiting as many of Scotland’s west coast islands as possible. Here he showcases some of the greatest wonders of the west – and offers practical advice on how to see them

Whether you’re exploring The Lanes, that maze of narrow streets in the oldest part of town, fishing for something good on the seafront or just need a cooling beer, don’t worry – I’ve got you covered.

This trip is confusing me. One moment I feel like I’m in New Zealand, surrounded by dense tree ferns in a damp and mossy glade above a waterfall. A couple of hours later I’m bombarded by ker-chings of

We set off from our Wiltshire home full of anticipation. Our destination was Cumbria, but not as we had known it. Like many, our trips there in the past had tended to be focused on the stunning lakes