Jayne Whyte's Portfolio

As a random adventurer and solo traveller, I believe that the best trips start with a mild confusion and end with “Wait, how did I get here?”. Just like my previous adventure to the Isle of Bute, my journey from Glasgow to the Isle of Iona did not disappoint. Between scenic train rides and questioning my seat choices- in order to get the best views- making sure you have a window seat and on the right side of the train is critical. I had at least one existential moment (“Why did I think a same day trip was enough?”), Here is how my extreme day adventure to the Isle of Iona unfolded.  

It was a bank holiday and guess what I did? I booked a same day return trip to the Isle of Iona. The adventure kicked off at Glasgow Queen Street Station, where I arrived early enough to wait for “B”- as I fondly call her. The 8:22am train to Oban—a charming coastal town that sounds like it was named by an African who may have visited Obalende in Lagos state or Oba in Anambra state both in Nigeria. I dashed for some quick breakfast at M&S which was a croissant and a warm cup of chocolate drink (fellow weight watchers don’t judge me). B arrived soon after and grabbed some pastries and a cup of coffee and we boarded the train.  

The three-hour ride to Oban was basically a nature documentary come to life. We passed misty lochs, towering hills, and over a hundred sheep who all seemed to be living their best lives. The views were so stunning and with my phone in hand, I took photos of all the views I could get. At some point , I moved to the vacant seats just to take photos of the views on the other of the train. Luckily, the train was not packed and there were empty seats. 

Pro tip: Charge your phone. I did carry my phone charger and changed for a bit while on the train but by the time we reached Oban, my camera roll was half full, my battery was at 35% and my regret was immeasurable.  

Arrived Oban at 11:33am. Stepping off the train, I was hit with two things:  

1. The crisp sea air (bliss).  

2. The sudden realisation that our adventure has officially kicked off. 

Thankfully, we found the CalMac ferry terminal quite quickly and proceeded to buy ferry tickets. Purchased a return ticket to Craignure (Mull’s main port). The sea food shacks close to the terminal were calling our names but we were short of time to join the ferry onwards to the Isle of Mull. I wished we had some time and would not mind some fresh garlicky lobsters or mussels. 

The 45-minute crossing was equal parts serene and mind blowing . The water sparkled, the mountains loomed in the distance. There were a few pupils aboard the ferry and excited about the experience just like I was. Lots of older people taking photos as well and I noticed a few people were hikers. B and myself took a couple of photos and videos too. It was beautiful and we just kept gushing how beautiful the sky, sea and weather was. God is beautiful!

As Mull came into view—all rugged coastline and rolling hills—I had a moment of pure joy. Then, I looked at my phone battery and it was almost gone. There were no charging points on the ferry and that made me feel worried.

Stepping onto Mull felt like entering another world. Craignure was tiny and peaceful, with a touristy vibe. The third leg of our journey was to the 96 bus to Fionnphort which was about 75 minutes away and would enable us to get on the 15 minutes ferry to the Isle of Iona. The bus ride was an adventure in itself—narrow roads, dramatic cliffs, and a driver who clearly had nerves of steel. I got on the bus with a pack of fish and chips I got from the Creel Seafood Bar. It wasn’t as tasty but it was warm and did soothe my hungry belly. 

The bus ride was a long one and tiring. The views were amazing and at some point, I got jealous of the people who live there. It must be a beautiful life. 

The ferry to Iona was on point. No photos to show because our phone batteries were dead at this point. The beauty and the views we experienced will be in our heads forever. We did not spend a lot of time as we needed to catch the bus, ferry and train back to Glasgow. We did miss the 6:30pm train from Oban to Glasgow. However, we jumped on the Citylink Bus which cost us £27 to get to Glasgow because we had to go to work the next day. 

The trip to Iona was magical- wild, beautiful, and just chaotic enough to keep things interesting. If you’re looking for an escape from Glasgow that serves drama (both scenic and personal), this is your spot. To soak it all in, make sure you plan to spend a night or two in Oban.

 Would I do it all again? In a heartbeat.  

Rating: 10/10