Otherwise, please close this box and read on!
THE GOOD NEWS!
Access to Fingal’s Cave has been restored and bookings for this year, and our 2021 season, are open!
THE BAD NEWS!
We, like the rest of the UK, are currently in ‘lockdown’ and are not sailing at present. We’ll let you know as soon as this changes.
DID YOU KNOW THAT WE OFFER GIFT VOUCHERS?
They make a great gift and a brilliant way to plan for a future trip!
Over the years, we've shared this special place - and our knowledge of it - with tens of thousands of people. Whether you're interested in geology or seabirds, or if you just fancy being out on the water for a few hours, we look forward to welcoming you aboard and hope you'll enjoy the trip.
Book online now by clicking the button below
Alternatively, call us on the numbers below
+44 (0) 1681 700755 (Landline) or +44 (0) 7809 136694 (Mobile)
Book online now by clicking the button below
Alternatively, call us using the buttons below
The Isle of Staffa – off the west coast of Scotland – is a beautiful uninhabited island, famous for its dramatic basalt columns, sea caves and bird life. Over the years it has captivated thousands of people including Johnson & Boswell, Queen Victoria, Robert Louis Stevenson, Walter Scott, Jules Verne and Joseph Banks.
Fingal’s Cave is always splendid and atmospheric with its basalt columns formed during a period of volcanic activity 59 million years ago.
Puffins can be seen ashore in season as well as shags, oystercatchers and black guillemots. We often see guillemots, razorbills, fulmars, kittiwakes, shearwaters gannets, great skuas and other birds from the boat.
If you’re lucky, you might see a passing otter, porpoise, dolphin, basking shark or whale!
The trip lasts approximately three hours and you can disembark at Fionnphort or Iona.
Staffa Trips leave Iona and Fionnphort twice daily (1st April-late October) and we aim to give you at least 1 hour ashore.
We’ll do our best to make your trip as enjoyable as possible.
We’ll do our best to make your trip as enjoyable as possible.
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GeologyStaffa was formed during a period of intense volcanic activity some 59 million years ago. Slow cooling of basaltic lava cause the resulting rock to have a polygonal joint pattern. Most of the columns are 5 or 6 sided and free standing.
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SeabirdsThe area in which we operate is home to a wide variety of seabirds including Cormorants, Shags, Guillemots, Razorbills, and Shearwaters. Puffins nest on Staffa each year, arriving in early April and leaving again at the end of July. They can often be seen ashore at close quarters during May, June and July.
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Marine LifeThe water around Staffa is home to a wide variety of marine life and we see common seals on most trips. Porpoises and Dolphins are seen fairly regularly, while Minke Whales and Basking Sharks visit when the water is warmest in June, July and August.
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Our BoatStaffa Trips’ boat, Iolaire of Iona is a beautiful wooden boat, purpose built to take visitors to Staffa. She’s constructed from larch planks on an oak frame in the carvel style and powered by two diesel engines. She’s lifted out of the water each winter and inspected twice yearly by the MCA.
Prices: £35 Adult, £17.50 Child (5-15). Under 5’s free.
Please note: All trips and landings are subject to suitable weather and sea conditions.
Book online now by clicking the button below
If you’re enquiring within 1 hour of departure, or would rather speak to a member of staff, please telephone to check last minute availability or have a query answered.
+44 (0) 1681 700755 (Landline) or +44 (0) 7809 136694 (Mobile)
Alternatively, click the button below to use our contact form.
Book online now by clicking the button below
If you’re enquiring within 1 hour of departure, or would rather speak to a member of staff, please telephone to check last minute availability or have a query answered.
Alternatively, click the button below to use our contact form.
The images below are the latest from our Instagram page.
We see Common Seals on most of our trips to Staffa – like this bunch, seen from our boat exactly five years ago today! . Pic by our crewman, GB (@iloveiona_gb) . #seals #commonseals #harbourseals #mammals #marinemammals #staffatrips #boattrips #iona #mull #staffa #fionnphort #argyll #hebrides #scotland #visitscotland #scotlandisnow
Puffins display lots of emotions using their head and beak. Head jerking (by the bird on the right), could be an attempt to assert dominance here. The open beak of the bird on the left suggests that he/she is having none of that! The second image is a close-up of the first. Look carefully and you might just see the sharp 'denticles' on the roof of the puffin's mouth, which allow it to catch and hold more than one fish at a time. . Pic by our crewman, GB (@iloveiona_gb), 24th May, 2014. . #staffa #iona #belongtoiona #fionnphort #mull #mullandionamemories #argyll #argyllbeback #abplace2b #scotland #visitscotland #scotspirit #scotlandisnow #iolaire #iolaireofiona #calmacmoments #instascotland #puffin #puffins #macareux #papageitaucher #pulcinelladimare #frailecillo #papegaaiduiker #lunnefågel #birds #birdsofinstagram #nature #wildlife @calmacferries @nationaltrustforscotland @argyllandbute @wildaboutargyll @visitmullandiona @visitscotland @natures_voice
In reply to @jimrichardsonng's recent post, I thought I'd post this pic of a @natgeoexpeditions Zodiac in the mouth of Fingal's Cave, as seen from our boat! I don't think Mr R was on this particular RIB, but it caused me to reflect on all the boats we see over a season at Staffa and how, in their own way, they form a small community. Some we see daily, like @calmacferries Iona-Fionnphort ferry 'MV Loch Buie', Alternative Boat Hire's 'Birthe Marie', creel boat 'Lucy Lou' and the boats of fellow tour operators @staffa_tours and @turus_mara. Others such as those of @themajesticline, @seafari_adventures_oban, @coastalconnection2008 and @benmoreestate we see less frequently, but always like to acknowledge. Ships like @bessie_ellen and @hebrideanislandcruises 'Hebridean Princess' spend the summer in the area, and we see them occasionally, with NG Explorer making an appearance once or twice a year. We share a common love of the Hebrides and I'm sure others will concur that it's a pleasure to host visitors from all over the world and show off this special place. Personally, I'm missing being out on the water. Hopefully, we'll be able to welcome visitors back here before too long. Swipe to see some of the boats we see. GB . #staffa #iona #belongtoiona #fionnphort #mull #mullandionamemories #argyll #argyllbeback #abplace2b #scotland #visitscotland #scotspirit #scotlandisnow #iolaire #iolaireofiona #calmacmoments #instascotland #rocks #basalt #columns #columnar #geology #petrology #fingal #fingals #cave #fingalscave
Puffin, incoming. 18th May 2017. Safe to say we’re missing these guys! . Pic by our crewman, GB (@iloveiona_gb), who wishes it was just a wee bit sharper at its full size! . #staffa #iona #belongtoiona #fionnphort #mull #mullandionamemories #argyll #argyllbeback #abplace2b #scotland #visitscotland #scotspirit #scotlandisnow #iolaire #iolaireofiona #calmacmoments #instascotland #puffin #puffins #macareux #papageitaucher #pulcinelladimare #frailecillo #papegaaiduiker #lunnefågel #birds #birdsofinstagram #nature #wildlife
Three years ago today on the cliffs of Staffa – above the island’s only sea arch. May 17th, 2017. . Pic by our crewman, GB (@iloveiona_gb) . #staffa #iona #belongtoiona #fionnphort #mull #mullandionamemories #argyll #argyllbeback #abplace2b #scotland #visitscotland #scotspirit #scotlandisnow #iolaire #iolaireofiona #calmacmoments #instascotland #puffin #puffins #macareux #papageitaucher #pulcinelladimare #frailecillo #papegaaiduiker #lunnefågel #birds #birdsofinstagram #nature #wildlife
At this point in the season, Staffa’s puffins should have paired up, got themselves established in a burrow, and the female laid a single egg. Housework in a cliff-side dwelling, like everywhere else, never ends. Here we see a puffin bringing fresh bedding back to its nest. 12th May, 2016. . Pic by our crewman, GB (@iloveiona_gb) . #staffa #iona #belongtoiona #fionnphort #mull #mullandionamemories #argyll #argyllbeback #abplace2b #scotland #visitscotland #scotspirit #scotlandisnow #iolaire #iolaireofiona #calmacmoments #instascotland #puffin #puffins #macareux #papageitaucher #pulcinelladimare #frailecillo #papegaaiduiker #lunnefågel #birds #birdsofinstagram #nature #wildlife
Did you know you can take a virtual wander around Staffa? The 7th of May, 2015, was the day a man from @google came to Staffa with us and brought his fancy camera backpack. To visit, go to Google Maps, search ‘Staffa’, find the island and switch to ‘street view’. You should see our boat, Iolaire of Iona, at the jetty, and you might just make out our crewman taking the attached pic. If you live locally you might recognise the warden from the @nationaltrustforscotland, too! . Pic by our crewman, GB (@iloveiona_gb) . #staffa #iona #belongtoiona #fionnphort #mull #mullandionamemories #argyll #argyllbeback #abplace2b #scotland #visitscotland #scotspirit #scotlandisnow #iolaire #iolaireofiona #calmacmoments #instascotland #rocks #basalt #columns #columnar #geology #petrology #fingal #fingals #cave #fingalscave
You never know what you might see on a trip to Staffa. The 6th of May 2015 was grey and damp, but this otter, spotted below where the puffins nest, brightened up our day considerably! We think this is a dog (male), but are happy to be corrected! @mullottergroup? . Pic by our crewman, GB (@iloveiona_gb) . #staffa #iona #belongtoiona #fionnphort #mull #mullandionamemories #argyll #argyllbeback #abplace2b #scotland #visitscotland #scotspirit #scotlandisnow #iolaire #iolaireofiona #calmacmoments #instascotland #fingalscave #otter #ottersofinstagram #eurasianotter
Eight years ago today – the 2nd of May 2012. The kind of day we dream about! . Pic by our crewman, GB (@iloveiona_gb) . #staffa #iona #belongtoiona #fionnphort #mull #mullandionamemories #argyll #argyllbeback #abplace2b #scotland #visitscotland #scotspirit #scotlandisnow #iolaire #iolaireofiona #calmacmoments #instascotland #rocks #basalt #columns #columnar #geology #petrology #fingal #fingals #cave #fingalscave #throwback #perfectday
Lockdown on Iona has been made a whole lot better by a spell of settled and mild weather – normally ideal for boat trips! Change is afoot and the air is distinctly colder today but things could be worse. Four years ago we had snow showers on Iona and Ben More looked like this as we sailed north to Staffa. . Pic, from 29th April 2016, by our crewman, GB (@iloveiona_gb) . #staffa #iona #belongtoiona #fionnphort #mull #mullandionamemories #argyll #argyllbeback #abplace2b #scotland #visitscotland #scotspirit #scotlandisnow #iolaire #iolaireofiona #calmacmoments #instascotland #rocks #basalt #columns #columnar #geology #petrology #fingal #fingals #cave #fingalscave #benmore #snow
At this time of year, a puffin’s focus is on finding a mate (if they don’t already have one) and finding a place to nest. This pair seem to have found the latter, but the one closest doesn’t seem too sure. 🤔 . Pic (from the 20th of April 2016) by our crewman, GB (@iloveiona_gb) . #staffa #iona #belongtoiona #fionnphort #mull #mullandionamemories #argyll #argyllbeback #abplace2b #scotland #visitscotland #scotspirit #scotlandisnow #iolaire #iolaireofiona #calmacmoments #instascotland #puffin #puffins #macareux #papageitaucher #pulcinelladimare #frailecillo #papegaaiduiker #lunnefågel #birds #birdsofinstagram #nature #wildlife.
By this point in April, all of Staffa’s puffins have arrived back from their Winter grounds in the North Atlantic and nest building is well underway. You’re almost guaranteed to see birds on the water off Staffa but, if you are lucky, you might find a few bold birds ashore in the daytime. . Pic, from 20th April 2016, by our crewman, GB (@iloveiona_gb) . #staffa #iona #fionnphort #mull @visitmullandiona #argyll #argyllbeback #abplace2b @wildaboutargyll @argyllandbute #scotland #visitscotland #scotspirit @visitscotland #scotlandisnow #iolaire #iolaireofiona #calmacmoments @calmacferries #instascotland @nationaltrustforscotland #puffin #puffins #macareux #macareuxmoine #papageitaucher #pulcinella #pulcinelladimare #frailecillo #frailecillocomún #papegaaiduiker #lunnefågel #birds #birdsofinstagram #nature #wildlife
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Isle of Iona
Argyll
PA76 6SP
+44 (0) 1681 700755
Mobile
+44 (0) 7809 136694
