South Whisky Island Hopping Adventure

A Scottish Island Whisky Adventure

For whisky enthusiasts, there's no better way to experience the skill, craftsmanship and dedication that go into making our most famous export, than a Whisky Island Hopping itinerary. Most of the distilleries offer tours where you can learn more about the whisky making process and then enjoy a wee dram afterwards. 

Choose from three great distillery trails and make your reservation to allow you to island hop from one distillery to the next. 

Suggested route

Jump aboard on this South Whisky Island Hopping Adventure, bound for Islay - the Queen of the Hebrides. Create your own Island Hopping itinerary, and work up a thirst for the water of life, by taking the ferry to Arran, before travelling to Kintyre, and then Islay. We suggest you can travel in either direction, between the following routes. This itinerary can be purchased using our multiple-journey ticket option, where you can purchase a ticket for each leg of the journey in one transaction:  

• Ardrossan - Brodick (Arran)

• Lochranza (Arran) - Claonaig (Kintyre) or Tarbert (Kintyre) between 22 October 2023 and 28 March 2024 

• Kennacraig (Kintyre) - Port Ellen or Port Askaig (Islay)

• Port Ellen or Port Askaig (Islay) - Kennacraig (Kintyre)

There's no one ticket in our system to cover the whisky adventure itinerary we've shared here, Instead, you can pre-purchase each separate leg of your trip in one transaction. Pre-purchasing your tickets in advance of travel is recommended. You can pre-purchase all routes of your journey online, using our multiple-journey option. When you book online, you'll receive an eTicket direct to your email wth a QR code, this can be scanned from your device, meaning you are instantly ready to board.  

Advance booking is a must recommended for vehicles on the Ardrossan to Brodick and Kennacraig - Islay routes all year around and on Lochranza to Tarbert during the winter season. On this itinerary - Ardrossan-Brodick/Kennacraig- Islay is a bookable route, meaning you'll be booked onto a specific sailing. All other legs of the journey are Turn up and Go. * 

*Some of the routes within the suggested itineraries operate on a Tturn Up and Go basis, *When you pre-purchase travel for Turn Up and Go, you'll be purchasing an 'open' ticket for a chosen departure date, valid for the season in which you've purchased it, but it won't have a specific sailing time. Please do give yourself enough time to get to the other ports for the sailing you had in mind. Plan ahead as your first choice of sailing may not always be available and wait times may be extended.  

The Isle of Arran in the Firth of Clyde boasts its own distillery at Lochranza, at the northern tip of the Island. Over on the Kintyre peninsula, Campbeltown was once a whisky smuggling centre. Now it's home to Springbank, the oldest independent, family-owned distillery in the country. From there, the next stop is Islay - also known as the Whisky Isle, which this year will boast no fewer than nine working distilleries.

Top Tips

• We strongly advise all passengers to book ahead, even if you're a foot passenger.