Shuna, Isle of Iona, Argyll, PA76 6SJ

Self-Catering Property – sleeps 5 people

Shuna is a small detached house, for 5 people, on the island’s main street, overlooking the Sound of Mull. It is well placed for easy access to beaches, shops (mainly craft) and Iona Abbey. It was built in 1899 for Alec and Euphemia Ritchie, key players in the Iona Celtic arts & craft ‘movement' - there are even one or two examples of Alec’s work in the house! There is also a large garden to relax in (on the opposite side of the street) with wonderful views.

COVID 19 – We are keeping updated on the government rules and regulations, and other relevant guidance, to ensure that your stay at Shuna is as safe as possible. In addition to a thorough clean between guests, there are hand and surface sanitisers in the house for you to use. Please remember that the wearing of face masks is still mandatory. We therefore suggest that you bring a supply of face masks with you.

Key Information about the house:

Ground floor: living/dining room with an open fire, kitchen, 1 double bedroom, 1 single bedroom, 1 bathroom for everyone. The living/dining room has a table with 5 chairs, a large sofa and two comfy chairs.

Upper floor (steep stairs with handrail): a large landing/common space and two single bedrooms (one with extra single mattress)

The kitchen is well equipped with microwave, double oven including grill, fridge, freezer, washing machine, a clothes pulley and a drying rack.

The bathroom has a bath and over-bath shower.

There is no television or landline.

EE and BT mobile now have the best signal, and are also the only networks you can get 4G on (4G tends to be much better than the island broadband!). O2 has good coverage. Vodafone is patchy at best.

Included in the rental price:

Electricity

Bed linen and 2 towels (one bath towel, one hand towel) per guest.

Wireless broadband (bring your own laptop/tablet/smartphone)

Cleaning materials including tea towels & cloths, washing-up liquid, non- biological washing powder, sanitiser

Welcome tray including tea, coffee, sugar & milk

Coal for open fire in living room (We are intending to move as soon as possible to burning only wood. However we still have a supply of coal and would appreciate it if you would help us use it up)

Additional information – please be sure to read this

Rentals are from Saturday to Saturday.

Please don’t arrive before 3pm to give us enough time to clean the house, change the linen, restock cleaning materials and check for any damage etc.

For the same reason, please leave by 10am the following Saturday and leave Shuna as clean and tidy as you would like to find it.

Children and babies are welcome at the property; we can provide a high chair but no cot. Please note that the stairs in Shuna are very steep and are not gated.

Pets are not allowed.

Please note there are 5 steps going up to the front door. It is possible to enter, without steps, at the back door but, unfortunately, it is not accessible by a wheelchair.

Please let us know if you wish to use the extra floor mattress upstairs and we will provide the linen.

There’s no storage space for bikes or golf clubs etc but we are very lucky that there is virtually no crime on the island and we’re sure any bikes would be safe propped up outside.

The house behind Shuna is called Cul Shuna and is home to our hard-working volunteers. They will be very friendly but we would ask you to respect their space and time.

We have some garden volunteers who may pop in while you are staying to mow the lawn and do some weeding - we hope you don’t mind!

On departure please strip all the linen on the beds you have used and put it, along with the towels and tea towels, on the kitchen floor. Please leave the house clean and tidy. (You will find a folder with this and other relevant information in the house).

There is a small SPAR shop on Iona which offers a good range of fresh and frozen products. It is inevitably more expensive than mainland shops but it provides an essential service to the local community so please support it as you feel able to.

Getting to Iona and Shuna

Iona is one of the Inner Hebridean islands and is situated just off the South West tip of Mull. Trains and buses run daily from Glasgow to Oban, and from Oban you take the Calmac (car and passenger) ferry to Craignure on the Isle of Mull.

There is an alternative route via Corran Ferry (just south of Fort William) which is operated by Highland Council and then you cross the Morvern Peninsula and catch the Calmac ferry from Lochaline over to Fishnish (just a few miles north of Craignure). This 2nd route is more suited to car drivers rather than public transport users.

From Craignure you can then either take the bus, or drive, to Fionnphort from where the Iona ferry departs. Vehicles must be left in Fionnphort & there is a free car park adjacent to the Columba Centre.

Once on Iona, turn first right just beyond the pier on to the main street. You’ll pass the Post Office on your right, the Argyll Hotel on your left and Shuna is the 4th house on the left after the hotel and the one after ‘Highland Cottage’. It takes less than 10 minutes to walk from the ferry. Iona Taxi is available if you are bringing a lot of luggage. You can call and make an advance booking - contact Joyce or Lindsey McIntyre on 0781 032 5990.

Booking ferries:

We strongly recommend that you book well in advance especially for summer travel via Oban/Craignure.

Bookings can be done online or by calling Calmac on 08000 66 5000. Vehicle traffic has increased considerably with the reduction in ferry fares so book as soon as your booking is confirmed at Shore Cottage. (Bookings not taken for the Lochaline/Fishnish sailings except for winter sailings at certain times)

It is generally not necessary to book the Iona ferry – the exception is very early travel off the island and certain ferries in the winter schedule – please check the small print on the timetable for further details)

Timetables are available online https://www.calmac.co.uk/summer-timetables

Useful travel contacts www.calmac.co.uk for Ferries http://www.westcoastmotors.co.uk/timetables/ for buses across Mull www.scotrail HYPERLINK "http://www.scotrail.co.uk/" HYPERLINK "http://www.scotrail.co.uk/".co.uk for mainland trains www.citylink.co.uk for buses on the mainland Glasgow or Edinburgh - Oban or Fort William – Oban