Soldier's Rock – A Sea Stack Under the Cliffs of the Oa
About 4.8 miles on foot.
Kintra sits at the south end of the Big Strand, the long beach that runs up the side of Laggan Bay, where the sand gives way to the cliffs of the Oa.
From the farm a rough walk heads west over empty hill ground to Soldier's Rock, a tall sea stack standing in white water under dark cliffs. It's a half day for walkers who are happy on faint paths, and there's very little out there but sheep, sea and sky.
- Time
- Three to three and a half hours: a circuit of 7.7 km, or 4¾ miles, as Walkhighlands lists it.
- The path
- A shore track and a hill track, then faint paths over rough ground, with gates.
- Where to start
- At Kintra Farm, a working farm and campsite at the end of the road from the Port Ellen maltings. Park tidily and ask at the farm if unsure.
- When to go
- All year in daylight, and not in mist or a strong wind. From November to January set off by 11am. Every Islay ferry uses Port Askaig while Port Ellen's terminal is closed, until 2029. No ferry on 25 December or 1 January. Wind can stop the boat: look at CalMac's service status page on the morning you travel.
- Dogs
- On a lead: farm and hill ground with livestock.
- Children
- A long, rough walk that ends on high cliffs: for older children used to hill walks.
- Before you set out
- Rough hill ground and high cliffs: not a walk for mist or a strong wind. Every Islay ferry uses Port Askaig while Port Ellen's terminal is closed, until 2029. No ferry on 25 December or 1 January. Wind can stop the boat: look at CalMac's service status page on the morning you travel.
The walk
Park at Kintra Farm, at the end of the road that leaves the Port Ellen road just past the maltings, about four miles from the village. It's a working farm and campsite and the island's visitor site says walkers can park here, so park tidily, and ask at the farm if you're not sure where. The Big Strand starts right beside it, and Islay's own visitor pages call it the longest unbroken beach on the island, five miles of sand up to the River Laggan. The walk goes the other way, west along the coast. Walkhighlands lists the circuit to Soldier's Rock as 7.7 km, or four and three-quarter miles, and three to three and a half hours. It starts on a shore track and a hill track, passes the ruins of the old township of Grasdail, and ends on faint paths over rough ground with gates on the way. Soldier's Rock is a tall, narrow sea stack standing just off the cliffs, with the swell breaking white all round its foot.
You look down on it from the clifftop, and the edge is high and sheer, so stay well back from it, and don't go out there in mist or a strong wind. This is a walk for boots, a map and a charged phone. Livestock graze this farm and hill ground, so dogs stay on a lead and gates are shut behind you. Don't count on toilets or anything to eat: bring lunch and a flask. From November to January, set off by 11am. Kintra is 22 miles from the ferry at Port Askaig, about 45 minutes' drive. Islay is reached on CalMac's car ferry from Kennacraig in Kintyre, a crossing of just under two hours.
Port Ellen's ferry terminal is closed for rebuilding until 2029, so every boat lands at Port Askaig, in the north-east of the island. Book the car on before you travel, and be at the pier 30 minutes before the boat sails. On the winter timetable, from 19 October 2026 to 25 March 2027, the first boat leaves Kennacraig at 7am, or at 10am on a Tuesday and a Sunday. The last boat off the island leaves Port Askaig at 5.25pm on a Monday and a Wednesday, 6.05pm on a Tuesday and a Friday, and 6pm on a Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Until 18 October the summer timetable applies, so read the times on CalMac's Islay page. Wind can stop the boat: look at CalMac's service status page on the morning you travel.
If it rains
There's no shelter on the hill and the faint paths are hard to follow in poor visibility. In rain or mist, walk the sands of the Big Strand from Kintra instead and keep Soldier's Rock for a clear day.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
None of ours is close by: the nearest is The Hollies, 43 miles away. Sleeps 18.
Book the car onto CalMac's Kennacraig to Port Askaig ferry before you travel, out and back, and be at the pier 30 minutes before the boat.
For further reading, before you go.