INFORMATION FOR GUESTS COMING TO THE SHEPHERD'S HUT
We will meet when you come off the ferry on Eigg and give you a lift to and from the Shepherd’s Hut. If you would like to stop at the shop en route, that’s fine. You can order food there in advance using the link or just stop and buy what you need, there’s plenty of time.
You can also hire a bike from Eigg Adventures who also offer archery lessons, see their website for more information.
We have two Kayaks near the pier that you can use at your own risk. You will just need to ask us for the paddles and lifejackets at the farmhouse.
There is a tearoom where you can buy snacks and meals and a restaurant ( bookings only) in Lageorna on the other side of the island.
Charlie Galli runs a taxi service and can be reached on 01687 482 404. It’s £10 from the pier to Cleadale.
The Shepherd’s Hut
The Shepherd's Hut sleeps two and has either a double or two single beds that turn into benches with a table in the day. Bedding is provided.
It is heated with a wood burning stove for which we supply the wood. There is a sink, kettle and all the cooking and serving dishes you will need.
The kitchen is beside the hut and has a fridge and a 3 ring gas cooker, but no oven. The hut has basics like tea, coffee, sugar, salt, pepper, matches, kindling, tea towels, cleaning cloths, washing up liquid and toilet roll.
Underneath the hut there is a recycling box for tins and bottles and a composting bin in the kitchen. We supply black bags for any other rubbish and it can also be stored underneath the hut.
The water supply comes from a natural spring and is safe to drink. There is a separate composting toilet.
There isn’t enough power to run a hair dryer, hair straighteners or similar items that make heat or require a lot of power. However there is enough to supply lighting and to charge a phone or a computer.
There is no internet or 3G access at the hut, but there is an internet cafe at the Pier, and wifi at the learning centre in the Primary School. The hut has mobile phone reception.
What to bring
Walking shoes/boots or, especially in the winter, wellies!
Slippers for wearing indoors
Waterproofs, torch or head-torch
Sunscreen & midge repellent in the summer
Your stay will be very relaxed, almost off-grid and off-line. So enjoy a break in the beautiful peace and quiet of Eigg. Email or telephone if you have any further enquiries.
Getting to Eigg
There are two parts to getting to Eigg. First drive or get a train or bus to Mallaig or Arisaig. Then take the ferry to Eigg from Mallaig (all year) or Arisaig (summer only). See the current ferry timetables here.
In case there are any changes or possible cancellations to your ferry, it's useful if you can let us know how and when you're travelling to Mallaig or Arisaig before coming over to Eigg, along with a contact number so we can get in touch with you. You can do this by email or phone 01687 462761.
Car and car parking - The main road to Mallaig is the A82 from Glasgow, or Inverness, to Fort William, then the A830 to Mallaig. Allow at least four hours for your journey from Glasgow, five hours from Edinburgh, or three hours from Inverness.
You can park your car in the car park at the Mallaig & Morar Community Centre, the first building on your left as you come into Mallaig. The ferry terminal is five minutes’ walk from the car park, but you can drive to where the ferry leaves to deposit any luggage before you park.
Please note: no cars can be taken over to the Isle of Eigg.
Train - The West Highland Line, which runs between Fort William and Mallaig, is a famously scenic train ride and is one of the Great Railway Journeys of the World. There are usually four trains a day Monday to Saturday and two trains on a Sunday. Check timetable details on the Scotrail website.
If you're bringing a bike with you, you must book it well in advance as there are limited bike spaces and it’s often booked up! Bikes are free on the ferry and train and a great way to get between the Tin Hut and the pier.
Bus - Citylink runs daily bus services between Fort William and Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness. Shiel Buses operate a service between Fort William and Mallaig. Tel: 01967 431 272.
A useful web site to visit is www.travelinescotland.com which has a journey planner and all the timetables (contact 0871 200 22 33).
Ferry - Calmac ferries run from Mallaig to Eigg all year round.
- The summer timetable, with ferries every day except Wednesday, runs from early April to mid October.
- The winter timetable, with ferries on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, runs from mid October to early April.
You don’t need to book for this ferry, but you can call 01687 462403 (option 2) for information, especially in case of possible bad weather. Check CalMac's Service Status webpage or get service status text alerts by texting ‘CALMAC 19’ to 60030. Or call Calmac office in Mallaig on 01687 462403, option 2.
Arisaig Marine’s Sheerwater ferry from Arisaig to Eigg from April to September only. Booking essential call 01687 450 224
You can see the current ferry timetables for both services here.
Ferry Cancellations - Eigg is an exposed island with occasionally extreme weather, even in the summer. Please be aware that ferries are sometimes cancelled. We recommend you take out travel insurance, if you don’t already have it, to cover any costs incurred due to travel problems. For information on what CalMac does and does not cover in the event of ferry cancellation, see the information on their Disruptions FAQ webpage.
We do love our weather forecasts on Eigg! We look at them two or three days in advance to get an idea of what the weather is likely to be, but things can change really fast, so sadly there's no guarantees. However, here's a couple of our favourite weather websites if you want to keep up with our musings - XCWeather and MetOffice
Overnight accommodation in Mallaig or Arisaig - You may want to stay overnight in Mallaig or Arisaig before coming over to Eigg. For accommodation in Mallaig or Arisaig please see the Road to the Isles website. You can also stay in Fort William, just over an hour’s drive from Mallaig or Arisaig, or get the 0830 train from Fort William, which connects with most ferries.