Jura, though fairly large in size, is a sparsely populated island with a population of approximately 180 people.
Jura has a large population of red deer (it is commonly believed that the name 'Jura' was derived from hjortr, the Old Norse word for deer). The island is designated as a National Scenic Area and is dominated by three conical mountains known as the Paps of Jura which rise to over 2500 feet (762 m). The west coast of Jura is currently uninhabited but is home to a number of raised beaches.
A single-track road stretches from Feolin Ferry in the south west of the island and follows the coastline to Craighouse, the island's main settlement. This is where you will find the island's only shop and hotel which has the island's only pub and restaurant. The village of Craighouse is home to the island's only distillery, and church.
The road continues past Craighouse an northwards through the smaller settlements of Lagg, Tarbet and Ardlussa and provides some stunning views of the Paps and Jura's rugged coastline.
A private vehicle track runs from the road end to the far north of the island. This track passes Barnhill, where George Orwell lived towards the end of his life and where he wrote '1984'. This track provides the best access to a footpath leading to view of the Corryvrekkan whirlpool which lies between the northern tip of Jura and the Island of Scarba.
Jura's nearest city is Glasgow.
'''Direct routes to Jura'''
A seasonal passenger ferry now runs from Tayvallich on the mainland (around 2.5 drive from Glasgow) to Craighouse on Jura, taking around 45 mins to an hour to complete the crossing and linking up with public transport. The ferry runs from Easter to the end of September with two crossings a day 6 days a week, including weekends.
In addition, a few of licensed boat owners provide a private water taxi service from the Tayvallich and Crinan area who will drop you at various points on the island.
'''Getting to Jura via Islay'''
Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) runs a number of vehicle ferries per day between Kennacraig (on the Mull of Kintyre around 2.5 - 3 hours drive from Glasgow) to Port Askaig or Port Ellen on Islay. Vehicle bookings should be made in advance as these sailings are often fully booked. The crossing takes 2 hours to Port Askaig and 2 hours and 10 minutes to Port Ellen.
Flybe operates two return flights per day (one on Sundays) between Islay and Glasgow.
A small car ferry operates across the Sound of Islay between Port Askaig on Islay and Feolin Ferry on Jura. From Feolin Ferry it is 8 miles to the island's main settlement, Craighouse.
Jura is great for walkers, but lacks good public transport because of its remote nature. A public bus does run between Feolin / Craighouse and points further north in the island a number of times a day. The bus operates only on request so you must book in advance. It may be possible to book the bus for private hire.
Many visitors to Jura bring private cars over via the Kennacraig / Islay and Port Askaig / Feolin ferries. It is also possible to hire cars on Islay.
Cycling is a popular way to see the island and bikes can either be brought on the ferry or hired from the Jura Hotel. The island's only road is single-track and hilly in places and it can be frustrating to be progressing slowly but steadily uphill only to have to pull over when you meet a car.
It's said that hitch-hiking always comes with a risk, but Jura is probably one of the safest places in the world for this. The biggest risk generally is that you won't see another soul, especially away from Craighouse, so don't bank on it.
A selection of bed & breakfast and self catering accommodation can be found online with [http://www.juradevelopment.co.uk/ Jura Development]. In addition: