On The Island
Your island, your pace.
Six hundred acres of off-grid island in Loch Sunart, with no traffic, no light pollution and no agenda but your own.
Carna offers a rare opportunity to escape to an uninhabited, off-grid island tucked between the Ardnamurchan and Morvern peninsulas. Staying in one of our two self-catering cottages, accessible only by your inclusive boat, you are surrounded by hills, mountains, abundant wildlife sea and sky. No traffic noise, no light pollution, and only the faintest whisper of a mobile signal.
Adventure
The island offers ample opportunity for outdoor adventure.
Join a guided walk or head out on your own to explore hillside trails, wander the shoreline in search of rock pools and crabs, discover the island’s archaeology, or launch your own expeditions by boat.
With hidden gullies, abandoned settlements, beaches, waterfalls and coves to explore, there is no shortage of things to discover.
Relaxing
Carna is equally the perfect place to do very little at all.
Reconnect with family over unhurried conversations, lose yourself in a book somewhere quieter than a library, rediscover cards and board games or simply sit with a glass of wine as the swallows dance around you in summer.
The evenings can be as adventurous or as restful as your days.
With dark skies overhead and perhaps the distant roar of stags to send you to sleep, it is entirely your call.
Wildlife watching and photography
The wild and secluded nature of Carna makes it a haven for wildlife, and our work through the Carna Conservation Initiative is focused on enhancing this further. With free range over the island and its sheltered waters in your boat, there is ample opportunity to spot the wide variety of species that live here and visit throughout the year.
We are currently building two all-weather wildlife watching hides, exclusively for guests, with commanding views over the island and surrounding waterways. From the hides, your cottage window or simply out and about, you may encounter our resident otter population, visible most days hunting or playing along the shore. You might also spot Common Seals, Dolphins, Porpoises, Arctic Terns, Herons, Red and Roe Deer, Foxes, Pine Martens, Butterflies, Moths, and soaring Buzzards, Kestrels, and Sea and Golden Eagles overhead.
Walking
Animal paths and trails cross the island, offering walks to suit every pace.
Stroll the sheltered bay, roam the moorland, or push yourself to the summit of Cruachan Chàrna for sweeping views over the loch and out to the open Atlantic.
Using your inclusive boat you can also venture further, with excellent walks on the nearby mainland of Ardnamurchan and Morvern accessible directly from the water.
Our team can point you in the right direction. Highlights include the extinct volcano, the Singing Sands, the ruined Castle Tioram and the recently discovered Viking burial boat at Swordle Bay.
Stargazing
With zero light pollution, a clear night on Carna is something to behold.
To sit outside in complete quiet and take in the scale of the cosmos, watching shooting stars and satellites pass overhead, is one of the island’s most memorable experiences.
It has a way of clearing your head that is hard to find elsewhere.
On certain nights you may also catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights.
Get close to nature
Keep an eye out for our herd of Whitebred Shorthorn Highland heifers!
They play a vital role on the island by increasing nutrient cycling in undergrazed areas, and providing a significant boost for biodiversity.
Whitebred Shorthorn are a rare native British breed, now listed as Endangered by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust.