Our comprehensive travel guide to the Isle of Canna, the westernmost of the Small Isles, has all the information that you may need to visit this enchanting Scottish island.
Isle of Canna, Scotland | UK
Canna was a case of love at first sight! As the ferry pulled into the small port, we stood on the deck, mouths agape, unable to put into words the beauty of the landscape surrounding us. A fine drizzle covered the hills of Canna and the mountains of RĂšm and Skye in grey fuzz. It was as if as if nature had turned down the vibrancy; the greens were darker and the blues a deep slate. Little white-washed cottages peppered the coast of Canna and moored boats bobbed languidly in the harbour. The Isle of RĂšm was brooding, wild but Canna had a tenderness to it despite its lofty basalt formations and precipitous cliffs. As we walked along the only road in Canna, past Cafe Canna, towards the campsite, the juxtaposition of water and earth was like nothing we had ever seen before. Closest to us was the seaweed-strewn shores of Canna where flocks of oystercatchers engaged in a cacophonous feast. Behind them stretched the blue waters of the Sound of Canna, and then rose the rocky shores of Sanday on which stood St. Edward’s church. Then rose the menacing RĂšm Cuilins, mist-crowned and forest-green, an amphitheatre unlike any other.
The Isle of Canna is one of the lesser visited islands in Scotland. It is the westernmost of the Small Isles which are a group of four islands, Eigg, Muck, RĂšm, and Canna, in the Inner Hebrides. It is the perfect destination if you want to visit a Scottish Island minus the crowds. Pristine beaches, stunning walks, flocks of puffins, loads of history, and the highly recommended Cafe Canna make Canna one of the top destinations in Scotland.
We stayed on the Isle of Canna for two and a half days and we cannot wait to go back! We loved every moment of our stay. We visited in July and the weather was perfect despite the wind; after half a day of drizzle, the clouds parted and sunshine bathed the island.
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Where is the Isle of Canna
The Isle of Canna is located in the Inner Hebrides. It is the westernmost island in the Small Isles, a group of four islands: RĂšm, Canna, Eigg, and Muck, and is reachable by ferry from Mallaig.
How Many Days Do I Need on Canna
We stayed on Canna for two and a half days and felt it was enough time to explore parts of the island and relax. You will need more days if you plan on going on one of the more difficult walks. We clubbed our trip to Canna with a trip to the Isle of RĂšm and spent two days on both islands and had a beautiful time.
Where are the public toilets on Canna? Toilets are located at the pier and in the community shop. A visitor centre is under construction and once complete, it will have several facilities for visitors.
Why Visit Canna
If you follow us, you know how much we loved our trip to the magnificent Isle of Arran, and how much we love visiting islands! There are several reasons to visit the Isle of Canna and these are our favourite ones.
Natural beauty | Canna is spectacular! Tall basalt pillars, craggy cliffs, and soft sandy beaches add to the beauty of the island.
Offbeat and off-grid | Canna doesn’t see a lot of visitors. We visited in the peak season and there were only a handful of visitors. Canna is not connected to the grid; instead, the Canna Renewable Energy and Electrification project uses solar, wind and battery storage. Mobile networks are poor; there’s WiFi at the Community Shop but it can be temperamental sometimes. The island offers a fabulous opportunity to disconnect and recharge!
Car-free | You cannot bring your car to Canna without a residence permit. Isnât that amazing? A trip free of pollutants and a gazillion smoke-exhaling vehicles is a rarity in this time and age.
Accessibility | Canna isnât too difficult to access despite its relative isolation.
Food | Thanks to the award-winning Cafe Canna, you will be treated to some of the best dishes in Scotland.
How to Reach the Isle of Canna
Caledonian MacBryne (CalMac) ferries connect Canna to the mainland at Mallaig, a port city north of Fort William. Summer and winter timetables differ and ferries are not available every day of the week, so plan meticulously if you intend to visit Canna or any of the Small Isles. The train station and the ferry port are a 2-minute walk apart.
How to Reach Mallaig by Public Transport
Mallaig is well-connected to major cities in Scotland.
BY TRAIN â SCOTRAIL | Mallaig has a train station and daily ScotRail services to Glasgow Queen Street via Fort William. The Glasgow to Mallaig route is called the West Highland Route and it is one of the most scenic railway routes in the world. Not only can you savour the sublime beauty of the Scottish Highlandsâ think mist-crowned mountains, heather-speckled moorlands, and sparkling lochsâ from the window, but also travel over the Glenfinnan Viaduct which is featured in the Harry Potter movies.
â BY TRAIN â JACOBITE STEAM TRAIN FROM FORT WILLIAM | From Fort William, you can either avail a ScotRail service or travel to the iconic Jacobite Steam Train, affectionately called the Harry Potter train, to Mallaig. Tickets sell out at lightning speed, so if you are planning to book seats on the Jacobite train, plan and book as early as possible!
BY BUS | If you are travelling by bus, CityLink services connect Edinburgh and Glasgow to Fort William, from where you have to take a local bus to Mallaig.
TIP: If like us, you are arriving by the late train from Glasgow, Mission Bunkhouse is a fantastic place to stay the night before catching the ferry the next morning. They are the only hostel that would let us check in so late. We booked two single rooms for ÂŁ30 each and they were happy to let us check ourselves in at midnight when the train arrived. The hostel is right across the street from Mallaig station, and we had no difficulty checking in.
The next morning, we grabbed some delicious breakfast at the Bakehouseâ their Baklava Danish is deliciousâ, shopped for supplies at the Co-op, then made our way to the ferry port.
Where to Stay on Canna
Accommodation on Canna is limited to a handful of places. The following places are recommended in Two Together’s Isle of Canna travel guide.
đď¸ Canna Campsite, Pods, & Bunkhouse | We stayed in a pod on Canna campsite and the views were so spectacular that I was content with just sitting inside and gazing out the RĂšm Cuilins and the beaches of Sanday. Run by two wonderful local women, Canna campsite is one of the best campsites we have stayed at.
- Canna Campsite is a 30-minute walk from the ferry port.
- Luggage transfer is provided at no extra cost which was such a boon! They met us at the ferry port, gave an overview of the island’s amenities, and transported our luggage to the campsite. They also transferred our bags to the ferry port on the day of departure.
- Three pods are available on the campsite. They have no electricity. There’s a kitchen shed on the campsite and it has a gas ring. Showers and toilets are available on the campsite.
- The pods have mattresses on the floor. We had our sleeping bags with us and slept comfortably. For an extra ÂŁ25, you can get a complete set of bedding. For an extra ÂŁ18, they will bring you a breakfast basket in the morning.
- The bunkhouse is a short walk uphill from the campsite. It has bunk beds, a fully-equipped kitchen, showers and toilets.
Tighard Guest House | One of the most highly recommended places to stay on Canna is Tighard Guest House, an Edwardian villa offering full board and lodging. Its high elevation means spectacular views of Canna, Sanday, and RĂšm.
Self-catering Houses on Canna and Sanday | There are quite a few self-catering houses on Canna and Sanday that are run by locals who partner with the Canna Community Development Trust. They are especially helpful if you are travelling with family and plan to stay longer on the island.
Can I visit Canna on my own vessel? Yes, you can. Canna’s picturesque and sheltered harbour is the perfect place to spend some time! There are 10 first come first served visitor moorings at ÂŁ20 a night. You can pay at the Community Shop or online.
Where to Eat on Canna
There’s only one restaurant on Canna, the fantastic Cafe Canna.
Cafe Canna | We had some of the best dinners of our life at Cafe Canna. The chef, Gareth Cole, cooks the most delicious dishes with foraged ingredients, seafood, and meat and produce sourced locally. Seafood, such as lobsters and crabs, have to be pre-ordered and they are landed by a local fisherman a few hours before you sit down for dinner. No doubt, they are incredibly fresh! We had a salad made with locally foraged kelp and it changed my mind on trying seaweed! Most of the vegetables are grown in glasshouses on the island, and if you love your vegetables, don’t miss the curried cauliflower pie. Beef from Belted Galloway cattle features on the menu which changes seasonally according to what is in season. They are open from 11 am until late every day except Tuesday. They also have a licensed bar if you want a pint after a walk!
Shops on Canna
Our Isle of Canna travel guide covers all the shops on Canna!
- Canna Community Shop | The shop stocks essential supplies and you can find ingredients for rustling up a quick meal or doing a BBQ. They have a kettle that you can use to make tea, coffee, soup, or pot noodles that are available to buy at the shop. On certain days of the week, they stock pastries and bread from the Bakehouse at Mallaig. It is open 24×7. The shop is unmanned and you can pay by cash, card, or bank transfer.
- Shearing Shed | The Shearing Shed is a lovely place to escape the rain. They have a kettle that you can use to make tea, coffee, soup, or pot noodles that are available to buy at the shop. On Tuesdays, cakes are available here!
- Canna Kitchen | A lovely honesty box that sells jams and preserves made from locally grown and foraged produce, flavoured sea salts, and homemade granola.
Things to do on Canna
Here are some of the best things to do on the Isle of Canna.
See Coroghon Castle & the Black Sand Beach
Coroghon Castle is a rare surviving example of a late medieval Hebridean stronghold. It is located a short walk from the pier. The castle was built during the 16th century and possibly used as a prison for Marion Macleod in the late 17th century; only ruins survive to this day and you can see them precariously perched on a steep slope. It was described by Pennant in 1772 as â⌠a lofty slender rock, that juts into the sea: on one side is a little tower, at a vast height above us, accessible by a narrow and horrible path: it seems so small as scarce to be able to contain half a dozen peopleâ.
Below Coroghon Castle is Canna’s Black Sand Beach. Made of dark grey volcanic sands, the beach is a lovely place for a leisurely stroll. You can see the mountains of Skye from here.
Visit the Churches on Canna
There are three beautiful churches on Canna. Closest to the pier is the quirky âRocket Churchâ, a Presbyterian place of worship built for the Thom family. There is a Celtic Cross in the garden. Also on Canna is St Columbaâs Chapel, marked by a white cross. This old building has served many purposes over the years, from a Catholic church to a local shop. There are some lovely stained glass windows inside. The imposing St Edwardâs Church is located on Sanday. It is one of the first landmarks you spot as you sail into Canna. Built in memory of Lord Howard of Glossop, it was once the place of worship for the island’s fishermen. Sadly, despite renovation efforts, it now stands empty, a victim of the elements.
Go on Scenic Walks on Canna
There are some great walks on Canna! Some of the walks such as the Souterrain & `King of Norway’s’ Grave or the Saturnino and Compass Hill walks are popular with locals and visitors alike. If you are seeking a challenge, try the Canna Circular that you takes you around the island. Besides stunning views of the Small Isles and the Isle of Skye, you can see the ruins of a nunnery and the old township of Garrisdale on this walk. The 12 miles / 19.5 km walk can take around 8-9 hours.
Visit Canna House
Canna House was closed for renovation when we visited but it reopens in 2025. It was built around 1863 by Donald Macneil, the owner of the island at that time and passed through several hands until John Lorne Campbell gifted the house and the island to the National Trust for Scotland in 1981. It houses a substantial cultural archive of Gaelic folk songs and tales, Celtic and Norse Studies, philology, music, literature and Scottish history, and John’s Hebridean Lepidoptera collection, among other things.
See the A’Chill and Celtic Cross
Near St. Columba’s Church are the A’Chill and Celtic Cross, remains of the early Christian cross, dating from the 7th – 9th century, with its many decorated symbols, and a “punishment stone”.
See the Puffins on Sanday Island
Canna’s beloved puffin trail is actually on Sanday, another island that is connected to Canna via a bridge. The puffins flock on sea stacks on the coast of Sanday in summer, from late April to late July. The trail starts near the bridge and goes to St Edward’s Chapel from where the actual puffin trail starts; look for the cute orange markers. You can either go through the island or follow the coast at low tide. We started along the road but were intimated by a herd of cattle, so we retraced our steps and went along the coast. From here, walk along the field wall to the south side of the island, then follow the coast until you reach the spectacular sea stacks of Dun Mor and Dun Beag. Here you will find the main colony of puffins â hundreds during the breeding season â and the cliffs which are home to nesting fulmars, kittiwakes, guillemots, razorbills and shags.
Say Hello to Eagles, Whales, & Other Wildlife
Canna, like the other Small Isles, has an abundance of wildlife. We only spotted puffins and numerous birds and butterflies on this trip but if you are lucky you can spot Golden and White-tailed eagles and Great Skuas on Canna. Whales and dolphins are also often spotted from Canna.
Soak in the Sun at Traigh BhĂ n Beach
On the far side of the bridge that connects Canna to Sanday is one of the finest beaches on the island, Traigh BhĂ n. Turn right at the fisherman’s shrine and follow the shoreline to the beautiful white sand beach of Traigh BhĂ n. On sunny days, the water is a gorgeous shade of turquoise and it reminded me of the Achmelvich and Clachtoll beaches that we visited on our trip to Assynt. It is the perfect spot to relax or enjoy a picnic.
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