FAQ's
What you may need to know
Yes - send me a message / email and you can pay £250 deposit to hold your dates and the balance due one month before your holiday. My system doesn't allow that split, so I need to process it manually.
We will try to accommodate any changes where we can. We will refund any bookings also outside 30 days if you can't make it over. However if, within the 30 days of your arrival you need to amend or cancel, if we can re-book your dates then we will refund you but if we can't then we're afraid we can't refund.
Weather obviously plays a massive part in getting here successfully in winter, mechanical failures too on the ferries can cause havoc. We will try to help where possible but PLEASE get holiday insurance.
NON-REFUNDABLE POLICY EXPLAINED: It maybe helpful to understand how travel disruptions affects us all living here on the islands. We too miss flights, hotels booked, important appointments due to weather / ferry issues and we don't get refunds from bookings we have on the mainland. We will do what we can, when we can for you but our policy as a small business is no refund within 30 days unless we can re-sell the dates. This is why travel insurance is crucial. Tesco do a good one for this sort of travel.
No you don't, unless the early or late ferry. It's just a roll up, roll on service and the ferry will keep going until the queue has gone. The ferry goes every hour the timetable can be found here. Please go to our Getting Here page for more information on getting to Jura.
Winter 2025 update - It is very unfortunate and sad for all that live here and for those visiting and working here that The Jura Hotel has decided to close for food and accommodation until March 2025. We will not be defeated and the community is pulling together. The hall committee are doing lots of events in the hall, Kirsty bakes every week and we stock her amazing pies, we have croissants and sausage rolls also. We have a pizza oven and all the ingredients you need to make a pizza. We will help in whatever way we can to help get you fed during your stay this winter!
Please check winter opening times with all businesses.
The Antlers 01496 305317The Island Bakehouse (on Facebook) or Email Kirsty: islandbakehouse@icloud.com
Jura Hotel +44 (0)1496 820243
Tea on The Beach - just turn up, Inverlussa Beach (summer only)
Seafood – in the village next to The Antlers Richard has seafood (summer only)
Jean’s Fish Van every Thursday in the village (order on Monday or just turn up)
Deer Island Rum – Craighouse Big Pier http://www.deerisland.co.uk/
Jura Distillery - 01496 820385 https://www.jurawhisky.com/
Lussa Gin - The Stables, Ardlussa 01496 820196 https://www.lussagin.com/
If you are booked (please phone to book this ferry) on the 9.30pm "wee" Jura ferry and will be arriving at 10pm that's fine. All accommodation is self-check in, the bothans will be open and just make yourselves at home. There is solar lighting around the site to help guide you.
Our water comes from a loch up in the hills, beneath The Paps. You will notice it has a brown tinge which is due to the peat. As a family, we were drinking it untreated for 4 years during the build without any unpleasant side effects. Since opening to guests, we have installed a comprehensive filter system: Now the water goes through 6 stages of filtering; Sediment filter to 10 microns > PH adjuster > Organic Scavenger > 5 micron filter > UV filter > pump! It has passed all health and safety tests, except colour, so please rest assured whilst it might look like you’re drinking or bathing in whisky it is completely safe to drink. And lie in!
EE gets the best reception on Jura. A new mast has recently gone up and most people can get good 4G here, however there are still some black spots. Vodafone also has fairly good coverage.
Yes. The cottage has BT fibre broadband and the huts have mobile 4G broadband, all with > 100Mbs connection.
Yes all huts have a bluetooth speaker and charger.
Yes, you will find a box outside the accommodation for recycling paper, cardboard, tins, plastic food containers and glass. Thank you for sorting. There are compost bins in each property for composting. Please leave your compost in the bins and we will put it in our larger bin.
Yes. 2 max in each accommodation. Whilst I know cuddles on furniture and beds are lovely, I am that dog owner, with respect to other guests, please can I ask you not to encourage bedtime, or daytime, cuddles until you are back at home. There should be poo bags within the accommodation, please let me know if you run out. There is a dog bowl, food mat, treats also.
Knockrome is a crofting settlement, and as such Crofters have a right to allow their chickens, sheep and cows to roam freely; which they do, everywhere! It’s part of a way of life, and we love it. To that end, you should absolutely keep your dog on a lead at all times when outside of the garden. Lambing, calving time from Feb - May, so dogs under control especially around this time.
The main source of heat for all the accommodations is by the log burning stoves. We start you off with a couple of baskets of wood, and you can find more in the log store behind the entrance porch. We have a fee of £10 a crate, which is payable by dropping the cash in the honesty box, or you can settle a firewood bill on departure. Alternatively you can buy bags of wood at the shop in the village.
There is a quick and very helpful guide to starting and maintaining a fire in a wood burning stove here at https://fireplaceuniverse.com/how-to-control-wood-burning-stove.
We provide toilet roll, shower gel, hand wash, washing up liquid, tea towels, kitchen roll, tin foil, towels and bedding, and robes for the cottage. There should be ample tea, coffee, sugar, olive oil also. We provide two crates of logs per accommodation per stay. You can purchase logs £10 per crate thereafter.
Yes please!!!! (Obvioulsy not a frequently asked question, but since you're here!!!) There was a difference of opinions when it came to choosing the material for the kitchen worktop. I desperately wanted the wood (and won) even knowing it takes a lot of care to maintain it. Husband wanted laminate, which in my opinion would have spoiled the finish. I know you are nodding in agreement right now…
Please help me keep the Naysayer at bay! I have left lots of cork mats to place hot pans on, and if you can dry off any excess water around the sink, I will remain both victorious, and grateful!
You should find lots of books, information leaflets, maps, midge spray, midge hats and nets, aromatherapy oils in the sauna at the cottage.
The simple answer is to read the instructions. Everything you need to know is there, but in a nutshell you will have to nurture the fire, by standing over it or near it for the first 30-40 mins. Consider it a labour of love. If you don't nurture it and feed it with new logs every 20 mins and make sure it is roaring then it will not heat the water. Please don't light until the hot tub is full and please don't empty until the next day when it has cooled or leave it for us to empty.
If you’re particularly grubby after a hard day slogging around the bogs of Jura, a good idea is to take a shower before using the hot tub. This preserves the water for your next use and prevents the build up from clogging the pipes.
When getting the tub heated, the thing to remember is ‘flames, flames, flames’. You need to build a really strong, hot fire underneath the flue. Once it gets going it’s amazing, and heats up in 1.5 – 2hrs. Please do not drain the water until it has cooled down, it will damage the stove box if there is no water surrounding it when it is hot.
Yes but only for cottage guests sorry. The sauna heats up super quick! As it takes only 10 mins to get to temperature, please can I ask you to be mindful of electricity, and only switch on the Sauna when you’re ready to go in and turn it off when you have finished. Set timer then set the temperature to 80 or so and make sure the orange spark button is lit. Please do not drop oils directly onto the hot stones. A few drops of oil can go into the water and onto the stones, but never directly onto the stones.
Yes but currently outside at the cottage. It's cold water only and perfect for using after a sauna, and for brave people who want a cold hose down before jumping into the hot tub. The cold barrel up at the shed can be used by all, please get in touch to book an ice barrel.
Yes!! For everyone! Let us know when you want a dunk and we'll get it chilled to 3-4 C for you. We go in most days.
Please don't use the barrel in the cottage garden at the moment. It is currently just decorative.We now have a filtered, chilled ice barrel up at our shed to use. Please get in touch with us and you can use it - we just ask guests to shower before use. It is 3 degrees. 2-5 mins is all you need!
Jura Taxis Gordon: 01496 820 366 or Mobile: 07803 198 320
Jura Bus: The No. 456 service runs between Feolin and Lussa, stopping at Ardfin, Craighouse, Three Arch Bridge, Knockrome and Lagg along the way.
Timetable: https://www.garelochheadcoaches.co.uk/bus-services/456/
Jura Cycles: Stuart: 07562 762382. Juracycles@icloud.com
Jura Boat Tours: Robert Henry 07976 280195 info@juraboattours.co.uk
Yes for a small fee to cover time and petrol we can come and pick you up if we're here, if we're not here then we can organise a taxi or someone else to pick you up. We are about a 50 min walk from Craighouse (5km). You can also hire bikes from 'Jura Cycles' and have them left down at the pier for your arrival. Contact Stuart: 07562 762382 Juracycles@icloud.com
& another thing...
Below are answers to some of our more common questions. Please do get in touch if there is anything we haven't covered, but you'd like to know. We look forward to welcoming you.