INFORMATION FOR GUESTS COMING TO SWEENEY'S BOTHY
We are your hosts - Lucy and Eddie - and we're looking forward to meeting you and hope you enjoy your holiday in Sweeney's Bothy.
We've put together some information below about the bothy, getting to Eigg, travel on the island, and local food and drink. Hopefully this will answer any questions you have, but if you need anything else get in touch by email or phone 01687 482414.
There’s lots of information about Eigg on the Isle of Eigg website.
SWEENEY'S BOTHY
The bothy has floor-to-ceiling windows across one wall with an amazing view out over Rum. There is a table, seat, two benches, an armchair and a library snug with a small collection of maps, fiction, non-fiction and books about Eigg.
The bothy is 150 metres up a steepish path. We will help you with your luggage. Suitcases on wheels can be pulled up there, but the bigger they are, the harder it is! We recommend carry bags or rucksacks, or small wheel cases.
The mezzanine bed is accessed by ladder, but we can provide a single z-bed if anyone prefers to be at ground level. All bedding is supplied and there are a couple of extra blankets if you’re worried you might be cold (you won’t be, the bothy is very cosy!). We also provide towels and a dressing gown.
Sweeney's Bothy is heated with a wood burning stove that has a hot-plate and an oven for cooking. The kitchen has a single gas ring and sink. There is no fridge, but a cool box with freezer blocks is provided. The bothy has basics like teas, coffee, sugar, salt, pepper, herbs, spices, olive oil, matches, foil, kindling and washing up liquid.
We ask our guests to separate their bottles, tins and plastic milk cartons, and to compost vegetable waste.
The bothy is connected to a water supply that comes from a natural spring. It is safe to drink. Sweeney’s has an outdoor shower on the decking at the back of the bothy with hot water supplied by the stove and a solar hot water panel. There is no washing machine.
There is a separate composting toilet 15 metres away. Toilet paper is provided.
The bothy is powered by renewable electricity but is limited. There’s plenty for charging things like laptops, mobile phones or cameras but you’ll have to leave your hairdryer or hair straighteners at home, sorry.
There is no wifi in Sweeney’s but the recent installation of a mobile phone mast in Cleadale means it does have a mobile network connection. There’s a wifi hotspot at the An Laimhrig, at the pier on Eigg.
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. The midges generally aren’t too bad in Cleadale as we usually have a gentle breeze to keep them at bay. The bothy has midge screens, which means you can keep the windows open without being bitten!
Anything that you'll enjoy while having a very relaxed and off-grid, off-line break in the beautiful peace and quiet.
WEATHER
Eigg’s climate is generally quite mild, benefitting from the influence of the Gulf Stream. At the height of summer, sunrise can happen at 4am and sunset at 11 pm. It very rarely goes below freezing in the winter. You can find out more about our climate here
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 fast, so sadly there are no guarantees. However, here are a couple of our favourite weather websites if you want to join in with our weather-related musings - XCWeather and MetOffice
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).
FERRY - Calmac ferries run from Mallaig to Eigg all year round. The summer timetable runs from late March to mid-October, with ferries every day except Wednesday. The winter timetable runs from mid-October to late March, with ferries on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. The times are different every day, which makes reading the timetables difficult. Check with us if you’re not sure.
You must book your ferry ticket to ensure you get updates on any changes to the service by text or email. You can do this online or by calling 01687 462403 (option 2). You can also call that number for information on any changes to the service, check CalMac's Service Status webpage or get service status text alerts by texting ‘CALMAC 19’ to 60030.
If you have lots of luggage, please be aware that CalMac won’t let you go up and down the ramp to move it, you have to carry everything on in one go. Let us know if you think this could be a problem for you and we will arrange for any heavy items to come as freight.
Arisaig Marine’s Sheerwater ferry from Arisaig to Eigg from April to September only. Booking essential call 01687 450 224
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.
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 to sweeneysbothy@gmail.com or phone 01687 482 414.
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 West Bay 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. You can also park in East Bay, which is a slightly longer walk to the ferry terminal. (see a photograph of Mallaig car parks at the bottom of this webpage).
Parking in West Bay is charged, but it’s free in East Bay. In West Bay Car Park you can buy a parking ticket for multiple days or a week+ using the RingGo website. Do not use the RingGo app as it only allows you to buy parking for up to 24 hours. Once you’ve logged onto the website, the location number for West Bay is 23485.
Except for Blue Badge holders, visitor cannot bring their own cars to 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 bothy and the pier. Rather than wheel your bike up to the bothy, you can leave it in our shed at the bottom of the hill.
BUS - Citylink runs daily bus services between Fort William and Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness. Shiel Busesoperate a service between Fort William and Mallaig. Tel: 01967 431272.
A useful web site to visit is www.travelinescotland.comwhich has a journey planner and all the timetables (contact 0871 200 22 33).
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.
YOUR ARRIVAL and GETTING AROUND EIGG
We will meet when you come off the ferry on Eigg and give you a lift to and from Cleadale - where Sweeney’s Bothy is located. If you need to stop at Isle of Eigg Shop to pick up your pre-ordered groceries or anything you need, that’s fine; there’s plenty of time. We will also take you back to the pier at the end of your holiday.
Sweeney’s Bothy is around an hour to an hour and a half’s walk from the pier. If we’re going over, we can always give you a lift or pick up shopping for you. Otherwise you can enjoy the walk or stick out your thumb and ask for a lift.
Bike Hire: Adult bike and e-bike hire from our friends at Eigg Adventures is available at £20 and £35 respectively per day including helmet. They offer a discounted rate for hires of four or more days but booking in advance is essential as their bikes can get booked out fast! They also offer kayak hire in the beautiful Galmisdale and Kildonan bays from their base at An Laimhrig.
You can also hire paddle boards, wet suits, take a snorkel tour, or enjoy lots of other outdoor adventures with Eigg Guiding.
Charlie Galli runs a taxi service. Call 01687 482404. It’s £15 from the pier to Cleadale.
SHOPPING & PLACES TO EAT ON EIGG
The Isle of Eigg Shop is a well-stocked shop and has a post office, which has a cash point. The shop is 4 miles from Sweeney’s Bothy, but can deliver if you give them enough notice. The shop accepts cash, debit and credit cards.
For most of the year, you can order organic veg and eggs from Eigg Organics which is next door to the bothy.
Next door to Eigg Shop is Galmisdale Bay Café & Restaurant which is open most days for breakfast, lunch & dinner in the summer months and on ferry days in the winter. It also doubles as a pub most evenings in the summer and occasionally in the winter months. It also accepts debit and credit cards.
Ten minutes walk from Sweeney’s Bothy is Lageorna, with quite possibly the best views of any restaurant in Scotland. Lageorna offers a set price menu, made with the finest local produce. It’s not open every night, so booking is essential; call 01687 460081.
There are lots of lovely crafts to buy on Eigg. You can find most of them in the Isle of Eigg Craft Shop at the pier and some makers offer the opportunity to learn new skills while you're here. Have a look at A'Nead Hand Knitwear, All About Willow, and Libby Galli Felt Artist.
