Ultimate Island Hopping

Ever thought where a Grand Tour by ferry might take you? With your tribe, your car and all your luggage and equipment with you, an epic journey awaits. We have put together the ultimate port-hopping experience featuring sail-drive through the Isle of Wight, Guernsey, Jersey, northern France, Ireland, the islands and peninsulas of the west coast of Scotland, the Isle of Man and back to the UK.

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Day 1 – Isle of Wight

Southampton to Isle of Wight with Red Funnel (Dep 10:00 Arr 11:00)

Just an hour away from Southampton by ferry is the Isle of Wight. Designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and with more than half the island being an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty there is plenty to see and do.

Don’t miss highlights

• Hunting for dinosaur fossils in Compton Bay
• Head out to the beach by Chair lift at the Needles attraction
• Groom, cuddle and feed a rescued donkey at the Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary
• Queen Victoria’s unique bathing hut at Osborne House
• A ride on the Isle of Wight Steam Railway

Dinosaur Footprint Credit: Visit Isle of Wight

Fishbourne to Gunwharf Port, Portsmouth with Wightlink (Dep 17:00 Arr 17:45)

Sail on hybrid vessel the Victoria of Wight, the newest and most environmentally-friendly ferry on the route. The ship combines battery power with conventional engines to sail between Portsmouth and Fishbourne, using 17% less fuel than the next largest ferry on that route.

Drive from Gunwharf Terminal to the Portsmouth International Port = Approx 15 mins

Portsmouth to Guernsey with Brittany Ferries (Dep 19:45 Arr 06:00)

Make the most of your holiday time and sail overnight from Portsmouth International Port to Guernsey. Take in the sights of the Spinnaker Tower, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard and the east coast of the Isle of Wight, before heading out into the Channel. 

On board relax and enjoy dinner in the Bistro, before settling down for the night in your own en-suite cabin. Duty-Free is available on crossings to the Channel Islands.

Day 2 and 3 – Guernsey

• Walk the stunning coastal paths and causeways
• Explore Guernsey’s islands including Lihou, Sark, Herm and Alderney. With Herm and Alderney being visible from the ferry.
• Discover what it was like for the island under Nazi occupation at the German Occupation Museum
• Visit Victor Hugo’s house – Hauteville, where he stayed when he was in self-imposed exile.

Credit: Visit Guernsey

Guernsey to Jersey with Brittany Ferries or DFDS

Day 4 and 5 – Jersey

Just a short hop from Guernsey, is the Channel Island’s largest island – Jersey, home to the famous TV detective Bergerac.

Don’t miss highlights

• St Helier’s Central Market
• The Jersey War Tunnels
• Mont Orgueil Castle
• Walk to Le Corbiѐre lighthouse
• The 15-minute RIB ride to Les Ecréhous, an archipelago with one of the largest tidal ranges in the world, where the coastal reefs and islands are revealed for a short time at low tide.

Le Corbiѐre Lighthouse, Credit: Visit Jersey

Day 6 – Brittany, France

Jersey to Saint-Malo with DFDS (Dep 09:40 – Arr 12:35)

As the ferry approaches Brittany, head out onto deck and take in the medieval walled-city of Saint-Malo as it comes into view, with its imposing ramparts and granite buildings.

Don’t miss highlights

• Take a walk along the ramparts
• Get lost in the cobbled streets of Intra Muros old town
• Sample local Breton cuisine, whether that be fresh seafood, galettes or delicious pastries made with Breton salted butter
• Visit Grand Bé, reachable by a narrow causeway from the beach of Bon Secours that disappears as the tide comes in

Day 7 – Brittany & Normandy

From Saint-Malo drive up the west coast of the Cotentin Peninsula to Cherbourg, stopping at the Abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel and the Hatainville Dunes on the way.

Cherbourg to Dublin with Irish Ferries (Dep 19:30 Arr 14:30)

Before departing from Cherbourg don’t miss Le Cité de la Mer, an aquarium and museum dedicated to the sea and built in the art-deco transatlantic terminal building. The highlight of museum is stepping on board Le Redoutable – a French nuclear submarine.

From Cherbourg board the cruise-ferry W.B. Yeats, with its cinema, a la carte restaurant, café and bar, Club Class lounge and range of cabins, including luxury suites with private balconies.

Day 8 and 9 – Dublin

Sail overnight and arrive into Dublin in the early afternoon with enough time to explore a little of the city centre and experience Dublin’s world-famous pub scene.

Don’t miss highlights

• Dublin Castle,
• Kilmainham Gaol
• The Book of Kells Experience at Trinity College Dublin
• The Guinness Storehouse
• EPIC Irish Emigration Museum

Long Room Trinity College ©James Bowden for Contiki and Tourism Ireland.

Day 10 – Dublin to Belfast

Back on the road again, head towards Newgrange, a 5,200-year-old passage tomb older than Stonehenge and a World Heritage Site located in the Boyne Valley. For some great hiking and mountain biking spend some time in the Mourne Mountains, the highest and most dramatic peaks in Northern Ireland, with views over rivers, loughs and out across the Irish Sea.

Day 11 – Belfast

Just an hour drive north of the Mourne Mountains is Belfast

Don’t miss highlights

• Titanic Belfast
• The Cathedral Quarter for its murals, art and culture,
• Speciality food tastings at St George’s Market
• Crumlin Road Gaol

Titanic Belfast

Day 12 – Belfast / Larne to Scotland

Stena Line Dep Belfast 07:30 Arr Cairnryan 09:52

P&O Ferries Dep Larne 08:00 Arr Cairnryan 10:00

Definitely one of the most scenic ferry routes coming into Cairnryan with views of the surrounding hills. Get out on deck with a coffee or cuppa and watch the land come into view. Drive from Cairnryan up the Ayrshire coast to Troon / Ardrossan and board the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry to the Isle of Arran. Dep 13:20 Arr 14:35. Keep an eye out as it’s not unusual to spot dolphins and porpoises from the deck.

Don’t miss highlights – Arran

• Learn about the rise and fall of the Dukes of Hamilton at Brodick Castle
• Visit the pre-historic Machrie Moor Standing Stones
• Climb to the peak of Goatfell
• Spot golden eagles, red deer and red squirrels

Brodick Castle, Isle of Arran

Day 13 – Arran to Islay and Jura

Take the short CalMac Ferries ferry ride from Lochranza to Claonaig (Apr-Oct) Dep 12:00 Arr 12:30 then drive to Kennacraig (10 mins) to catch the ferry to the Isle of Islay, famous for its peaty whiskies. (Dep: 13:00- Arr: 14:55) It’s a quick hop from Islay to Jura with the Feolin Ferry.

Don’t miss highlights of Islay and Jura

• A distillery tour on Islay is a must! There are 10 working distilleries on the island, the most famous include Bowmore, Lagavulin, Laphroaig and Ardbeg
• Hike in the Paps of Jura
• Take a boat trip to the Corryvreckan Whirlpool
• Explore the beaches and coastline of Islay

Day 14 – Islay to Bute

Get the afternoon CalMac Ferries ferry back from Port Askaig to Kennacraig (Mon-Fri, Sun: 15:30-17:25 Sat: 13:00-14:55) and then drive the 8 mins to Tarbert to take the ferry to Portavadie (18:15-18:40 in winter on request). From Portavadie drive to Colintraive (35 mins) and catch the ferry to Rhubodach on the Isle of Bute. The ferry runs every 30 mins and takes 5 mins.

Don’t miss highlights on the Isle of Bute

• The seal colony at Scalpsie Bay
• Visit award-winning Mount Stuart the ancestral home of the Marquesses of Bute
• Take a peek at the Victorian toilets at Rothesay
• Walk around the moat of Scotland’s only circular curtain wall at Rothesay Castle

Rothesay Castle Credit: VisitScotland/ Kenny Lam

Day 15 – Isle of Bute to Heysham

Take the 35 min ferry journey from Rothesay to Wemyss Bay (hourly departures throughout the day) and then drive the 3h45 to Heysham. Consider stopping off at the Lake District on the way.

Day 16 & 17 – Heysham to Douglas

Isle of Man Steam Packet Company (Dep 14:15  Arr 18:00)

Sail to Douglas on the new hybrid diesel-electric ferry, Manxman. View Douglas’ iconic Tower of Refuge from the deck. A choice of eateries on board, offering fresh, locally sourced ingredients means breakfast is best eaten on board. Upgrade your journey and enjoy more space and comfort in a Premium or Exclusive lounge and get complimentary non-alcoholic drinks and an extra 1GB of WiFi data.

The Isle of Man, designated a UNESCO Biosphere in 2016, is a British Crown Dependency meaning it has its own government and laws and in not part of the UK, however the King is the Head of State.

Don’t miss highlights on the Isle of Man

• Climb up the island’s highest mountain, Snaefell Peak, or take the electric train to the summit
• Explore St Patrick’s Isle in Peel, the biggest heritage site in the Isle of Man
• Visit the Great Laxey Wheel, built in 1854 to pump water from Glen Mooar, part of the mine complex
• View the night sky in all its glory with 26 designated Dark Sky Sites across the island

Dark Skies Sulby Credit: Visit Isle of Man

Day 18 – Douglas to Liverpool

Isle of Man Steam Packet Company (Dep 15:00 Arr 17:45)

Relax and enjoy the afternoon ferry from Douglas to Liverpool, ready to drive home from your holiday.