From Oban, take the A816 south following signs for Campbeltown. After about 9 miles take a right turn on to the B844, which is sign posted for Easdale.
About 4 miles further on you will cross Clachan Bridge, the famous 'Bridge Over the Atlantic', bringing you onto Seil Island.
Continue along the road to the village of Balvicar. At Balvicar follow the road around to the right at the junction with the road to Cuan. Continue on the road over the hill to the conservation village of Ellenabeich.
At the end of the village you will find car parking signposted to your right (north). The passenger-only ferry to Easdale can be summoned during operating hours by pushing the klaxon or light buttons in the ferry waiting shed on the pier.
The ferry crossing to Easdale Island only takes about three minutes, and the ferry runs according to the timetables below.
The post code for the island is PA34 4TB, but do not believe your satnav if it tells you that you can drive onto the island - you can't. Easdale Island really is an island.
There is a list of accommodation, both on Easdale Island and in the surrounding area, on the Eilean Eisdeal website
The Easdale Island Ferry is run by Argyll and Bute Council and the timetable below is subject to change. Please see the Argyll and Bute Council website for the latest infomation.
(Crossings marked in red must be booked by phoning 01852 300559 giving 24 hrs notice)
Monday to Saturday
07.15 (not Sat); 07.45; 09.00; 09.15; 09.30; 09.45; 10.15; 10.45.
On demand from 11.15 until 12.45
Break
On demand from 14.00 until 16.15.
16.45; 17.15; 17.45; 18.00; 18.15
Break
19.30; 20.00; 20.30; 21.00; 23.00 (Fri & Sat only)
Sunday
09.15; 09.45; 10.15; 10.45.
On demand from 11.15 until 12.50
Break
On demand from 14.00 until 16.15.
16.45; 17.15; 17.45; 18.15; 19.00
Monday to Saturday
07.15 (not Sat); 07.45; 09.00; 09.15; 09.30; 09.45; 10.15; 10.45;
11.15; 11.45; 12.15; 12.45
Break
14.15; 14.45; 15.15; 15.45; 16.15;
16.45; 17.15; 17.45; 18.00; 18.15
Break
19.30; 20.00; 20.30; 21.00; 23.00 (Fri & Sat only)
Sunday
09.15; 09.45; 10.15; 10.45; 11.15; 11.45; 12.15; 12.45
Break
14.15; 14.45; 15.15; 15.45; 16.15;
16.45; 17.15; 17.45; 18.15; 19.00
The gallery section has an album of hall pictures you can look at.
The spectacular building is a mix of the traditional and the modern. The original square hall and pyramidal wooden roof are still in place, but much-welcomed warmth and light have been brought into the space by means of an under-heated oak floor and roof windows. At the front and side of the hall the glass-fronted bar and reception areas complement the existing structures and traditional materials of the hall and surrounding buildings, while introducing a touch of the new and experimental to the island's architecture. This unique community building is both a celebration of the past and an inspiration for the future.
The opening of the hall could not have been achieved without the ideas, enthusiasm and hard work of the community, who put their time and labour into making the new building the special place that it has become.
The Easdale Island Community Hall is a centre for community, educational, social and arts activities. Ever-increasing audiences continue to enjoy the hall's unique island location, spectacular architecture and superb facilities, as well as appreciating the consistently high standard of performance and presentation which the Eilean Eisdeal Arts Programme offers.
The hall was built in 1871 as a drill hall for the volunteer force of the island population, which at that time numbered over 450. Being the only building on the island large enough to accommodate more than a few dozen people, it was customarily used for all social gatherings, meetings, ceilidhs, weddings, and as a church. As the population of Easdale Island dwindled almost to nothing during the 1950s, the hall ceased to be used as a meeting place and community hall. Its slate roof was stripped and it was turned into a storage shed for the local fishing industry.
In the 1980s fish processing equipment was installed and for a decade the hall was the centre of a small but thriving fish processing industry. When the fish factory moved to Balvicar in 1993 the hall became virtually derelict. It needed a new roof and floor, although the main structure was sound. It was bought in 1996 by islander Adrian Laycock with the intention of restoring it for the use of the islanders, whose population by this time was increasing again to over 50 permanent people.
The main building is 12 metres square in plan, with a 7 metre high central column supporting a pyramidal roof. The column is formed from a ships mast, generally agreed to be from the 630 ton sailing ship Norval which went down at the southern tip of near-by Inish Island in December 1870. The massive rafters are supported by eight heavy struts which radiate from the central column like the spokes of an umbrella. Flying struts in turn support the intermediate rafters in the corner quadrants. It is possible that these timbers also came from the wreck, which was carrying wood from Montreal to Glasgow. The instant impression of this intricate timberwork is one of eternal harmony with the island and its history.
For more information on the history of The Hall and Easdale Island, please visit Easdale Island Folk Museum