Lifeline routes to the Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland, plus the short island hops that keep them fed.
CalMac sails most of the Scottish routes here, but a good share of the boats answer to someone else. Shetland Islands Council runs its own ships to Fair Isle and to Unst; Orkney Ferries is owned by Orkney Islands Council; Argyll and Bute Council keeps the foot boat from Port Appin to Lismore; Highland Ferries works Loch Linnhe at Fort William on a Highland Council contract; at Balmaha a private boatyard ferries walkers to Inchcailloch; and on the short crossing from Gills Bay to South Ronaldsay the ship and both terminals belong to Pentland Ferries, a private company. Who owns the boat shapes the ticket. On CalMac the driver pays on top of the car, while at Gutcher every fare is a return with the driver already counted.
Distance divides them just as sharply. It is five minutes across the Kyles of Bute at Colintraive, and 4 hours 45 minutes on the long haul from Oban to Barra. Colintraive and Claonaig are turn-up-and-go; Castlebay expects even foot passengers to book, and Fair Isle sails for nobody without a booking. Autumn is when the sheets turn: Orkney's winter grids begin on 28 September, and CalMac's for Eigg, Skye, Mull and Arran on 19 October.