2026 – Coll
The 6th edition of Coast & Islands is heading to the Isle of Coll!
Monday 14th – Friday 18th September 2026
We’re excited about this one. It has the potential to be another very special week of orienteering in a remote and beautiful location. The terrain is a mix of the typical craggy island terrain, rich in rock detail and, for the first time at Coast & Islands, sand dunes!
5 stages in 5 days. Each stage will have Long, Medium, Short courses, all navigationally difficult, and an Orange course, of an easier technical difficulty.
Programme
| Date | Venue | Terrain | Est. L/M/S winning time |
| Mon 14th Sep (pm) | Torastan Beach | Dunes, rock, beach | 30 mins |
| Tue 15th Sep | Torastan | Rock | 50-55 mins |
| Wed 16th Sep | Traigh Feall | Dunes, rock | 35 mins |
| Thu 17th Sep | Crossapol | Dunes | 50-55 mins |
| Fri 18th Sep (am) | Traigh Hogh | Dunes, rock | 35 mins |
Coll is a small island with a population of around 160. In the summer months it becomes very popular with tourists, who often double the population of the island. It is renowned for its wildlife, particularly birds.
Repect: This event can only happen with the full support of the local community, and we need everyone attending to show the highest standards of respect.
Food: There is only one small grocery shop on Coll – Coll Stores. It is possible to request things in advance and they will order stuff in for you. Email them at coll@collstores.com to do so. Please also take note of their opening times (Mon-Sat 10-1 and 4-5)
Note: On 11th and 12th September, on Coll, there is the Doddie DiscoFest which is in memory of Doddie Weir.
Travel
The main way to get to the island is the daily ferry from Oban, which also continues to Tiree. The ferries will likely all be full. In addition, once on the island, car parking at the events will be limited. For these reasons, we strongly suggest leaving your car on the mainland and taking bicycles to Coll. Furthermore, cars should have at least four people. Please plan accordingly.
Unfortunately, the ferry is prone to being cancelled due to bad weather or technical issues. When this happens, and the ferries in the following days are already fully booked, it can take several extra days to get people on/off the island.
It will be possible to arrive on the Monday ferry and run Monday’s event, and likewise to start very early in Friday’s event and catch the Friday ferry to Oban.
There are also flights to Coll, though they are infrequent and often expensive.
Entries
Entries are now closed. Entry lists can be found here: Pre-entries. Please check your entries (they may have been made a long time ago!) and let us know if any details have changed or you wish to change course.
Accommodation
Self-catering: https://visitcoll.co.uk/self_catering/ Around 110 beds in total, of which around 20 already booked by tourists. We ask that you fill accommodation to capacity, please coordinate with your friends so that all beds are filled. Leaving spare spaces means other people will be unable to attend the event.
All self-catering properties have now been booked, except the castle.
Hotel: https://visitcoll.co.uk/coll_hotel/
Bunkhouse: https://visitcoll.co.uk/bunkhouse/. Now full, so please refrain from contacting them.
B&B: https://visitcoll.co.uk/BandB/. Now full, so please refrain from contacting them.
Campervans: https://visitcoll.co.uk/motor_homes/.
- The two official sites are Garden House Camping (a few electric hook-up pitches available) in the south and An Cridhe in Arinagour.
- We have also arranged for self-sufficient (i.e. toilet on board) campervans to be allowed at Torastan Farm and at the RSPB car park at Totronald. No tent camping is allowed at these two places. Water can be filled at Garden House and grey water and waste can be emptied for £10. For Torastan Farm, this should be booked through Tom at Torastan Farm and the charge is £15/night. For the RSPB site a donation to them is suggested.
- No campervans are allowed to overnight anywhere else.
Tent camping: https://visitcoll.co.uk/camping/. There is only one proper campsite, Garden House, which has 20 pitches. Semi-wild camping is also possible on Coll Hotel land in Arinagour, subject to their rules, and which could be exposed in high winds. Must inform the hotel on arrival. Public toilets can be used in the village. If you book dinner at the hotel you can use their shower.
We cannot allow any other wild camping as the risk of annoying local people is too great.
Coast and Islands 