Why Visit Inchcolm Abbey and Island near Edinburgh Scotland

One of the most interesting day trips you can take from Edinburgh is to a medieval abbey on an island.

Just a quick 45-minute ferry ride will land you at Inchcolm Island, where you can explore not only a 12th century abbey but a World War I tunnel as well as the island’s wildlife (like seals and puffins).

I did this trip from Edinburgh and had an incredible day on an island that has seen so much history.

Here’s why you should add Inchcolm Abbey and Island to your Scotland itinerary, too.

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About Inchcolm Abbey and Island

The island’s main draw is its medieval abbey. Inchcolm Abbey was built in the 12th century and yet so much of it still standing. It is an incredible experience to walk around this 900-year-old abbey and learn more about what life was like there.

You can also explore the ruins of a World War I and II fort. During the first and second world wars, Inchcolm was fortified to protect the Forth. You can walk through underground tunnels and see the remnants of engine houses and a searchlight.

The island is a haven for birdwatching. You can see puffins from April to July, if you don’t mind possibly being harassed by seagulls from May to August.

girl standing by the shore on an island looking at an abbey — Inchcolm Abbey

How to Get There

Step 1: Take a bus or train from Edinburgh city centre to South Queensferry. If you’re coming from Edinburgh’s city centre, you can take either a 15-minute train (book on the Trainline app) or the 43 bus (about a 35-minute ride) to get to Dalmeny Station, and then walk to the Queensferry piers.

Step 2: Take a ferry from South Queensferry to Inchcolm Island.

To reach Inchcolm Abbey, you’ll need to book a ferry trip. There are two boat companies that make the journey to Inchcolm Island from April to October.

You’ll also need to buy a landing pass from the boat company as well (this is your entry onto Inchcolm Island). You’ll be prompted to do so when booking your ferry trip.

Both boat companies have departures from South Queensferry and advertise a three-hour tour:

45-minute cruise to the island
Minimum 90 minutes on the island
45-minute cruise back

What I booked: I went with Forth Boat Tours because they were a bit cheaper.

In the end, I was happy with this company. They left us on the island for 2 hours and 15 minutes (instead of just 90 minutes) and went out of their way to point out landmarks and wildlife from the boat.

I felt I got my money’s worth.

a boat in the water near a pier with people lined up waiting to board — Forth Boat Tours

a hand holding up a boarding pass — Boarding pass for Forth Boat Tours

Highlights of the Day Trip to Inchcolm Island

Boat Tour – Seals and Bridges

The ferry ride to the island is an experience all its own.

Admire the bridges. Our boat captain took us the scenic route under the Forth bridges (and back again) so we could really admire this feat of engineering.

Look out for seals. The boat captain also circled round some seals on a buoy so that everyone on the boat could see them properly.

Apparently, Inchcolm Island is home to the most seals in Europe. So there are pretty good odds of spotting a seal in the water or on the rocks near the island.

the Forth bridges from the view in the water — Forth Bridges

a seal laying on a buoy in the ocean — Seal on a buoy

Inchcolm Abbey

When we first landed on Inchcolm Island, about half of the people on the boat went to the World War I and II forts and half went to explore the abbey.

I wondered if it would feel crowded with all of us in the abbey at the same time, but honestly, we hardly ran into anyone else from the boat.

Inchcolm Abbey is pretty large, and there are a lot of rooms to see. Here were some of my favorites, which you should look out for, too.

The Refectory. In this room, people gathered to dine — in complete silence, in order to better listen to the readings. You can still see the basin (in an alcove) where people once washed their hands before meals.

The Chapter House. In this room, people met every morning to discuss monastery business and dole out punishments. You can still see the seats of the abbot, prior, and sub-prior intricately carved into the wall.

The Warming House. In this room, the canons could light a fire and warm themselves as fireplaces weren’t allowed anywhere else. You can still see traces of Latin sentences on the walls.

The Bell Tower. You are able to climb up to the top of the bell tower and see an incredible view of the island. Be careful, though, as the stairway is narrow and steep (and might make you a bit claustrophobic).

Walter Bower’s Study. Walter Bower was abbot from 1418-1449, and during that time he wrote a history of Scotland on vellum with quill and ink. You can visit the room where he wrote and still see the recesses in the walls that could have held books.

The Dormitory. This room might have held around a dozen simple wooden beds, where the canons slept in the same clothes they wore all day. It’s best accessed through the abbot’s residence ruins (not the main entrance) as we almost missed it.

girl standing by a table in the refectory of Inchcolm Abbey — The Refectory

girl sitting on the seats of the abbot, prior, and sub-prior in the chapter house — The Chapter House

a higher level view of Inchcolm abbey from the tower — View of Inchcolm Island from the Bell Tower

shoes stepping down the narrow medieval staircase from the bell tower in Inchcolm Abbey — Narrow stairs leading to the Bell Tower

girl standing on a staircase on the exterior of Inchcolm Abbey — Inchcolm Abbey

girl sitting by a caged window inside Inchcolm Abbey — Inside Inchcolm Abbey

World War I and II Fort

Inchcolm Island was one of several islands fortified during the world wars in order to protect the Forth.

Hundreds of soldiers were stationed here during both wars, but the barracks they lived in have since been demolished.

What remains are engine houses (which held generators), gun emplacements, a searchlight to scan for submarines, and more.

You can learn more information about the fortification of Inchcolm Island in the visitor centre on the island (right next to the souvenir shop).

view of WWII fort on Inchcolm Island from the boat in the ocean — World War II fort, Inchcolm Island

girl standing near a WWII fort on Inchcolm Island — World War II searchlight, Inchcolm Island

World War I Tunnel

You can walk through an underground tunnel, created during World War I to link a battery of guns on the east with their ammunition magazines on the west, according to information in the visitor centre on Inchcolm Island.

The tunnel isn’t that long, but some parts get dark and you may need to use the flashlight on your phone.

It’s a pretty cool experience, so be sure to leave time for it.

inside the World War II tunnel on Inchcolm Island — World War I tunnel, Inchcolm Island

Birdwatching

Depending on the time of year that you visit Inchcolm Island, you may be able to spot birds and other wildlife.

Puffins. About 50 pairs of puffins arrive on Inchcholm Island in April in order to nest in their underground burrows. They usually leave by the end of July.

Where are their burrows? Their burrows are on the cliffs and can only be spotted with binoculars.
Where to spot them? The young pufflings are not seen until they leave the nest, and the adults only leave to fish, in order to avoid the gulls. Puffin sightings are rare, but they can happen as the puffins fly to and fro or are fishing in the sea.

Seagulls. Seagulls come to the island in May, as June-August is their nesting season. They had all left by my visit to the island in September, and it seemed the whole staff was relieved by this. Apparently, the seagulls are quite the menace during nesting. They can get territorial and bother visitors. Something to keep in mind when deciding when to venture to the island.

Do ask the staff on the island about the birds and where to find them, as they have a wealth of knowledge on this.

hand holding a white feather, with others littered on the floor in the background — One of many feathers on the island

A whiteboard with writing about recent wildlife sightings on Inchcolm Island — Whiteboard of wildlife sightings, week of Sept 22

How Long to Spend There

When on your tour to Inchcolm Island, you’ll be allotted a minimum of 90 minutes to explore the island.

I was lucky to get a little extra time, 2 hours and 15 minutes, which proved to be necessary.

In case you’re not as lucky, keep an eye on the time to make sure you can do and see all that you can.

a thistle on Inchcolm Island with view of Inchcolm Abbey in the back — Inchcolm Island

window inside Inchcolm Abbey, looking out to view outside — Inchcolm Abbey

view of inchcolm abbey from across the shore — Inchcolm Abbey

Is It Worth Visiting?

Inchcolm Abbey and Island is definitely worth visiting.

It’s such a unique day trip, where you can walk in the footsteps of the past and see a wealth of wildlife along the way.

Don’t hesitate to book your day out to the island!

inchcolm abbey on inchcolm island — Inchcolm Abbey

the Forth Tours boat making its way in the water — Forth Tours boat

When to Visit

If you want to avoid the bothersome seagulls, consider coming during shoulder months in April, September, or October.

If you want to see the puffins, try April (before the seagulls arrive) or the summer.

If it doesn’t matter to you which birds are there, come anytime during open season, April to October. Just maybe try to aim for a rare sunny day.

girl standing on the path leading to the entrance of Inchcolm Abbey — Inchcolm Abbey

view of Inchcolm Abbey as seen from the ocean — Inchcolm Abbey

Where to Stay When Visiting

I’d recommend staying in Edinburgh and doing a day trip to South Queensferry. It’s the most convenient option if you’re already planning to be in Edinburgh.

For a full, detailed breakdown of the best areas to stay in Edinburgh, see my post, “Where to Stay in Edinburgh the First Time: 5 Best Places + 5 to Avoid.”

Recommended hotels in Edinburgh near Waverley Train Station:

But if you’d like to make it an overnight trip, consider staying in charming South Queensferry.

Recommended hotels in South Queensferry:

the scenic houses in South Queensferry — South Queensferry

What to Pack to Visit Scotland

Warm, waterproof wear

If you’re visiting Scotland during its cold and rainy season (almost every month of the year besides a few weeks in summer), you should definitely bring a warm waterproof jacket and waterproof walking boots.

This waterproof jacket and these waterproof boots I took with me to Scotland helped us explore no matter the weather. We walked around Edinburgh in the rain and snow, during foggy mornings and chilly evenings, and enjoyed it all. Be prepared for rainy weather, and dress for it, so you don’t miss out.
Also consider bringing fleece-lined leggings — I loved this pair I packed!

Favorite travel essentials

I really recommend these compression packing cubes. They’re very thick and durable and allow you to pack more than you expect.
I also love this travel backpack that opens like a suitcase, fits almost as much as a carry-on, and has tons of pockets as well as a strap to attach to your luggage handle. It makes traveling so much easier and more organized. It also fits nicely under the airplane seats.
I bring this AirFly receiver for AirPods with me on long-haul flights, so I can connect to the plane’s video screen with my own AirPods.
I no longer hop on a flight without wearing my Sockwell compression socks because they really do help relieve/prevent leg cramps from sitting so long in one place. I have the lotus pattern, but there are other patterns to choose from. See all sock patterns in the Sockwell storefront.