Ulva Hostel is at Ardalum House, which was built by the Clark family around 1860, when four people were still living at Starvation Terrace – the last of the native inhabitants who had been cleared from Ulva from 1848 onwards. Ardalum’s original function was as a shooting lodge for the new sport of deer stalking, a fashion that had arrived on the west coast after the 1850’s. However, throughout its life it has been many things and has housed numerous people who have lived on Ulva.
At the time of the community buyout of Ulva in 2018, it was considered as an opportunity for someone to start a hostel – or to re-start a hostel, as it had been one for a short period of time – and that is where we, Andy and Yvette, came in.
Two years later and after a lot of work, along with help from family members, guests and friends who have come and helped us, and McNiven Electrics who rewired the entire house after various other electricians had come and gone, we are finally open!
The hostel has two four-bed bunk rooms, two large double rooms and one large twin room. There is a fully equipped kitchen, large living room and dining room area. A sauna, showers/bath and laundry facilities are also available along with kit transport to and from the slipway on Ulva. The hostel is located along a secluded track, one mile from the slipway on Ulva and because Ulva is a car free island, we can offer kit transport to and from the slipway on Ulva.
Bookings can be made either by contacting us through the website or directly via the email at [email protected]
