We swapped London for Scotland's most remote pub accessible by 10 person ferry

The Puffer Bar is known to be one of the most remote pubs in the UK thanks to its location. Easdale Island is the smallest inhabited island in the inner Hebrides, off the west coast of Scotland. The island has a permanent population of around 60 people, with many tourists visiting to try the pub and explore the small island. People often travel thousands of miles to have a pint and a bite to eat in the charming bar.

Easdale island is car-free and there is no vehicular access to the Island, so those looking to visit have to take the small ferry, which is able to carry 10 passengers. The ferry takes approximately five minutes and runs every day, and even until 11 pm on Fridays and Sundays.

Two of these visitors to Easdale have ended up buying the Puffer Bar, swapping their life in London for this small Scottish island after lockdown.

Rachel Devine, 46 and wife Jhennia Leipert, 44 bought the bar from the previous owners who had it for 10 years.

Rachel said: "We have to take everything over on a small boat and then we have to use wheel barrels to go around the island. It is a really kind and friendly community.

''It is quite empty in the winter because of the boats - a lot of people don't want to come over when the weather is a bit rougher. Everybody does know each other quite well. The pub is a real meeting place and everybody feels a bit of ownership of the pub who does come in.

"We are kind of left to ourselves so it is a nice time to chill and for the locals and to use the pub - of course, during the summer it gets crazy busy with tourists. I think for a lot of people it is a really fun thing to do to visit us and being on a carless island makes it feel remote because we are so used to vehicles all the time.

While the island has always had visitors, some may now be compelled to make the journey to the pub thanks to its appearance on the BBC series, Designing the Hebrides with Banjo Beale.

The Puffer Bar was given a makeover by the designer in 2023 and Rachel admitted that they were 'very worried' about how the islanders were going to react to the redesign of their beloved pub. 

She said: "[The pub] had originally been styled like an old puffer boat - they were black and red, they were dark and looked like the design of a boat.

"Banjo came in and we lightened it up - he kept the boat motif with the bar. It looks very different than it did a year ago but the islanders were great.

"Some of them were a wee bit sad that we were doing it but I think most people have really taken to it. It brings a new life into the pub and it reset it for us as new owners."

Every September the pub gets busy for the World Stone Skimming Championships - an event where entrants are challenged to skim a stone as far as they can across a flooded quarry.

Rachel said that this event brings a lot of visitors: "We are the only cafe and restaurant in the island and suddenly visitors go from 100 to 200 a day to 1500 to 2000 on a very busy stone skimming. The pub gets packed and there's people in every corner queuing for beer."

She explained how on new year's eve the last boat stops at 7 o'clock in the evening - and then there is no way to get off the island for two days.

Rachel said: "The pub just started coming into life for Hogmanay and then everybody on new year's day goes to play this massive game of football on the green side next to the pub.

"Then they all go for a cold water dip into the sea and then the next stop is the pub for whisky just to get warm and to dry off after the dip."

Despite not regretting their decision to take over the business, Rachel reflects on how 'challenging' it can be at times.

She said: "Sometimes we definitely say to each other 'what on earth were we thinking' but on the whole we have loved most every moment of it.

"It is really hard - it is much more work then we realised and we thought it was going to be a lot of work. But it is remote in the sense of just even trying to get food and drink to do the pub and takes a lot of effort.

"During Stone Skimming we had to drive 200 miles just to pick up some scallops and drive back again."