ISLAY

A Taste of Islay

Islay is a diamond shaped island, which is split almost in half by two sea lochs, Loch Gruinart in the North and Loch Indaal in the South.  It is the southernmost of the Inner Hebrides and is often referred to as the "Jewel of the Hebrides", due to its wild and rugged beauty and diverse landscape.  It benefits from a mild climate as a result of its West coast being bathed by the gulf stream.

Islay offers a wide range of activities for the visitor, ranging from golf, Pony Trecking and Sailing to Walking and Bird Watching.  It is of course famous for the production of single malt whisky, having more distilleries per head of population than anywhere else in the world.  Islay now has 8 distilleries with 1 more planned.  These are Laphroaig, Lagavulin and Ardbeg near the ferry port of Port Ellen, Bowmore situated at the town of Bowmore on Loch Indaal: Caol-ila and Bunnahabhainn near the port of Port Askaig on the Sound of Islay, Bruichladdich on the opposite shore to Bowmore and the newest, Kilchoman on the West Coast.  A further distillery is in the planning stage at Port Charlotte.  All the distilleries offer guided tours where you can sample a dram of the amber nectar.

Islay also has one of the most important archealogical sites in the whole of Scotland at Finlaggan.  This is the historical administration centre of the Lords of the Isles and it now has a new visitor centre, opened in May 2009.

With its many sandy beaches, it is the ideal setting for families, although care should be taken as the tides on the west coast can be very dangerous.  The beaches on Loch Indaal and Loch Gruinart are all safe for bathing however.

Islay offers the visitor a wide choice of things to do and the best way to find them is to explore yourself.

 

 

 

Images courtesy of Islayinfo