Isle of Islay Accommodation

Islay's stunning sandy coastline lined with machair

Islay's a great place for enjoying the outdoors

Dramatic seas around the island

Loch Gruinart RSPB Reserve - excellent birdwatching migrating geese and waders

Getting away from it all on Islay

Join "Walkislay" walking Festival held in April

Plenty of B&B choices on Islay

Isle of Islay Tourist Information Argyll Scotland Islay Whisky Distilleries

Islay is the most southerly Hebridean island known for its peaty whisky and wildlife, particularly the thousands of geese that migrate here each winter. It is a wonderfully relaxing place with moorland, bogs, beaches and stunning scenery.

Islay has played a key role in Scottish history and there are several historic sites where a range of archaeological finds have been discovered.

Isle of Islay Tourist Information

Islay, despite having good transport links, retains that far off island feel and is a beautiful, peaceful place to get away from the hubub of everyday life. It's a welcoming, friendly place famous for its whisky distilleries, beaches and wildlife. There is a good range of hotel, guest house and self catering accommodation on the island. Bowmore is the main town on the island and the ports have a cluster of accommodation choices and facilities.

Finlaggan on Islay was originally the political centre for the MacDonalds, Lords of the Isles, who ruled Argyll and Kintyre in medieval times, but much of what you see on Islay today is from the planned settlements founded by the Campbells in the 18th century. At Loch Finlaggan there are several prehistoric crannogs (man-made stone islands) where the Lords of the Isles held the important political meetings of the day. You can walk down to explore these where interpretive panels guide you round. Eilean Mor is the main crannog where there are several carved gravestones displayed in the chapel. A variety of archaeological finds have been unearthed here relating to these times. For more information cick The Finlaggan Trust link right.

Islay's Tourist Information Office is in Bowmore on The Square, Bowmore, Isle of Islay PA43 7JP. As well as information about the island you can also get a copy of the bus timetable for the Islay Postbus. It has two ports, Port Ellen in the south and Port Askaig on the east of the island. Also in Bowmore is the unusual round church built in 1767. It is said it was built so that there would be no corner for the devil to hide.

Islay Whisky Distilleries & Whisky Tours

Islay is home to eight distilleries and there is also one on the Isle of Jura. Islay has long been renowned for its whisky whose hallmark is the strongly smoky, peaty nose and taste. All the distilleries on Islay offer guided tours and a dram for tasting. It is best to book ahead as there are limited amount of tours daily. Money is usually discounted from your whisky purchases if you've paid for a tour.

Bunnahabhain Distillery, Port Askaig, Isle of Islay Scotland PA46 7RP. Tel: 01496 840646. Fax: 01496 840248. Email: lillian.macarthur@burnstewartdistillers.com. Tours: Mar-Oct Mon-Fri 10.30am, 12.45pm, 2pm and 3.15pm. Shop open Mon-Fri 9am-4.30pm.

Bruichladdich Distillery, Bruichladdich, Isle of Islay, Scotland PA49 7UN. Tel: 01496 850221. Fax: 01496 850477. Email: mary@bruichladdich.com. Tours: Easter to October Mon-Fri 10.30am, 11.30am and 2.30pm. Saturday 10.30am and 2.30pm. October to Easter 11:30 and 14:30 Monday to Friday. Saturday 11:30. Office

Laphroaig Distillery, Port Ellen, Isle of Islay, Argyll PA42 7DU. Tel. 01496 302418. Email: friends@laphroaig.com. Tours: all year round Mon-Fri 10.15am and 2.15pm by appointment. Visitor Centre open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm.

Islay Whisky Distilleries

Lagavulin Distillery, Port Ellen, Isle of Islay, Argyll. Tel: 01496 302730. Fax: 01496 302733. Email: rosie.johnston@diageo.com. Tours by appointment only Mon-Fri 9.30am, 11.15am and 2.30pm.

Kilchoman Distillery Co Ltd, Rockside Farm, Bruichladdich, Isle of Islay PA49 7UT. Tel: 01496 850011. Fax: 01496 850156. Email: info@kilchomandistillery.com. Open: May, June and September Mon-Sat 10am-5.30pm. Tours at 11am and 3pm. Jul-Aug open daily 10am-5pm. Tours at 11am and 3pm. Oct-Dec Mon-Fri 10am-5pm. Tours at 11am and 3pm. This is a new distillery and also has a cafe on site.

Caol Ila Distillery, Tel: 01496 302760. Fax: 01496 302763. Email: flora.macaffer@diageo.com. Apr-Oct Mon-Thurs 9.30am, 10.45am, 1.45pm. Shop open Apr-Oct 9.15am-12.30pm and 1.30-4pm. Friday guided tours: 9.30am, 10.45am. Shop open 9.15am-12pm.

Bowmore Distillery, Tel: 01496 810671. Fax: 01496 810757. Email: info@morrisonbowmore.co.uk. Easter-June shop Mon-Sat 9am-5pm. Tours 10am, 11am, 2pm, 3pm. Jul-mid Sept shop Mon-Sun 9am-5pm. Tours 10am, 11am, 2pm, 3pm. Mid Sept-Easter shop Mon-Fri 9am-5pm. Sat 9am-12pm. Mon-Fri Tours 10am, 11am, 2pm, 3pm. Saturday Tours 10am.

Islay Whisky Distilleries

Ardbeg Distillery, Port Ellen, Islay, Argyll PA42 7EA. Tel: 01496 302244. Fax: 01496 302040. Email: oldkiln@ardbeg.com. Open Sept-May Mon-Fri 10am-4pm. Tours at 11.30am and 2.30pm (10.30am or 3.30pm if these are booked). Jun-Aug open daily 10am-5pm. Tours at 10.30am, 11.30am, 2.30pm and 3.30pm. The Old Kiln Cafe is also on site.

Isle of Jura Distillery, Craighouse, Isle of Jura, Argyll PA60 7XT. Tel: 01496 820385. Fax: 01496 820344. Email: michael.heads@whyteandmackay.com. Tours: Easter-October Mon-Fri 11am and 2pm (please book in advance). Oct-Easter Mon-Fri by appointment only.

Islay Wildlife and Walking

Islay is also renowned for being an excellent place to see wildlife. The fertile pastures on Islay are excellent feeding grounds for geese and waders. Down on The Oa, southwest of Port Ellen, you can spot choughs with their red legs and beaks and golden eagles soaring overhead.

In the north of the island The RSPB manage the Loch Gruinart Reserve. This is an excellent place to see the thousands of white-fronted and barnacle geese that migrate to Islay from Greenland. During the summer the reserve is home to a variety of breeding waders including snipe, redshanks and curlews. In spring and summer the corncrake can still be heard calling - something you're not likely to hear often outside of the Hebrides. The reserve is a mixture of wet grassland, herb-rich meadow and pasture, heather moorland, raised and blanket bog - excellent for hen harriers and short-eared owls.

Every year in April the island hosts Walkislay. This is a week of events and guided walks by local enthusiasts. It's a fantastic way to discover more about the island from the locals themselves. Participants have come from all over the world and as there are walks for every ability there is something to suit everyone no matter what ability.

If you miss that week try the link right for some suggested Islay based walks.

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