how long to drive around islay

Rabbies Islay & The Whisky Coast 4-day Tour. The A846 between Port Ellen and Bowmore (also known as Low Road) looks deceptively straight and fast on a map, but as it floats on the peat it is quite bumpy and you can't drive as fast as you might think. Take a tour around the Oban distillery and have a seafood lunch. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. This post was written as part of a paid campaign with Explore Islay & Jura and the information is based on my various visits to the island. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-45678062', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');car. Its a big airport, so I would give yourself extra time if youve never visited it before, or at least take a look at my Scotlands Airports Guide which will give you further information about it. We are now submitting your order to TheWhiskyExchange.com. The Isle of Islay on Scotlands west coast is one of the countrys premier tourist destinations, and not just for its whisky distilleries. Driving on the left is not hard to get used to. The Scottish islands are my favourite place in the world, and I've visited 62 so far. Your email address will not be published. I still have questions, where can I get answers? Its all quite interesting and it certainly makes a nice change of pace from Islays whisky distillery tours. The local bus service connects all of the main towns and most of the distilleries. I love the experience of flying on Loganairs wee tartan-tailed planes, and seeing the islands from the sky. The driver guides have an in-depth understanding of Scotland, the places they take you to are incredible, and the prices are reasonable. For a map and to look around try. How long does it take to drive around Islay? I'm Kay, the 'chaotic' lass behind the blog. Take a look at their accommodation page for an updated list of self-catering homes. If it fits with your schedule you might want to look into a tour with a local: http://www.wildandmagicislay.com/, they do a three day tour including all distilleries on Islay and Jura - even managing to squeeze in a couple of VIP/Extended tours as well. Lagavulin Distillery, Islay. Caol Ila - founded in 1846, and the largest distillery on the island. It is a beautiful route of countryside and coastline, and you can plan distillery visits along the way, followed by a street-food style lunch at the new Ardstream Trailer in the courtyard at Ardbeg: a perfect way to spend the day on Islay! Parts of this film were shot on Islay. Couldn't get to Jura due to wind/seas. Islay Bus Islay Coaches runs a number of routes between the main villages, Mondays to Saturdays. I first visited Islay in 2015 and Ive been a big fan ever since. Your time visiting Islay can be as relaxing or energetic as you want it to be. The bus is the cheaper option at 25.30 for an advanced return ticket, while an off-peak return on the train is 40.90; although better priced fares can be picked up 12 weeks in advance (set up a ticket alert on the TheTrainLine to be notified when they go on sale). http://www.islayinfo.com/downloads/islaybustimetable.pdf, Get answers to your questions about Islay, Getting around Islay / best places to stay. The roads are narrow and single track and the landscape is mostly rough grassland, but its an interesting day trip, especially if you pull your walking boots on and go for a hike around the Paps of Jura which are three mountains on the west of the island that rise to 2,575 feet. In particular if you are staying in self-catering accommodation you might need to know where you can get your (grocery) shopping done. Islay Car Hire provides Quality Self Drive hire on the Isle of Islay. The Series IIA on Islay is a 2.25-litre petrol, however. Even if youre not (yet) a lover of single malt, I would say that at least one distillery tour is a must when visiting Islay. Can I visit the distilleries? These are serviced by smaller passenger ferries, such as the Isle of Kerrera or the Small Isles, Rum, Muck and Eigg. At 25 miles long by 15 miles wide, Islay is the fifth largest island in Scotland, and its rich, fertile land has earned the island its nickname as the Queen of the Hebrides. Also if you are planning on renting accommodation many have weekly lets. I don't like whisky. Oahu Circle Drive One of the best drives in Oahu is the circle tour, where you drive around the island. Scotland is the love of my life, and I've devoted my career to promoting it full-time. The bay features a famously large beach known as The Big Strand which is an astonishing 7 miles long, and luckily enough for campers, Kintra Farm has the best access point. Islay receives its fair share of rain (hey, the distilleries need a lot of water), but also a lot of brilliant sunshine. The monument was built to commemorate the loss of American lives when two troop ships sunk off the coast of Islay during WWI and its worth visiting for no other reason than the walk there is so nice, especially considering theres so much wildlife in the area. This is an island that offers visitors a wonderful experience whether its wildlife watching, relaxing on a beach, hiking through picturesque countryside or boat tours around the coastline. Kintra Farm, near the beautiful Kintra Beach, has 4 self-catering properties on site. I mentioned this peninsula earlier but Ill repeat myself here as it really is a stunning place. The hostel is located in an old distillery warehouse building within close walking distance of the Port Charlotte Hotel, which is great for food, drinks and live music. The island sits between the Kintyre Peninsula on the west coast of Scotland and Northern Ireland, which looks surprisingly close on a clear day. Bus 500 from Glasgow airport to Glasgow central: 9 - one way (14.80 discounted return); Excellent lunches can be enjoyed in the Old Kiln Cafe at, There are a number of options where to stay on Islay, from the luxurious to the budget option. We will (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? At 25 miles long by 15 miles wide, Islay is the fifth largest island in Scotland, and it's rich, . As nice as Islay is for walking you might like to hop on the ferry to the neighbouring Isle of Jura which can be reached from the terminal at Port Askaig. It is approx 25 miles long north-south and approx 20 miles wide east-west. And doing the Jura distillery by bus would be distinctly challenging! The abundance of peat in the rugged landscape makes Islay the perfect whisky island, and it is this natural fossil fuel which gives Islay single malt its classic, smoky flavour. By Car Another option for getting around Islay is the bus service which is respectable for an island service but obviously not up to the efficient standards of Glasgow or Edinburgh. Coming from Glasgow you take the M8 and cross the Clyde over the Erskine Bridge. The famous Scottish whisky island is just 25 miles long and 15 miles wide, easily explored in 2-3 days. The flocks are so vast the fields surrounding the loch turn black and white as the geese get their strength back after their long flight, and its an amazing experience to sit in the bird hides and watch the wildlife spectacle unfold in front of you. Some "ferries" are actually just boats that fit around 10 people - for example, the Ulva Ferry from Mull to Ulva or the Handa Ferry on the NC500. The road then follows the path of Loch Fyne, Scotlands large sea loch, taking in some spectacular scenery along the way, including Inveraray Castle. This will allow you to reach locations which are not served by bus and to treat yourself to a healthy dose of fresh, island air while youre at it! If youre flying to the island and would like to hire a car, Islay Car Hire operate from Islay Airport and are based there in line with the flight times. By Ferry There is no direct connection from Isle of Islay to Island of Skye. They also offer distillery tours, usually 2-3 times a day. These are the ways you can explore Islay without a car. Edinburgh (2-3 days, flights in. Report inappropriate content. Continue to Loch Lomond and stop for photos. Port Mor campsite is located on the Port Mor community centre on the northern side of Loch Indaall, south of Port Charlotte. This is a long and straight road, also referred to as the "Low Road". all winter) as flights get frequently cancelled without much notice. There is so much more to come. Im Craig Neil, I'm from Edinburgh, and I've spent over 20 years exploring Scotland. Jura is an island in the Inner Hebrides close to the Isle of Islay. COPYRIGHT ELEMENTS OF ISLAY 2023. Take the A83 to Inveraray and then drive south on the A83 along Loch Fyne to Inveraray (a lovely loch-side village stop at Inveraray Castle before continuing). the best tents for summer camping in Scotland, Complete Guide to Whisky Distilleries on Islay, The Best Places to Visit in the Highlands. The single/return price for a foot passenger is approximately 6.50/13; cars have an additional charge of 32.50/65. I hope that my writing will entertain & inspire you, and that my photos will make you want to be there - or make you hungry! It is also illegal! Due to its reputation as Scotlands whisky island, Im often asked if Islay is suitable for families with children. Another important piece of island etiquette is the famous Islay wave. Youll find a very nice beach on the Port Ellen side at Kilnaughton and another called the Singing Sands just behind the Carraig Fhada lighthouse. There are 9 distilleries on Islay and most have tours and visitor centres. You must not disturb any animals or damage any plants. In any case Islay is the anglicised spelling, the Gaelic version is Ile. However, buses do not run to the remotest parts of the island and taxis are expensive, so taking your own car is preferable. If youre not interested in wildlife youll be pleased to know the islands climate benefits from the warm Gulf Stream that ensures mild temperatures and lots of sunny days from April to August, which makes the golden sand beaches at Laggan Bay and Gruinart extremely inviting. You are not allowed to wild camp in big groups. This is a site thats famed more for its history than its scenery but its a great place to visit nonetheless. If youre thinking of touring the Isle of Islay and would like to know more about Rabbies I highly recommend taking a look at their website which shows all the tours they run in Scotland as well as the rest of Britain. The Whisky Coast. Not exactly what I was looking for on an island getaway. The Big Island makes up for more than half of the entire size of the state of Hawaii at just over 4,000 square milesabout half the size of New Jersey.