Islay Whisky is without a doubt the number one tourist magnet for the Isle of Islay. Many folk from all over the world got to know Islay whisky in some way or another and decided to visit the “holy ground of peaty drams”, the whisky island. The magical, heroical and romantic picture that’s being presented […]
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Welcome to Islay dot Scot
As the former webmaster of Islay Info, and a 6 year long resident on the Isle of Islay, I’ve seen and photographed many parts of this beautiful island and came to know many of the lovely folk. I won’t say I’ve seen every nook and cranny of the island, as there are many parts left of the island I haven’t seen yet, but I was fortunate to discover most parts and enjoyed it thouroughly.
With more time on my hands I want to share some of the magical moments I have experienced over the past 20 years, both as visitor, as resident and as a photographer such as the arrival of the Whooper Swans, a stunning Ardnave Walk, my encounter with two Sea Eagles, visiting all the beautiful Islay Beaches or the Corryvreckan Trip with Islay Sea Adventures, just to name a few.
This means you won’t find any accommodation listings here, nor any of the typical “things to do and places to see” stuff which you’ll find on the tourism websites such as www.islayinfo.com.
Instead, on this website you’ll find many of my photos, reports of exciting trips, interesting tips, some history, lots of photos I took and other bits of information which I think are worthy and interesting enough to share. All available from the Top Menu and my Islay Blog.
Quick Links
Villages – Beaches – Ferry – Whisky – Weather – Books – Lighthouses – Wildlife – History – FAQ – Out & About – Feis Ile
About the Queen of the Hebrides
If you’re new on this site and are not familiar with Islay I can tell you that the island can be found off the west coast of Scotland, around 30 miles north of Northern Ireland. Islay is part of the Southern Hebrides. It has 9 whisky distilleries and that number is growing. Rum and gin are produced here too. Other important assets are the stunning beaches, the amazing wildlife such as the thousands of Barnacle Geese wintering at Loch Gruinart, the lovely villages and the friendly Islay folk who always have time for a blether, although they can be, and often are, very busy 😉
Folk from all over the world visit the island. Very popular is the week long Islay Festival, Feis Ile in Gaelic. It’s the annual highlight for the whisky aficionados and many island lovers, held in the last week of May. The highlight for the locals is the annual Islay Agricultural Show held in early August, at the show-fields in Bridgend.
Visit Islay
It’s not always easy to travel to the island. The ferries sometimes have their issues, the Islay weather isn’t always playing along and planes sometimes have to return due to mist. But hey, that’s island life, and it’s great!
If you’re keen to visit you can take the Calmac Ferry from Kennacraig on the Scottish Mainland in Argyll and Bute to either Port Askaig or Port Ellen, which sails around 5 times daily, or fly from Glasgow to Islay Airport with Loganair, twice daily. For more practical travel info… Right, visit Islay Info!
Featured Article
Ardnave Point and Ardnave Beaches
Ardnave Point and its many fine beaches are for me the most beautiful part of Islay. Here you have everything, a magnificent walk, stunning beaches, amazing wildlife, breathtaking views of some of the Inner Hebridean Islands, beautiful dunes and all that combined with a perfectly managed farm. Ardnave can be found on the very north-western […]