There are some lovely walks to be made from Ballygrant. One of my favourites is the circular walk from Ballygrant to Caol Ila/Port Askaig using the footpath next to the mainroad on the way back. This walk is around 7 miles and can be a bit too long when you’re walking with kids. There is also a shorter version which is 4 miles, that’s the one we often walked. We picked a day on which the weather was fabulous, blue skies, sunshine and a bit chilly but it was still winter after all! If you want to do this walk yourself you can follow the directions below.
You can park at Ballygrant Hall or take the bus. From the hall take the single track road leading into Dunlossit Estate (Mulindry). Keep left at the fork in the road and take the first forest track on your left. Follow this track for a few hundred metres and go left when you reach Loch Ballygrant. This is a beautiful mixed woodland area with lots of wildlife and it’s quite sheltered too. You can follow this track for a mile until you reach a track and gate on your left. This gives access to a farm track leading over farmland and ends up at Keills Farm.
The views from this track towards the Paps of Jura are very nice. When you’ve reached the main road from Port Askaig to Ballygrant go left and use the footpath to return to Ballygrant. On your way back you’ll pass the Ballygrant Inn if you fancy a drink or a bite to eat. Also recommended is a visit to Finlaggan. This adds another mile to your walk. It’s a rewarding walk and you’ll only ever meet just a few folk. That’s the beauty of Islay!
