Carraig Fhada Lighthouse is the square iconic lighthouse to be found at the entrance of the bay opposite Port Ellen. It's a famous landmark on Islay and a welcoming sign for visitors entering the island by ferry. The lighthouse was commissioned in 1832 by Walter Frederick Campbell in memory of Lady Ellenor Campbell. Building construction was undertaken by David Hamilton & son, … [Read more...] about Carraig Fhada Lighthouse
Out and About
Kilchoman Beach Through the Seasons
If there's one beach on Islay I have to call my favourite it must be Kilchoman Beach, although I have some other favourites too. I must have been at Kilchoman Beach around a hundred times and I can safely say that the conditions, the light, the sunsets, the waves and currents were different every visit. Different but beautiful, usually amazing and sometimes spectacular. And … [Read more...] about Kilchoman Beach Through the Seasons
Amazing Corryvreckan with Islay Sea Adventures
The amazing Corryvreckan trip! The memories of things I did while on Islay which made the most lasting impressions have almost all got something to do with being out on a boat. It started with my first ever sailing to Islay on a Calmac ferry and the excitement to arrive in Port Ellen. I can still recall almost every detail of that crossing. The gaelic speaker announcing our … [Read more...] about Amazing Corryvreckan with Islay Sea Adventures
Ballygrant to Keills and Back
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 … [Read more...] about Ballygrant to Keills and Back
A Memorable Islay Walk
Some walks we made during our time on Islay will always stay with me and the ones that do usually involved the west coast, wildlife and a perfectly sunny warm day. A Sunday in October 2018 was one of those perfect days with wall to wall sunshine, blue skies and hardly any wind. It's as if these days occur independently of any season as we've had such days in almost any … [Read more...] about A Memorable Islay Walk