Activities

• Pony trekking at Rockside Farm near Kilchoman.
• Golf at Machrie Hotel. A famous and challenging 18-hole links.
• River and loch fishing all over the Island. Contact Islay Estates, Dunlossit Estate, or Laggan Estate. Also contact Islay Estates for stalking.
• Sea fishing with Islay Marine Charters.
• The Feis Ile Whisky Festival. If you’re a fan of malts, you probably don’t need telling. Contact any distillery.
• The Islay Show, on the second Thursday of August. Contact the Tourist Information Centre.
• The Jazz Festival, on the middle weekend of September.
• Distillery tours. They all do them and they are very interesting (and tasty), but check times with the distilleries before you go.
• Stalking, shooting and photographic tours at The Gearach, Port Charlotte.
• Bird-watching, including guided walks, at the RSPB Visitor Centre at Gruinart.
• Bird-watching by Land Rover with Islay Birding.
• One day introductory batik workshops with Liz Sykes at her studio in Islay House Square, Bridgend. Spend a very enjoyable day learning to make batik and take home work you’ll be proud of.
• The Islay Half Marathon, held in August, starting and finishing in Bowmore.
• Painting weekends/workshops, organized by Islay Visual Arts Group.
• Bowling at Bridgend Bowling Club.
• Quilting workshops at Islay Quilters, Islay House Square, Bridgend.
• The Cantilena Festival of classical music, Easter and summer.

Contact Details

• Bridgend Bowling Club, contact Susan Shaw, 7 Gartness Cottages, Ballygrant, Islay, PA45 7QN, Tel. 01496 840518.
• Caledonian MacBrayne, The Ferry Terminal, Gourock, PA19 1QP, Tel. 08705 650000, Fax 01475 635235, Website.
• Cantilena Festival of classical music, Website.
• Croft Kitchen Restaurant, Port Charlotte, Islay, PA48 7UD, Tel. 01496 850230.
• Distilleries:
• Ardbeg Distillery, Ardbeg, Islay, PA42 7EA. Tel. 01496 302234, Fax 01496 302040.
• Bowmore Distillery, Bowmore, Islay, PA43 7JS, Tel. 01496 810441, Fax 01496 810757.
• Bruichladdich Distillery, Bruichladdich, Islay, PA49 7UN, Tel. 01496 850221, Fax 01496 850477.
• Bunnahabhain Distillery, Port Askaig, Islay, PA46 7RT, Tel. 01496840646, Fax 01496 840248.
• Caol Ila Distillery, Port Askaig, Islay, PA46 7RJ, Tel. 01496 840207.
• Diageo, Maltings, Port Ellen, Islay, PA42 7AH, Tel. 01496 302315, Fax 01496 302477.
• Jura Distillery, Craighouse, Jura, PA60 7XS, Tel. 01496 820240.
• Kilchoman Distillery, Rockside Farm, Bruichladdich, Islay, PA49 7UT, Tel. 01496 850156.
• Lagavulin Distillery, Port Ellen, Islay, PA42 7DX, Tel. 01496 302400.
• Laphroaig Distillery, Port Ellen, Islay, PA42 7DU, Tel. 01496 302418.
• Dunlossit Estate: river and loch fishing, Estate Office, Cnoclearach Farm, Ballygrant, Islay, PA45 7QL, Tel. 01496 840232, Fax 01496 840694.
• Elizabeth Sykes Batiks, Islay House Square, Bridgend, Islay, PA44 7NZ, Tel. 01496 810147, Fax 01496 810953, Email, Website.
• Finlaggan Visitor Centre, Ballygrant, Islay, PA45 7QT, Tel. 01496 840644.
• Mrs. R. French: pony trekking, Rockside Farm, Bruichladdich, Islay, PA49 7UT, Tel./Fax 01496 850231,
• Gearach Forest Lodge: stalking, shooting, photographic tours, Port Charlotte, Islay, PA48 7UB, Tel./Fax 01496 850120, Website.
• Ionad Chaluim Chille Ile, Gartnatra, Bowmore, Islay, PA43 7LH, Tel., 01496 810818.
• The Ileach: fortnightly local newspaper and telecentre, Main Street, Bowmore, Islay, PA43 7JH, Tel. 01496 810355, Fax 01496 810647, Email.
• Islay Ales Company, Islay House Square, Bridgend, Islay, PA48 7NZ, Tel./Fax 01496 810014, Email.
• Islay Birding, The Old Byre, Port Charlotte, Islay, PA48 7TX, Tel. 01496 810544, Mobile 07824 665099, Email.
• Islaycarhire.com, Bridgend, Islay, PA44 7PQ, Tel. 01496 810544, Mobile 07824 665099, Email, Website.
• Islay Estates Co.: river and loch fishing and stalking, Estate Office, Bridgend, Islay, PA44 7PQ, Tel. 01496 810221, Fax 01496 810673.
• Islay Family History Society, Islay House Square, Bridgend, Islay, PA44 7NZ, Email.
• Islay Half Marathon, contact Kate MacAffer, Meadowside, Birch Drive, Bowmore, Islay, PA43 7JA, Tel. 01496810479. Website.
• Islay Marine Charters: sea fishing and trips, Tel. 01496 302495, Mobile 07776053658.
• Islay Quilters, Islay House Square, Bridgend PA44 7NZ: quilting workshops, contact Rae Woodrow, Cedar House, Birch Drive, Bowmore, Islay, PA43 7JA, Tel. 01496 810313.
• Islay Visual Arts Group, contact Rhona Mackenzie, 1 Main Street, Port Charlotte, Islay, PA48 7TX, Tel. 01496 850273.
• Islay Wildlife Information Centre, Port Charlotte, Islay, PA48 7UD, Tel. 01496 850288.
• Islay Woollen Mill Co. Ltd., Bridgend, Islay, PA44 7PG, Tel. 01496 810563, Fax 01496 810677.
• The Jazz Festival, contact Stuart Todd, Tigh Beag, 5 Crown Street, Portnahaven, Islay, PA47 7SW, Tel. 01496 860216, Website.
• Laggan Estate: river and loch fishing, Estate Office, Island House, Bowmore, Islay, PA43 7JF, Tel./Fax 01496 810235.
• Lochindaal Hotel, Port Charlotte, Islay, PA48 7TX, Tel. 01496 850202.
• Ma McKinnon's Marmalade, Islay House Square, Bridgend, Islay, PA44 7NZ, Tel. 01496 810100.
• Loganair: flights to Islay, Highlands and Islands Airways Ltd., Tel. 01667 462445, Website.
• Machrie Hotel and Golf Course, Port Ellen, Islay, PA42 7AW, Tel. 01496 302310, Fax 01496 302404.
• D. & N. Mackenzie; car hire and repair, Glenegedale, Islay, PA42 7AS, Tel. 01496 302300, Fax 01496 302324.
• Mactaggart Leisure Centre: swimming pool, sauna, gym, School Street, Bowmore, Islay, PA43 7JS, Tel. 01496 810767.
• C. & S. Monks, Spar general store, post office and filling station, Port Charlotte, Islay, PA48 7TX, Tel. 01496 850232.
• Billy Muir, Joiner and Cabinet Maker, Islay House Square, Bridgend, Islay, PA44 7NZ.
• Museum of Islay Life, Port Charlotte, Islay, PA48 7UA, Tel. 01496 850358.
• Port Charlotte Hotel and Restaurant, Port Charlotte, Islay, PA48 7TX, Tel. 01496 850360, Fax 01496 850361, Email.
• Rhinns Medical Centre, Port Charlotte, Islay, PA48 7UD, Tel. 01496 850210, Fax 01496 850511.
• RSPB Visitor Centre, Gruinart, Islay, PA44 7PR, Tel. 01496 850505, Fax 01496 850575.
• Polly Taylor: mountain bike hire, 33 Main Street, Port Charlotte, Islay, PA48 7TX, Tel. 01496 850488.
• Tourist Information Centre, Morrison Court, Bowmore, Islay, PA43 7JJ, Tel. 01496 810254.
• Sue Wood, chocolate confectionery, Islay House Square, Bridgend, Islay, PA44 7NZ.

Lochview Cottage

Port Charlotte, Isle of Islay, Argyll