Top 5 Things to do on Islay

14th April 2019

Five best things to on Islay, Scotland

You spend that last week before your holidays tying up all your tasks. Then you start to pack the car, have those niggles with your travelling partner(s)- ‘did I switch the iron off, have you left food for the cat, you did lock the back door, didn’t you?….’ and you are finally on your way to the ferry. As you leave the clunk of the ferry ramp behind, the stunning Hebridean island of Islay unfolds before your eyes and all those worries start to fade away as you breathe in the fresh sea air. So the only thing that potentially needing thinking about is…’what shall we see and do on our holiday?’ Well, you need not worry as we have done the leg work for you and created your very own, bespoke top 5 things to do on Islay.

Islay Sea Adventures

Grey seal swimming in the sea in Scotland

Step on board a 38ft Revenge Charter with Islay Sea Adventures at the marina of Port Ellen and soak up the view of Islay and its marine life. For those fishers amongst you can book fishing trips and those with a more daring disposition you can arrange to go diving and view some of the 97 wrecks off the coast off Islay.

Whisky Distillery Tours

Two whisky glasses, a bottle of whisky and a whisky barrel

No trip to Islay would be complete without visiting at least one of their eight prestigious whisky distilleries. This unique island produces some of the strongest flavoured Single Malt Whiskies in Scotland.

The Museum Of Islay Life

This quaint little church house in Port Charlotte many items reflecting the history of Islay with around 2,000 objects from a variety of subjects. The Museum of Islay Life exhibits items from Mesolithic times to recent including artefacts found from archaeological investigations and rooms displaying how the inside of a croft would have once looked.

Islay Beaches

Family holding hands and splashing in water on the beach

Golden sands on a beach on Islay on a sunny day

Golden sands in a beach at sunset on Islay

You come to an island and you expect a beach or at least the sea! The Islay coastline spans 130 miles and hosts some the worlds most scenic beaches. Here you can also observe some of Islay’s wildlife including seals, and many species of bird. For some wild swimming you can choose from the following safest beaches to take a dip if you dare!: Laggan Bay, Loch Gruinart and Loch Indaal.

The Isle of Jura

The Paps of Jura with the sea in the foreground

If you fancy a trip across the water it is a skip, hop and a jump where you can visit the equally stunning Isle of Jura, Islay’s neighbouring island. Simply board the ferry for a 15 minute crossing that separates the two islands and prepare to be wowed! People on this island are outnumbered by deer, with only 180 of the two-legged variety and 5,000 of the four-legged!

Whatever you choose to do, rest assured that here at Islay Cottages you can return to the most relaxing and cosy accommodation in one of our cottages or our stunning Georgian Kilchoman house. You will not want to leave! Find more great things to do during your stay with our Islay Guide.

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Islay Distilleries

Asides from Islay’s stunning natural beauty, if there’s one thing our island can hold a claim to fame about. And that’s producing world class malt whisky! Of course, with eight distilleries on the island alone, it can be hard to know where to begin. But don’t worry, we’re here to give you an insight into our favourite whisky distilleries on Islay.

Romantic Island Escape

Are you looking for romantic breaks in Scotland? Then why not make an adventure of it and visit the stunning Scottish island of Islay? Islay is a perfect romantic getaway, with scenery and views to set any heart fluttering! With Valentines Day just around the corner, this could be the perfect gift for your loved one to get those sparks flying!

Visiting Ardbeg Distillery on Islay

Celebrating its 30th anniversary, the Jura Music Festival 2024 will take place from 27th to 20th September.

Spring breaks on Islay

Enjoy a spring break on Islay, Scotland As winter draws to an end, we are very much looking forward to spring. This is one of our favourite times of year. Nature is coming back to life, the weather is beginning to warm up, and there is a happy spring feeling in the air! Today, we’re […]

Testimonials

My wife and I spent 2 weeks at Machir Cottage, one of four row cottages in Kilchoman. For me, it was a wonderful return to Islay after over 50 years having visited as a boy and stayed in the same cottages. For my wife, who is American, it was a brand new and wonderful experience and she loved every moment. The cottage had everything you could need as a base for exploring this incredible island.

Everything was to a good standard, the beds were comfortable and the wi-fi connection was more than adequate for such a remote location (we didn’t use the TV/DVD). The living room and kitchen area is perfect for relaxing in the evenings, and you’ll be amazed at the quiet ! If your idea of the perfect holiday is getting out into the wilds and exploring miles of unspoilt beauty, this is the place for you. I am certain it is popular with walkers, but you can also do many exciting trips by car (which you’ll need anyway to get around !). Some of the roads do get a bit funky in places, and it’s largely single track with passing places, but you soon get used to this, and the courtesy between drivers is generally a joy to experience.

The Kilchoman cottages are near three absolutely stunning beaches, all within 4/5 miles: Machir Bay, Saligo Bay and Sanaigmore, it was impossible to choose between them, but we visited each one at least twice. Perhaps the most scenic beaches we’ve ever seen, with beautiful rock formations, white sand and totally unspoilt (and indeed generally deserted !)

There’s also the possibility to take a day trip over to the nearby island of Jura, the famous `paps’ (mountains) add a stunning back drop to so many places on Islay. It is a photographer’s dream. Life is simpler here, and in many ways it had not changed at all for me since 1972 ! A lifetime dream fulfilled to come back here, and I wasn’t disappointed ! We were very very lucky with the weather, which does help, and on a good day I wouldn’t hesitate to call it paradise.

Handy hints: Take plenty of basic provisions with you, but the Co-op in Bowmore is up to modern standards for most of your needs, we only needed a couple of trips there to restock in two weeks. If you’re big on nightlife and bustle, give it a miss…but if you love nature, beauty and fresh air….it can’t be beaten.