Cask Strength since 2006
A beautiful sunny day at Kintra, a perfect day for kayaking. With a helmet cam (at least that’s what I assume he’s using). Thomas shares a video of him going out with John for some kayaking. In particular I like the ‘action shots’ going out through the waves and surfing back to the beach where they land.
I hope you liked the video as well, what were your favourite moments?
Some impressions of Islay from a variety of places on the island, filmed with a drone. Some very nice weather, some not so nice. Some great footage, some not so good. Pretty good for a first serious attempt during a holiday I’d say. I hope you’ll enjoy it:
If you need more there’s also a 38 minute long video of relaxing waves in Loch Indaal.
The Adventure Bound Bumpkins visited Islay this year and among other things went on the Laphroaig Water to Whisky tour. They documented their visit and in particular the tour on video (and wrote about it on their website), first pour yourself a wee dram and enjoy the video:
To read more here are three posts about their Islay visit:
For even more you can also read about On the Way to Islay: A Scenic Drive From Edinburgh to Kennacraig.
A slightly different Islay video today, a walk to one of the most beautiful ruins on Islay. Especially on a bright and sunny day it’s very nice to walk around it, the light under the trees now towering over it (and even growing in and on it) is wonderful. Here’s the short video recorded by a recent visitor:
I’ve got two pictures of it on the photoblog as well:
I hope you like it as well and enjoyed the visit in video and pictures.
Oystercatchers aren’t exactly rare birds on Islay, they can be seen in many many places along the coast. Still, I know a lot of people like them. Experimenting with filming with my DSLR I filmed a few of them during an afternoon in Saligo Bay, sitting on rocks and running around the beach. Then I thought, why not edit a short video of them? Maybe someone will like it? Here is the video:
What do you think, worth sharing? I hope you like at least some of it.
Sorry I’m a bit late, I got my dates mixed up and for some reason thought it’s in a week. But then again it’s not too late yet. The annual Cantilena Festival on Islay officially starts today (there were a few warmup events this week already). Beautiful music played in various venues across Islay, here’s an overview of the programme starting tonight:
The Festival opens at the Columba Centre in Bowmore with a programme of chamber music including Mozart’s Piano trio in G major and Schubert’s Trout Quintet. Players involved in this concert are Scott Mitchell (piano), Angus Ramsay (violin), Michelle Dieux (violin), Stephen Shakeshaft (viola), Sarah Harrington (cello) and Ben Burnley (bass).
The Festival continues on Monday in Laphroaig when our students from the Royal Conservatoire of Music have the opportunity to showcase their talents individually and then as part of the whole ensemble.
Tuesday will see the group at Lagavulin when the programme will include Mozart, Mendelssohn, Bach (double violin concerto) and Rossini. This concert will also feature our guest artist – Tobias Ringborg. He is a renowned Swedish violinist and conductor and Cantilena are pleased to welcome him to Islay which he has never visited.
On Wednesday Tobias will feature as soloist as will Havilland Willshire. The programme includes a Frank Violin Sonata and also piano music by Chopin and Beethoven.
Viennese Evening at Ardbeg. This will be the programme for Thursday and is a new addition to Cantilena’s repertoire. Music will include waltzes and polkas with composers Strauss and Kreisler.
The Festival concludes on Friday 14 July at Bruichladdich, in the Village Hall and will feature soloists and all the players in Mendelssohn’s famous Octet and our usual ‘Classical Ceilidh’
Some general information:
Cantilena is very generously supported by distilleries across the island. Come along and enjoy the music; sample the various malt whiskies; and have the chance to chat to our professional players and students throughout the evening. All concerts start at 7.30 pm and ticket £12/£10 may be purchased at Celtic House in Bowmore or at the door on the venue on the various evenings. There is no charge for school age young people.
And that’s not all, there will also be some whisky and music:
Whisky and Music afternoon
Martine Nouet celebrated whisky expert presents a Whisky and Music afternoon on Wednesday 12 July in Islay House. Martine will guide you through several Islay malts which will match with music which Cantilena will play.
Further information at www.martinenouet.com
For further information also visit the 2017 Cantilena Festival page. I’m sure it will be yet another successful festival and everyone will enjoy the music.
Marc Princivalle visited Islay with his vintage VW camper van. In his luggage he also had a drone, which he used to great effect to film a few places from the air. They include Ardbeg, Port Charlotte (including Port Mòr campsite) and Loch Indaal:
I hope you enjoyed the views, some new and different perspectives I quite liked.
Just a short update on yesterday’s post about the Mac Ìle CD with Fraser Shaw’s Islay tunes. Yesterday I wrote I couldn’t share any tunes, but I’ve since found out that the album is actually available online to listen to (to get you interested) and more importantly to buy. You can find it on Bandcamp:
While you can buy the download I would highly recommend buying the physical CD, Somhairle‘s artwork is as beautiful as the music.
As I’m writing this The Islay Sessioners will be playing some beautiful tunes at Bruichladdich Hall on Islay, for today is the Fraser Shaw Islay tunes CD launch I mentioned back in May. Sadly I can’t be there myself as my recent holiday didn’t last long enough, so I’m doing the next best thing, listening to the CD.
I picked up my copy from the Ardnahoe distillery shop in Islay House Square last week, it will also be available at Bruichladdich distillery and I assume at the Port Charlotte Hotel, a big supporter. Probably also other places on Islay. And if you can’t get to Islay to get your copy you can of course order it online from The Fraser Shaw Trust website.
I can’t share any tunes here, so for now the beautifully designed CD (artwork by Somhairle MacDonald) is all I can give you.
But of course the music is the most important part. Of course I’m not a music critic, my knowledge of music extends to ‘I love it’, ‘I like it’ and ‘No, thanks, that’s not for me’. This CD is firmly in the first category, I love it. My favourites are the Pipe Set (#5) and Cairn’s Set (#9), I’m going to quote Ciara MacTaggart from her review in The Ileach:
There is a pipe set on track 5 that is powerful and toe-tapping with harmonious piping riffs. The type of tunes that fill you with energy and tunes as a musician you want to learn immediately. Track 9 Cairn’s Set does something similar. It has the power to turn stressful worries into a positive, lifting your mood immediately. In fact, the entire album has this contagious air about it.
It should be obvious that I highly recommend it. A fantastic job by all the musicians and everyone else involved in this project. I had the pleasure to see many of them during the Islay Sessions over the last few years and hope to see and hear them again in November.
A late evening treat, a generous dram of the Laphroaig PX Cask Islay single malt whisky with some nice Scottish strawberries (unfortunately not of the Islay variety. Yes, that does exist.)
