Category: Islay Links

Links to other websites/-pages with Islay (or Jura, Colonsay, Gigha, Kintyre) topics

Rare Islay bird reintroduced in Norfolk

Islay Links

Not strictly speaking an Islay link, but when I read the headline I immediately had to think of Islay. The rare bird is the elusive (as far as actually seeing one) Corncrake. I’ve heard its iconic call many times, in particular around Kilchoman, but only seen one once. A great memory of the late Ian Brooke, who excitedly knocked on the door of the cottage I was staying in to alert me to it sitting on a wall in plain view not far away. A great and unexpected sight. This bird currently only survives in the western and northern isles of Scotland in the UK, but the BBC reports about it being reintroduced in Norfolk in England with this headline:

Fresh hope for bird with bizarre ‘crex crex’ call

This probably describes them quite well:

It was often heard at night, keeping people awake with its piercing call, much like the sound of wood being drawn across the teeth of a comb.

I think people who had one below their bedroom window can relate. If you haven’t heard the call before, you can listen to it on the link above.

Islay ferry problems for Fèis Ìle make it on to the BBC website

Islay Whisky News & Links

The biggest (by far) event on Islay’s annual event calendar, Fèis Ìle, has a bit of a problem: Not enough ferries to get the many visitors expected for it to the island. So far working with Calmac hasn’t brought any additional sailings for the crucial period, so they’ve gone on a publicity blitz to hopefully get things moving.

There have been reports in several of the Scottish papers (most unfortunately behind paywalls, so can’t really link to them). Now even the BBC has picked it up and made it a fairly big report:

Islay whisky festival warning over ‘inexcusable’ ferry disruption

Hopefully this will help and get things moving.

A few Islay links for mid March 2024

Islay Links

While spring is hopefully on its way today is rather grey and dull where I am at the moment, a good time to catch up on some Islay reading. So here are a few Islay related links I came across recently:

That’s all I’ve got for now, I hope you found some of the links interesting. More to come some other time.

A variety of Islay links in May 2023

Islay Links

Over the last week or so I had a look through a large number of Islay related links which had accumulated in my newsreader. Many of them weren’t of much use, like many dozens of whiskies offers on shop pages or people and businesses named after Islay. But a few were more interesting, so here’s a collection of 12 of them:

  1. Rosemary Fletcher of Persabus writes Island Voices: From a new farm house porch to a Celtic cross in The Scottish Farmer
  2. A long running saga receives (another) mention in the Press & Journal: Royal Mail says ‘sorry’ for Dingwall and Islay delivery failures
  3. This one might need a follow up and listen, but in an article about an upcoming album release show by Tim Monger it says “He said it ties together a list of niche themes — from cranberry bogs and distilleries on the Scottish island of Islay to the flightless woodhens of New Zealand.” Oh, and his dog is named, you guessed it, Islay
  4. Any Leice photographers among my readers (I’m more of a Nikon person)? You might like Isle of Islay – A Wild Goose Chase! on the Leica Nature Blog
  5. Having skipped all the Islay whisky shop pages I decided to keep one of a beer aged in old Islay casks: Amity releases first two beers in new barrel-aged series. Just be aware it’s quite pricey…
  6. It’s quite far away, but I found the combination of the two neighbouring islands in an address in Canada quite interesting. If you’re looking for a house in Saskatchewan then 205 Islay STREET. Colonsay, SK might be of interest?
  7. I pretty confident I’ve mentioned the mobile cinema (aka Screen Machine) on this blog at some point. What I didn’t know was that its first visit to Islay 25 years ago wasn’t a success as an article From the Northern Times 25, 50 and 100 years ago mentions
  8. I would expect it is well out of the price range of almost all if not all of my readers, but as some of you might know Islay is the birth place of the Land Rover and they have just release an Islay inspired special edition: This £230k+ Defender Works V8 is inspired by a Scottish island
  9. I believe work is well under way by now (the article is from early April), but the Press & Journal writes Islay Airport gets £5 million runway upgrade
  10. I’m not sure if there will be other return visitors (I unfortunately won’t be able to be there, I took some pictures during the first edition), but Parkland County angler Jason Doucette to compete in Commonwealth Fly Fishing Championships means a return to Islay for him, as he already competed in the 2009 edition
  11. Impressive: Exhibition of Islay RNLI crew portraits raises over £9,000
  12. Some news about a wind farm off Islay: Site Investigations Start for 2 GW Offshore Wind Project in Scotland

I think I’ll leave it at that and hope you found some of the links interesting. Maybe leave a comment which link you found most interesting?

Some interesting Islay links (March 2022 edition)

Islay Links

It’s about time I go through some of my bookmarks and notes from the last couple of weeks (or even months) and share some of the articles and more about or at least mentioning Islay. Hopefully you’ll find something of interest to read and possibly share:

To start with travel writer Peter Irvine shares his favourite spots on Scotland’s loveliest islands, which of course includes Islay and Jura. They are spots 6-9, the Paps of Jura, Geese at Gruinart, Carraig Fhada Lighthouse and the Machrie Hotel.

Not Islay specific (although Islay is of course mentioned, Irvine also calls for islanders to get more control over impact of tourism.

I walked it last year (and still owe you a post about it), the Sustrans website has a lovely article about the new Loch Indaal path between Bruichladdich and Port Charlotte.

Scott Begbie writes about Marvellous malts and pure moments on the magical island of Islay in the Press and Journal. Whisky, beaches, food and sunsets get a mention.

Uproxx (which seems to be a music, film and lifestyle website) writes about a whisky-centric trip to Scotland with a few stops on Islay. The Islay stops are Bowmore Hotel Lucci’s Whisky Bar and Kilchoman distillery. Also an honourable mention for Ardbeg and Lagavulin distilleries. Not to forget plenty Islay pictures.

To close someone from the Sunday Post tried the scones at the Craigard Kitchen at Ballygrant. They were very happy with them and will be back.

I’ll leave you with that for now, hopefully you found something interesting to read. More some other time.

Paddleboarding and whisky on Islay and Jura – Videos and more

Islay on Video

During my after work internet surfing I came across an interesting video, which then led to another video and also a blog post with more background. So I thought I might as well share it with you as well. As the title says, it’s about paddleboarding, a very popular sport these days, and as in this case it took place on Islay there was also some whisky involved. Let’s start with the second video I found, Meaghan and Neal’s adventures on Islay and Jura:

SUP Safari Scotland Ep 2 Islay and Jura

The other video (the one I came across first) just focuses on Claggain Bay and their paddleboarding there:

Paddleboarding in Claggain Bay – Islay

And as promised, there’s more: There are also two posts on their blog/website, SUP Chick, titled Paddleboarding in Claggain Bay – Islay and SUP Safari Scotland – Isle of Islay & Jura Stand up Paddleboarding.

I hope you enjoyed the videos and blog posts, maybe you’ll go on your own paddleboarding adventure on Islay and Jura?

Islay & Jura Peatland Projects

Islay News

Islay is well known for its peat bogs and peatland, among other reasons mainly through its peaty whisky. But that’s not what this post is about, on the contrary, it’s about the preservation of the endangered peatlands. Islay is a key part in the CANN project (Collaborative Action for the Natura Network), which focuses on conserving peatlands and wetlands across Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland.

On Islay this covers two sites, the Rinns of Islay and Eilean na Muice Duibhe (also known as Duich Moss). Various activities are under way, including the treatment and removal of invasive rhododendron, you can read a bit about that in A Film Diary from Angharad Ward on Islay. Not only that, you can also watch some of what was filmed:

The CANN Project Short Film – Combatting Rhodi on Islay

For more background and context also watch The CANN Story – April 2021, which gives an overview of all the projects in Scotland, Ireland and Northern Ireland.

To spread the word and increase awareness the Islay & Jura Community Peatland Project was launched, which includes the Peatland Passport. This project will be run by the INHT until 2022, if you’re in Port Charlotte make sure to drop in at the INHT and pick up your passport (also available in various other places on Islay). If you are on Facebook you can also join the excellent Islay and Jura Community Peatland Project Facebook group, which has a huge variety of interesting posts with information, videos, online events and more.

Help fund a new walkway to Finlaggan, Islay

Islay News

The wooden walkway to Eilean Mòr at Finlaggan, the ancient seat of the Lords of the Isles on Islay, has gone through a few iterations over the decades. Because of the harsh conditions at Loch Finlaggan the wood starts to decay and the wear and tear at some point makes the walkway unsafe. Over the years there have been different walkways, this is how it looked in 2006:

Picture of an old wooden walkway to a small island
Finlaggan walkway in 2006

In 2007 it was replaced by a new walkway built by the Army 39 Engineer Regiment after removing the old rotting walkway. Visitors soon enjoyed good access to Eilean Mòr again:

Picture of a group of visitors next to a information board, a new wooden walkway in the background
Visitors after crossing a new walkway in 2007

In 2008 the visitor centre also saw some significant renovation and extension, making it the valuable place to learn about Islay’s history it is today:

Picture of a visitor centre extension under construction
Finlaggan visitor centre under construction in 2008

The walkway built in 2007 has now aged so much that it needs to be replaced to ensure continued access to the site. To do this the Finlaggan Trust needs support. The Finlaggan Trust writes:

We have already secured partial funding from a number of sources and are able to contribute a certain amount ourselves, but there remains a £30,000 shortfall in the £86,000 total nonetheless. If successful in our fundraising we hope to begin work in September/October 2021, with a five- to seven-week timescale for completion of the build, C-19 restrictions and weather conditions permitting.

The Lordship of the Isles needs you – Tha feum aig Rìoghachd nan Eilean ortsa

If you want to support the Finlaggan Trust you can make a donation at The Finlaggan Walkway Project JustGiving campaign. As of writing this in the early days of the campaign 8% of the target have been reached, hopefully that will jump up soon and continued access to Finlaggan can be secured:

Picture of a small island with ruins in a lake, a walkway leading to it
Finlaggan from the air, walkway bottom right

Cleaning beaches at the other Islay

Islay on Video

As many will know there are two Islays (at least), the Islay in Scotland this blog is mostly about and then there’s another Islay in the Arequipa region in Peru. It looks like they’ve got a similar problem with litter and rubbish washing up on their beaches and people having to go on beach cleans to tidy it all up. While I don’t speak any Spanish I’m pretty sure that’s what a good part of this video is about:

HOMENAJE A ISLAY 2020.

Looks like they picked up at least two big sacks of rubbish, some good work there! I hope that you’ve enjoyed this view of the other Islay and learning that they share some of the same issues.

Time for a pint of Harviestoun Heaven Cent

Islay Links

This evening marks the start of my two week staycation in West Berkshire. As I wrote earlier I’ve decided not to travel to Islay as originally planned. Since I’m not going to Scotland I’ve ordered a bit of Scotland to come to me. And yes, there is an Islay link here….

Picture of a mini keg of Harviestoun Heaven Cent and a glass of real ale
Harviestoun Heaven Cent

The beer I’m enjoying this evening (with a nice pizza, although sadly not from the Peatzeria) is a Harviestoun Heaven Cent. Now you might say, Harviestoun Brewery, isn’t that in Clackmannanshire? And you would be right. However, the IPA in question was created by Lisa Matthews. And you probably guessed it, yes, the youngest Scottish female brewer grew up on Islay.

While I’m not an expert I think Lisa did a fantastic job. To me it tastes very well balanced, just right between the bitterness and the fruitiness (or whatever you call it). I love it. While I ordered it blind I’m pleased that I took the risk and trusted Lisa doing a great job. I’ve got two mini kegs (which is how I was able to take a picture of a closed keg and a full glass next to it), one for this weekend, the other one probably for next weekend. I hope it will become part of the regular line-up at Harviestoun.