Tag: travel

Nice walking on Islay (and Jura and Colonsay) video

Islay on Video

While we don’t know when, if it’s going to be this year or next year, at some point we will be able to go walking in the beautiful wide open spaces of Islay, Jura and Colonsay again. Until then we have to watch videos like this, showing walking on mainly Islay, but also Jura and Colonsay, in all weathers, from beautiful sunshine to pouring rain:

There are many ways to walk on Islay: you can go on organised walking holidays like in this video with About Argyll, you can come for the Islay walking week or you can go just for yourself whenever you want and wherever you want.

Islay beaches by drone video

Islay on Video

Let’s visit some Islay beaches from the air. Stuart Lewis visited Islay in 2018 and filmed a variety of beaches ranging from the Singing Sands over Kilchoman beach to the small beach at the pier in Port Charlotte from his drone. Take a look:

I hope you enjoyed this aerial tour of some of Islay’s beautiful sunny beaches. Which beach is your favourite?

Islay Business (2): An Gleann Tablet

Islay Businesses

The second post trying to support Islay businesses during the Coronavirus lockdown, which as we heard in the news today could last 6 months in some shape or form. Today something for those of you with a sweet tooth (especially if you also like your Islay/Jura whisky/gin): An Gleann Tablet.

Screenshot of the An Gleann Tablet - Whisky Connoisseur selection page
An Gleann Tablet – Whisky Connoisseur selection

An Gleann was founded by Jane Mitchell almost 15 years ago as a small cottage business on the Rhinns of Islay a couple of miles outside of Port Charlotte on the road to Portnahaven. As the name says, they make tablet, a Scottish speciality. Being on Islay there’s of course a connection to the famous Islay whisky with the Whisky Connoisseur series. I hope you’ll find something you like.

According to a Facebook post while the shop is closed to visitors the online store is open for business. Practising physical distancing and staying safe.

Very nice Islay scenery video

Islay on Video

It’s time for another nice Islay video, I think. This time created by Naoki Otsuki from Japan (and Canada). The video takes us around Islay, showing various kinds of scenery. It’s a bit different than many other videos, looking closer at the finer details and sometimes taking a different perspective. I very much enjoyed it, I hope you will as well:

Naoki spent five days on Islay, check out the video description on YouTube for the details of what they did while on Islay.

Video from an Islay visit in 2003 (includes cat)

Islay on Video

As for obvious reasons we can’t travel to Islay at the moment and the Islay festival 2020 was cancelled today I will try to ramp up posting here again. I’ll try to find and share as many Islay things as I can over the coming weeks (or even months), so that you don’t have to search for it. Of course I will not find everything, so if you come across something you think worth sharing by all means let me know. Cats, kittens, dogs and other cute animals are always a bonus, so the video I’m going to start with contains a cat:

I hope you enjoyed the video and spotted the Islay cat. If you have a cute cat/ dog/ other animal, can film it being cute and upload it to YouTube let me know and I’ll share it.

Dave’s Islay holiday video

Islay on Video

Dave went on a Scottish Grand Tour in 2019 with I believe his partner and some friends (as well as a German Shepherd dog). On that tour they took their caravan to Islay, staying at the Port Mòr campsite. They visited a variety of places, which they filmed from the ground as well as the air. Here is the video Dave edited:

A nice mixture of views from their adventures and from the looks of it a very happy and excited dog playing on the beach and at Finlaggan. Thanks for sharing, Dave!

Nice Islay 360° video from Sail Scotland

Islay on Video

My first Islay 360° videos covered Lossit Bay and Kilchoman beach. But of course there are others recording those type of video as well: Sail Scotland has just published a whole series of 360° videos from a variety of coastal locations around Scotland. Of course there’s one of Islay as well, visiting distilleries and lighthouses, going kayaking and more:

While not in 360° there’s also an interesting video of a sailing yacht in the famous Corryvreckan whirlpool just north of Jura:

I hope you enjoyed both videos, I’m hoping to add another 360° video to my collection soon as well. Not entirely sure yet where it will take you, either to a popular beach or to one of Islay’s largest villages.

Nice walk to Islay’s Soldier’s Rock video

Islay on Video

Probably one of the most popular walks on Islay, the walk out to Soldier’s Rock on the Oa. Some great views to be enjoyed, in this video enhanced by some drone footage. After leaving the Oa there are also views from the south coast around Lagavulin.

One thing I would have done different though, I wouldn’t have walked through the cows with their calves. I have a very healthy respect of cattle, in particular when with calves, and if at all possible give them a wide berth. Simple self preservation.

Visiting Islay’s (and Jura’s) lighthouses

Islay Links

There are a number of lighthouses on and around Islay and Jura. Some are fairly easy to see and visit, others require quite a lot of effort, either a long walk or a trip with a boat. uklighthousetour is on a mission to visit lighthouses around the UK and recently visited Islay and Jura. Three blog entries describe what they found:

Looks like they had a great and successful time on Islay and Jura. Links found via the Facebook page of Islay Sea-Adventures, who provided the RIB for some of the visits.

Nice trip to Islay by RIB (video)

Islay on Video

Winter has definitely arrived now, it’s cold, wet, windy and miserable today. To cheer us up here’s a video I found from a brighter nicer day, showing a day trip to Islay by RIB from Oban. Starting from Dunstaffnage they travelled to Port Ellen:

I hope you enjoyed the views from this trip, I found it quite interesting to see Port Ellen and other places from much lower down than the views usually seen from the ferry.