Islay Gold 12 August 2025

 

Guess where we found Islay gold?!!

We caught the bus from Port Ellen to Bowmore, and the connecting bus to Bruichladdich.  The bus trips were lovely - apart from some extremely ripe odours coming from the rotting seaweed around the top end of Loch Indaal.  Mingin’!

As soon as we arrived we had a coffee and bacon butty in a cafe/shop/post office just down the road.  A good start to the day, and necessary to set us up for the main business of the day.


Whisky Galore!
Susie and Gordon went for the top left variant.

My target variation on the theme.
After a substantial sample (at 10.30 in the morning) which confirmed it as being particularly good, and with a big birthday in the offing, Mary brought me a bottle. I now have a couple of months before it can be opened.

After a couple more samples (just to make sure the correct whiskies had been bought) we walked the footway to Port Charlotte.  It is a well built footpath, parallel to but not connected to, the road.  The shoreline habitat is thick with flowers, and in season good for birds and butterflies.  And the bus driver waves as if you were his mates as he passes.  Bucolic.

Before reaching Port Charlotte is the Loch Indaal lighthouse, Rubh’an Duin. Well worth the short detour.  Designed by David and Thomas Stevenson and built in 1869.


Port Charlotte itself is a well kept village where everyone seems to take a bit of a pride in how their houses and gardens look.  White is the favourite colour. Should you ever visit, it is probably best to not do so at lunchtime - the only place to eat is the Port Charlotte Hotel - expensive, very mediocre food, and absolutely dreadful service. Otherwise lovely!

Washing drying along Port Charlotte seafront.

During our stop off in Bowmore on the way back Gordon got tempted by a 15 year old - a particularly good looking chestnut tawny one - but Susie forgave him (I think she is a bit partial as well).

BBQ on the flybridge for our evening meal - it was dead calm, sunny and very warm.

Today’s Islay bird list has 33 species - probably not too bad given that much of the spotting was done from a bus or the inside of a distillery!














































































































































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