Guidebook for Isle of Islay
Food Scene
Quality pub food with locally sourced ingredients -- don't miss the Islay crab claw salad!
This also serves as the local pub where tourists and locals can enjoy an evening tipple.
NOTE: food not served on Wednesdays (see Burnside Lodge for an alternative)
An Tigh Seinnse
11 Queen StQuality pub food with locally sourced ingredients -- don't miss the Islay crab claw salad!
This also serves as the local pub where tourists and locals can enjoy an evening tipple.
NOTE: food not served on Wednesdays (see Burnside Lodge for an alternative)
Port Mor Centre
A847Decent snacks, coffee and meals with a wonderful panoramic view over Loch Indaal.
The nice folks at Burnside Lodge bake takeaway savoury pies to order, that are available each Wednesday (the one day Portnahaven pub doesn't serve food). Fillings change each week but to give you an idea, this week we have: Kerala Chicken Curry or Cheese and Onion. Be sure to put your order in well in advance as I'm not sure if they make any surplus! Burnside lodge is a 5 minute walk from the Anchorage -- simply go out the back door and walk straight ahead up the steep hill to the back road, turn right and walk towards the light house, follow the road round and Burnside Lodge is the second house you come to on the left. Go through the gate, knock on the back door and just go in.
Burnside Lodge B&B
Shore StreetThe nice folks at Burnside Lodge bake takeaway savoury pies to order, that are available each Wednesday (the one day Portnahaven pub doesn't serve food). Fillings change each week but to give you an idea, this week we have: Kerala Chicken Curry or Cheese and Onion. Be sure to put your order in well in advance as I'm not sure if they make any surplus! Burnside lodge is a 5 minute walk from the Anchorage -- simply go out the back door and walk straight ahead up the steep hill to the back road, turn right and walk towards the light house, follow the road round and Burnside Lodge is the second house you come to on the left. Go through the gate, knock on the back door and just go in.
Sightseeing
Take a walk through Port Wemyss (go out the back door of the Anchorage and turn right on the road at the top). You can also detour down the coastal trail (signposted). Follow the road through Port Wemyss and back round to Portnahaven.
Port Wemyss
Take a walk through Port Wemyss (go out the back door of the Anchorage and turn right on the road at the top). You can also detour down the coastal trail (signposted). Follow the road through Port Wemyss and back round to Portnahaven.
This is a quiet wee bay with a ruined church at the top -- you can go in and see some ancient burial stones. You can also walk as far as you like across the beach and round the point to the West/North.
Kilchiaran Bay
This is a quiet wee bay with a ruined church at the top -- you can go in and see some ancient burial stones. You can also walk as far as you like across the beach and round the point to the West/North.
I've listed this as Portnahaven but only because these pleaces are so secret that they're not listed on Google maps! If you go up Church St at the north of Protnahaven and continue for a couple miles, then turn left down the first proper-ish road and follow it round, you'll come to Claddach which is a big stony beach and if you follow the road round come more, you'll come to Currie Sands which is a wee sandy beach. You park in a small grassy area by a small house and go through a small gate and walk down to the beach.
Portnahaven
I've listed this as Portnahaven but only because these pleaces are so secret that they're not listed on Google maps! If you go up Church St at the north of Protnahaven and continue for a couple miles, then turn left down the first proper-ish road and follow it round, you'll come to Claddach which is a big stony beach and if you follow the road round come more, you'll come to Currie Sands which is a wee sandy beach. You park in a small grassy area by a small house and go through a small gate and walk down to the beach.
There's a distillery here and also if you keep going towards the coast and go down a short dirt track, you'll arrive at Kilchoman Beach which is long and sandy.
10 locals recommend
Kilchoman Distillery
There's a distillery here and also if you keep going towards the coast and go down a short dirt track, you'll arrive at Kilchoman Beach which is long and sandy.
Parks & Nature
Lossit is fairly hard to find. You park at the side of the road and go through the gate of a field and walk for about 10 minutes towards the coast and you'll come to a secluded sandy beach surrounded by dunes. Don't try to swim here though -- there are dangerous undercurrents!
Lossit Bay
Lossit is fairly hard to find. You park at the side of the road and go through the gate of a field and walk for about 10 minutes towards the coast and you'll come to a secluded sandy beach surrounded by dunes. Don't try to swim here though -- there are dangerous undercurrents!
Essentials
Good idea to stock up on food for your stay here. You can buy some essentials at the Post Office store in Portnahaven.
8 locals recommend
Co-op Food - Bowmore
Main StreetGood idea to stock up on food for your stay here. You can buy some essentials at the Post Office store in Portnahaven.