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| There is a lighthouse at Portnahaven in the Scottish Island of Islay . |
In the morning you may wake up and it's raining again in the Isle of Islay.
Islay is the southernmost island of the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. Known as "The Queen of the Hebrides".
Today, Islay has over 3,000 inhabitants and the main commercial activities are agriculture, malt whisky distillation and tourism.
Islay is an unmissable place to visit if you are travelling in Scotland.
There is a lighthouse at Portnahaven and you can continue our tour around this beautiful Scottish Isle from here (click here to read the first part of your tour).
The war memorial here is simple, only a cross, but it is worth a visit.
A little farther on, near Port Charlotte, another distillery (after Bowmore - read previous post about Islay), this time is Bruichladdich with its huge copper ampules .
Bruichladdich distillery produces mainly single malt Scotch whisky, but it has also to offer artisanal gin. It is owned by Rémy Cointreau (the company producing the famous French Cognac) and it is one of the eight working distilleries currently working on the island of Islay.
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| Bruichladdich distillery produces mainly single malt Scotch whisky in the Scottish Island of Islay. |
In 2001 the Bruichladdich distillery was dismantled and reassembled, with the original Victorian equipment retained.
Having escaped modernisation, most of the original Harvey machinery is still in use today. No computers are used in production with all processes controlled by a pool of skilled artisans who pass on information orally and largely measure progress using dipsticks and simple flotation devices.
After having visited Bruichladdich distillery you should move to Bridge End.
In Bridge End you can discover a small fortress hidden among the vegetation . An old stone tower , ancient cannon barrels abandoned between the branches.
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| Ancient cannon barrels abandoned between the branches. |
These ancient cannon barrels should be collected and taken to a museum.
Maybe not: in a museum these ancient cannon barrels would receive only a distracted look, here in the leaves they must remain as part of this beautiful island .
The tide has retreated on the beach in front of Bridge End.
If you are visiting when the tide is out you should sit down and wait until you see the moon .
It is an unforgettable experience!
In the morning, go back to Port Ellen and from there walk up to Ardberg . You will enjoy magnificent views of the cliffs and the sea. Then dozens of islets will appear on the horizon as the boats in the harbour surrounded by the fog will slowly appear just in front of the Ardberg distillery, also with its large ampule of course.
The Ardbeg distillery has been producing whisky since 1798.
Ardbeg whisky is considered one of the peatiest in the world, using malt with a phenol content of 55ppm. Absolutely taste it!
The tide goes out and you can reach those strips of rocks that look like whales in front of Ardberg.
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| The Ardbeg distillery has been producing whisky since 1798 in the Isle of Islay, Western Hebrides, Scotland. |
When the fog disappear from in front of the cliffs, from the sea may appear a dog's head, in reality a small seal.
It will probably stare at you and then quietly dive under the water .
The beach at Ardberg is a mirror to the pink of the sky in the morning, the birds arrive in groups to find out what the tide has left today for them.
Hundreds, thousands of birds come to celebrate the end of the rain. Then the curtain may fall and it may start to rain again. But you will be grateful to the sky if you have managed to see Islay under the rays of the sun.
If you want to read more about Islay read also Isle of Islay - Where the Devil has nowhere to hide.
Want to read more about the Scottish Isles?
Click here to read more about Scotland and the Scottish Isles.
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