Where the Whisky Flows like Water

Where the Whisky Flows Like Water

The small island of Islay off the West Coast of Scotland is a must see if you love Whisky. It’s worth visiting even if you aren’t fond of a wee dram (little sip) of the stuff. Lord of the Isles ruled the west of Scotland for more than 300 years. I grew up in the Hebredean islands, and go back at every opportunity.

The island is mostly dependent on tourism, fishing, (the European Fly Fishing Championship has been held on the island ) and whisky distilling. Only 3000 inhabitants who all speak Gaelic. It is only 20 by 25 miles in size. The making of whisky dates back to the 14th century and its unlimited peat, and soft water make it a suitable place for seven working distilleries , Bowmore, Ardbeg , Bruichladdich, Bunnahabhain, Caol lla, Lagavulin, and Laphroaid. This wee island generates more than 20,000.000 litres of alcohol per year, paying excise man 396,200,000 pounds in duty. Recently a bottle of Black Bowmore was sold at auction for 14,000 pounds (U.S.

$18,800)I’ll bet a foreigner bought it – I can't see a Scot paying out that much lolly for his medicine as my father called it.

The charming capital, Bowmore, was built in 1768. The church was built in a circle so the devil could not hide in a corner. The Museum of Island Life is worth seeing in the village of Port Charlotte. On the other side of the island is Port Ellen where the car ferry from the Kintyre Peninsula comes into. There is a small airport where you can fly in from Glasgow.

The Sound of Islay is a narrow but treacherous stretch of water between Islay and the isle of Jura. This is a good spot for local divers to get oysters in the high speed currents between the islands. The oysters are then flown out to top restaurants around the world. The hotels on the island have wonderful meals, and the best sea food is caught daily.

For six months of the year, the island is home to up to 60,000 barnacle and white fronted geese who return from Greenland each year. The RSPB (Royal Society Protection of Birds) has turned a large part of the north west of the island into a nature reserve. Through the observation window and with CCTV cameras for close up views, visitors can watch the geese, ducks, lapwings, waders and redshanks breeding and feeding on the mudflats. Golden eagles, hen harriers, merlin and sparrow hawks can also be spotted on the reserve as on the rest of the island. This is a bird watchers heaven. The jagged rocks and lovely sandy beaches attract their share of wildlife too, with seal and otters playing near the shore and out at sea bottlenose dolphins, porpoises and mink whales can be seen gliding through the crystal clear waters.

The wonderful air of peace, tranquility and friendliness of Islay make this a special place for visitors

Even the seagulls walk with a wobble.

Maureen Jones

All Horizons Travel/Frosch

825 Santa Cruz Ave

Menlo Park, CA 94025

650-961-2340 direct

www.froschvacations.com