Scottish Isles

Hi Folks, any recommendations for places to drink and stay in the Arran, Islay , Jura etc area . Cheers Steve

Reply to
Steve Nye
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Hi Steve

All these Islands have several possibilities for drink.

Both Arran and Islay has their own brewery, so has Skye, Orkney and Shetland.

And you can't throw a rock on Islay without hitting some distillery-property, all the above Islands (with the exception of Shetland but the inclusion of Jura) also have distilleries where you can sample the finished product and if you ask nicely maybe also the wash (the beer).

----- Best regards Martin - Oslo, Norway Norwegian Malt Whisky Society

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Reply to
Martin

Up until a couple of years ago, only the Port Charlotte Hotel and the Lochindal (both in Port Charlotte) served real ale on Islay. They are both good places though and I'd recommend them. Since the brewery started up, it seems as though more places are serving cask though ie:

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Reply to
Brett...
Reply to
Steffen Bräuner

I can recommend the restaurant in White Hart - good food. And the pub is nice too.

I can second that - especially the "Fishtastic plate" and the famous "Mary's Clootie Dumpling"

In Bowmore there is the Lochside hotel. Don't know about rooms, but the food is good. And they have a large selection of malts.

Ballygrant Inn is OK too, at least the food, and the pub has a good selection of malts too. Nice hospitality, and since we couldn't use the rooms upstairs, we were allowed to camp outside.

This is btw the clubhouse for "Islay Whisky Club". If you are a member you are entitled to have one free dram of a special bottling for the club. This year it was a nice 1990 Caol Ila.

Slainte Karl Ejnar

Reply to
Karl Ejnar Christensen

Longish post, all IMHO and mostly based on a tour in June:

Arran: Several places do Arran Brewery beers, usually in pretty good condition. Personally I'd recommend the Ormidale and the Brodick Bar, both in Brodick. The latter does excellent food in its bistro. I'd also recommend the Glen Cloy Farm guest house as a place to stay, though it's a mile or so away from the "centre" of Brodick. There are plenty of other decent places to stay though, and it shouldn't be very crowded at this time of year.

Outside Brodick, the places listed in the GBG should be OK though it's a few years since I've expolored them.

The only bad pint (well, sample of approx 1/8 pint) I had in Arran last June was at the brewery itself - the manager insisted it was OK but it was clearly off (vinegar) - if I didn't already know Arran Ale was a really excellent beer, I'd not have wanted to drink any more of it. Strange ... you'd think they'd want to show the beer at its best.

Distillery is really a tourist attraction, full of coach parties when I went. Whisky is overpriced especially as the oldest is only c. 8yrs old.

Islay: Quite a few places seem to do the Islay Brewery beers, but quality is very variable. IMO they are not the most exciting beers in the world to begin with - but it's a new brewery and should improve. Brewery very friendly and worth a visit (see article in latest WB).

Port Charlotte hotel had the best beer I sampled, also excellent bar food. Bridgend Hotel had Islay beers in bottle (BCA) - basic but OK. Ballygrant Inn was pretty awful when I visited - depressingly cavernous and empty (it was a wet afternoon) and beer (draught and bottle) in poor condition. Pub in Port Ellen (White Hart I think) is a good basic traditional pub with reasonable beer and a selection of local whisky.

There are suprisingly few hotels etc on Islay, and none we stayed at were anything special - the Lochside Hotel in Bowmore has an excellent range of whiskies if you want an expensive nightcap. Kintra Farm a few miles from Port Ellen has a beautifully located campsite on the dunes, and also a bunkhouse and/or hostel I believe.

All Islay distilleries do tours varying from good to excellent - just go to the one(s) whose whisky you like best. All but Bowmore and Bruichladdich are in stunning locations also. Check in advance for tour times etc.

Jura: Hardly anyone lives there, so accommodation limited to the Jura Hotel in Craighouse, and a few B&Bs - we stayed with the local minister who looked after us very well.

No real ale, but the Hotel does a few Jura whiskies. The distillery is also in Craighouse and does tours.

Most contact details for the above should be available via Google but feel free to email me if you want more information.

Cheers

John

Reply to
John Abramson

Reply to
Brett...

I totally agree with your comments on Arran - I stayed at Glen Cloy Farm last month - Neil the host is a Yorkshireman in a kilt - thinks he's a laird - but the breakfast is fantastic and great value for money. Another good place to eat is the Spa Resort between Brodick and Glen Cloy. Also the Best Western in Blackwaterfoot.

Arran Ale is good stuff - as is the new Islay Ales - especially Finlaggan. On Arran I found the distillery tour disappointing as the guide did not know what she was talking about.

On Islay, Port Charlotte hotel is overrated for food and service. I stayed at the slightly overpriced Harbour Inn in Bowmore - almost opposite the distillery - excellent food restaurant and good selection of whiskies. Bridgend Inn has an excellent landlady - if you see her you will know what I mean.

I would say all EIGHT (yes eight! Kilchoman Farm Distillery is distilling but not yet old enough to bottle) Islay distilleries are in great locations, as is the friendly Isle of Jura one.

Reply to
Kevin Heywood

Hmmmm.....The builders must be on bonus since i was on Islay at the start of August as the place was a mess then plus the stills arn't arriving till this month so i can't see how they are distilling .....

Try the Nippy chippy for somewhere to eat (Thursdays in Bowmore) , best fish supper i've ever had and a hell of a lot cheaper than eating in the Harbour Inn....

Reply to
Gordon

grabbing , >un-professional rip-off. It has since changed hands I am glad to say.

I take it the old owner must have insulted you then ? We've stayed under both owners (6 with the previous only once with the new ones) and i must say the old ones were much prefered . The stay was much more pleasant and cheaper, the staff more friendlier , the nights a hell of a lot more interesting and the food a hell of a lot better ! Since then we've always stayed self catering and the one thing we've always missed is the late night conversation over a few drams with Ann and Alistair into the wee small hours .

But it's everyman and woman to their own thing and in November we'll be finding out what a few days stay at the Port Charlotte is like .

Reply to
Gordon

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