PORT ELLEN JURA Nave Island MARINA Bunnahabhain t Craighouse Sanaigmore r Bay a n i u ISLE OF ISLAY r Caol Ila Feolin G h c Port o L Askaig Kilchoman Bruichladdich P Bowmore Port Charlotte Lossit ISLAY Bay L a g g a P n Airport Portnahaven B a y Port Ellen Ardbeg Lagavulin Laphroaig LOCAL INFORMATION Taxis Carol’s Taxis 07775 782 155 or 01496 302 155 Bowmore Taxi Service 07899 756 159 or 01496 810 449 & Islay Whisky Tours Hughie’s Taxi 07737 491 429 Bus Bus services to certain parts of the island are operated by 55˚ 37’ 40.3N 6˚ 11’ 19.6W B. Mundell, Islay Coaches – please see timetable for routes and times - www.bmundell.co.uk/islay-coaches.html Bike Hire Ellen Brown 07831 246911 Jim Lutomski, Port Ellen 07760 196592 Emergency Medical Centre 01496 302103 Islay Coastguard 01496 850 213 Port Ellen Marina Contact: Tel 07464 151 200 [email protected] portellenmarina.co.uk LAURIES OF ISLAY NEWSAGENT * DELICATESSEN LICENSED GROCER 19 Charlotte St, Port Ellen (next to Islay Hotel) 150 metres from the Marina Home of Port Ellen Angling Club Permits & Tackle available What we haven’t got (unlikely) we’ll tell you where to get it ! 01496 302264 [email protected] PORT ELLEN MARINA Port Ellen Marina is operated on a first-come-first-served basis for visitors, run by a charity and open from Easter until the end of October. The well-maintained pontoons enable The Islay Hotel is an outstanding boutique hotel offering boating visitors to enjoy the unique experiences available modern amenities in traditional style. around Port Ellen and Islay, including spectacular scenery, It is in an ideal location for exploring Islay and its many distilleries, abundant wildlife (some rare), historic sites and world with Laphroaig, Lagavulin and Ardbeg within walking distance. It is also only 50 yards from Port Ellen harbour. The hotel boasts famous malt whisky distilleries, as well as providing a safe an eye-catching gantry, offering over 100 single malts, local ales comfortable haven for yachts passing through the Sound of and many beers and wines. Jura or round the Mull of Kintyre. With delicious home cooked food, open fire and comfortable Originally opened by Chay Blyth in July 2002 with funding relaxed surroundings, the Islay Hotel really does offer something from Highlands and Islands Enterprise, early 2015 saw for everyone. the addition of 20 more visitors’ berths, now totalling 38. Tel: 01496 300 109 or email [email protected] With further funding supplied by the ‘Coastal Communities Or pop in and see us the next time you are on Islay. Fund’ and including 37 local berths, the marina’s total capacity is currently 75 boats. Fresh, Sceduled air and ferry services operate with bus, taxi and cycle hire available in Port Ellen. Many who plan a night locally stop have to reschedule the cruise as they often discover the many treasures that Islay offers to be worth a few extra days. sourced There are several quality eateries and pubs in the Port Ellen area, as well as a petrol station, post office and three shellfish convenience stores. to order Port Ellen Maltings is only open to visitors during the annual Whisky Festival in late May, but Laphroaig, Lagavulin and Ardbeg distilleries welcome visitors 07766996360 or 07795231826 throughout the year. Whitehart Ind. Est. Port Ellen Local events PORT ELLEN Fèis Ile, the Festival of malt and music (late May) In the 1820s and 30s, Islay’s population increased to Beach Rugby Tournament (early June) around 15,000 (four times that of today), more than the Local Mod (early June) land alone could sustain. Unusually for the Hebrides, the Cantilena Music Festival (July) laird, Walter Frederick Campbell, embarked on a spate Fishing Boat Race (July) of village planning to provide alternative employments Port Ellen Sports Day (July) to agriculture, in fishing, textile, distilling, day labouring, Islay Half Marathon (1st Saturday in August) crafts and services. Emulating one of the earliest planned Ride of the Falling Rain - 100mile bike ride villages in Scotland, his great uncle’s Bowmore of 1768, (1st Sunday in August) these later villages included Port Ellen or Ellinor. Situated Islay Tope fishing Festival around its wide bay the first house builders were named Islay Show (2nd Thursday in August) in 1821. By 1824 a quay had been erected off a rocky Jazz Festival (mid-September) promontory in the centre. It was Book Festival (October) extended to form a ‘commodious’ Regular family ceilidhs quay in 1832. In naming the village, the laird had honoured his Further info from first wife, Lady Ellinor Charteris of www.islayjura.com the Wemyss family. Subsequently www.islayevents.co.uk he added the lighthouse to www.islayinfo.com commemorate her death from www.ileach.co.uk strange illness in 1832 (she lies in one half of the sarcophagus in Bowmore round church). North of the pier was Charlotte Street, named after his famously ISLAY MARINE CENTRE beautiful and multitalented mother, Lady Charlotte Campbell of Yamaha agents and dealership Bury. On the southern side what 20 ton Wise hoist has come to be known as Frederick Crescent (family and Boat storage royal name), comprised groups of houses such as Fisher’s Fibreglass specialists Boat repair Row. Very soon the steam packet from Glasgow or West Outboards service and repair Loch Tarbert was coming into Port Ellen as well as Port Slipway Askaig and at times Portrush in Ireland was scheduled. We carry some marine spares and chandlery By the middle of the century Port Ellen’s population was 01496300129 almost 1,000; instead of smuggling and illicit distilling, [email protected] there was a legal distillery, three public houses and many www.islay-marine-centre.com licensed retail shops. continued. ENGINEERING & REPAIRS FABRICATION & WELDING ALLOY & STAINLESS STEEL FIXINGS & PARTS Contact Ross 07880708806 [email protected] A generation later the ‘palatial’ White Hart Hotel, the Islay Hotel and two Temperance Cala Sìth hotels adorned the village Guest House skyline, along with churches, 39 Frederick Crescent, Port Ellen a bank, post office and school; many of the houses were later (Lane opposite the Marina) rebuilt with their Victorian and SHOWERS & TOILETS Edwardian dates displayed. Available to boat visitors The last century added the OPEN 24 hours village hall, War Memorial, Playing Fields and housing on 01496 302021 (Andrea) the edges of the village. A 1936 guidebook referred to Port Ellen as ‘the most important town in Islay’; and ‘a beautiful town’… with the White Hart ‘one of the finest on the west Coast’! while This century has seen extensive development of the pier for more frequent Carol’s Cabs ferries and Port Ellen Marina. TAXI & MINI BUS SERVICE ISLAND TOURS Tel: 0777 578 2155 or 01496 302155 [email protected] www.carols-cabs.co.uk VISITORS’ BERTHS RESERVED BERTHS Contact: Tel 07464 151 200 [email protected] portellenmarina.co.uk Pontoon depth is 3 metres LMWS Boats can be accommodated up to a maximum of 15 metres LOA Berthing Fees (see notice board at Pontoons entrance) can be paid to the Marina officer, or volunteers who will identify themselves, or at IAN LAURIE’s SPAR shop next to the Islay Hotel. SAILING DIRECTIONS From the “GREEN” entrance buoy (1/2 n.m. SE of the lighthouse) steer north to intersect the line between the Carraig Fhada lighthouse and the main pierhead. Turn starboard to approx 060 T staying on that line to approach the pierhead. Continue to pass between the face dock and the three green starboard marker buoys to the marina. Shallow areas lie to the south of the marker buoys and to the east of the two green buoys which mark the dock ground anchors on the eastern side of the pontoons. portellenmarina.co.uk TO BOWMORE TO BOWMORE Port Ellen Distillery Port Ellen Maltings DISTILLERY ROAD IMERAVAL Port Ellen Playing TO KILNAUGHTON & THE OA Fields PORT ELLEN Ramsay Hall NORTH BAY Play Area P Public Toilets BACK ROAD CHARLOTTE STREET TO KILDALTON CNOC NA FAIRE CROSS Fire Station Post be aware of children Office crossing! FREDE NT RIC CE K Primary ES CR R E C S School K C IC E R N Baptist E T LENNOX STREET D Church E R F PORT ELLEN Kirk St John's Care BAY Church Harbour Pontoons CRESCENT FREDERICK PORT ELLEN STREET PLAN THE ARD PORT ELLEN CYBERCAFÉ The CyberCafe is a charity run organisation, our main aim is to provide a safe, secure place for the youth of Islay. We are open for all the community to use, from young to old, locals or visitors. FACILITIES Computer/internet/WiFi access and printing. Self-service access daily from 9am. Please leave money in box provided. • Pool tables, 118” projector TV, Xbox, PlayStation, cards, board games and snack bar • Art and crafts classes, games nights, group nights, movie nights and youth dances. 30 MANSEFIELD PLACE, PORT ELLEN 01496 302 693 [email protected] • islaycybercafe.co.uk Islay Islay Biography of an island (Third Edition) Islay - Biography of an Island has been substantially revised to incorporate recent research findings and island Islay changes. This book evokes the evolution of the island’s unique landscape, CYBERCYBER BISTROBISTRO economy and society. Biography of an island PreviousReviews (Third Edition) Cheap and Cheerful Service ‘Rich in new material, well illustrated and written in a clear informative style.’ Geographical Magazine Margaret Storrie’s book evokes the Good value fresh cooked meals and home-baking ‘The fruit of meticulous research… a Islay scholarly work of a very readable kind.’ Tocher. Biography of an island evolution of the island’s unique Sit in, 12-7pm, or takeaway (last orders 6:45pm) ‘That invaluable study.’ Ian Grimble landscape, economy and society.