From Swindon to Islay - Islay Walking Week April 2004

We left Swindon on Friday afternoon after I had finished work and drove up to Carlisle, where we had a reservation at the Travel Inn Carlisle. After a good nights sleep we left Carlisle in the morning to continue to Islay. When we left it was still sunny, but when we approached Glasgow the clouds started to build up.

Soon after we had passed Loch Lomond it started to rain, so instead of enjoying the view we just drove past Rest and be Thankful through the rain. We had a very good lunch at the Loch Fyne Oysters restaurant in Cairndow before continuing towards Inverarary. It was still raining when we arrived in Inverarary:

We later heard that the weather on Islay was very similar and that the first walk of the Islay Walking Week was a very wet and exhausting one. Despite the rain we stopped in Inveraray to stretch our legs and have a quick look around. We also used the opportunity for some shopping at Loch Fyne Whiskies, one of the best whisky stores I know.

	Soon we continued to Kennacraig to catch the late afternoon ferry over to Islay. While it was still raining when we left Kennacraig it started to improve as we approached Islay: Due to the weather (it had been quite windy as well) the ferry was diverted to Port Askaig instead of Port Ellen. As we approached the Sound of Islay the sun started to break through over the sound. When we finally arrived in Port Askaig it had cleared up, hardly any clouds were left. A quick drive over to Bowmore where we had a reservation at the Harbour Inn and we had arrived on Islay. Now it was time to get some sleep to be ready for our first walk of the Islay Walking Week 2004 the next day...

Islay Walking Week April 2004

Next: Lossit and the Sound of Islay