Scotland: Islay Walking Week April 2007

The Islay Walking Week 2007 took place 14-20 Apr 2007. In a way this was a little jubilee, as it was the fifth week after 2003, 2004, 2005 and most recently 2006. Would this year break the 300 mark for completed walks? We had excellent walks with mostly great weather. We enjoyed excellent and sometimes unexpected views over Islay. We saw a variety of wildlife including otters, adders and eagles. We listened to music and had the odd drink. We walked many many miles. And yes, we broke the 300 mark for completed walks, 362 walks were completed by approx 80 walkers. Follow the links below for details and many more pictures from the walks and my stay on Islay:
	Arrival on Islay The journey to Kennacraig, ferry crossing to Port Ellen, the first morning in Bridgend. Everything that happened before the first walk.
	Lossit Walk, Isle of Islay Our first walk, Donald James MacPhee took us for a nice walk to Loch Allan, the Sound of Islay and Baleachdrach. Wildlife sightings included an otter.
	Giùr-bheinn Walk, Isle of Islay The second walk of the walking week, taking us to the summit of Giùr-bheinn (318m) in the north-east of Islay.
	Killinallan Walk, Isle of Islay The third walk of the week, beach walking past Killinallan Point along the dunes at Tràgh Baile Aonghais. All in beautiful sunshine. Also: Quicktime VR panorama of Killinallan Point and Tràigh Baile Aonghais
	Islay Visitors Welcome Evening A belated welcome to Islay: Information, music and dance at the Visitors Welcome Evening.
	Loch to Loch Walk, Isle of Islay The fourth walk of the week provided new and unexpected views of Islay. We walked from north east of Loch Gruinart (Gortantaoid to be precise) across Islay to Loch Indaal. Also: Quicktime VR Two Lochs View panorama over Islay, taking in Loch Gruinart and Loch Indaal Quicktime VR panorama of Glen Drolsay with Loch Drolsay on Islay
	Sound of Islay Walk, Isle of Jura Instead of going to Colonsay we went to Jura for a walk north along the Sound of Islay. Great views over to Islay! Also: Quicktime VR panorama of the view over the Sound of Islay from the Isle of Jura
	Corra Bheinn and the Paps Walk, Isle of Jura A grey and wet start, followed by fantastic weather later: A long walk around Corra Bheinn and between the Paps of Jura with amazing views over the Isle of Jura. Also: Quicktime VR panorama of the view north from between the Paps of Jura 180° Quicktime VR panorama of Loch an t-Siob and the three Paps of Jura
	Two Forts Walk, Isle of Islay A shorter walk in the south of Islay, visiting the remains of two ancient hill forts near Loch Carn a'Mhaoil.
	Evening Walk and Departure from Islay An evening walk through Bridgend Woods as the last walk of the week, then it was time to leave Islay after a great walking week.
While on Islay I did a bit of ‘live blogging’ on Islayblog.com, my blog about Islay. The main entries about the walking week were these: 14/Apr/2007: Lossit Walk, Islay Walking Week 2007 15/Apr/2007: Giur-Bheinn Walk, Islay Walking Week 2007 16/Apr/2007: Killinallan Walk, Islay Walking Week 2007 17/Apr/2007: Loch To Loch Walk, Islay Walking Week 2007 18/Apr/2007: Jura Coastal Walk, Islay Walking Week 2007 19/Apr/2007: Corra Bheinn Walk, Islay Walking Week 2007 20/Apr/2007: Two Forts Walks, Islay Walking Week 2007 21/Apr/2007: Thank You For A Great Islay Walking Week 2007!
If you are interested in more information about Islay, Colonsay and Jura you might also be interested in my Isle of Islay pages. There you will find many more pictures and further information about Islay, Jura and Colonsay.