International bestseller Ian Rankin headlines the 2019 Islay Book Festival next week with organisers gearing up for the biggest and most high-profile edition yet. The annual event, which has been switched from its previous slot at the end of September, runs from Thursday (Aug 29) to Sunday (Sep 1).

A well-known single malt fan, Rankin will be talking about how Islay’s iconic products have featured in his life and work to leading whisky writer Dave Broom in the Filling Store at Laphroaig Distillery on Friday.
That event has already sold out but there will be another chance to hear from the award-winning master of crime fiction at the Ramsay Hall on Saturday night.
There, Rankin will be talking about the huge changes that have taken place in the 30+ years of his most famous creation, Edinburgh detective John Rebus, in the company of leading historian Sir Tom Devine.

That is followed by a screening of Dave Broom and Adam Park’s acclaimed new whisky documentary “The Amber Light”, which looks at the connection between Scotland’s culture and its national drink. Both the Ramsay Hall events are backed by Diageo, this year’s lead sponsor of the book festival. Read more...

During the first excavation at Dunyvaig, in 2018, a spectacular item was found, the seal of Sir John Campbell of Cawdor (c. 1576-1642), who had taken ownership of Islay in 1615. The seal had lain on a clay floor within the castle for more than 400 years, buried below mounds of rubble from the collapsed defensive wall. Once used to sign and seal charters and legal documents, it is a circular disc of lead, carrying the inscription IOAN- NIS CAMPBELL DE CALDER. [Calder was the original spelling of Cawdor]. Finding the seal was a huge reward for the entire excavation team led by Islay Heritage, a Scottish Charity, and the University of Reading. The Seal is now on display in the Museum following an evening event on 12th August when Steve Mithen presented it.

Excavation at Dunyvaig Castle will resume for its second season on Thursday 15 August 2019. Everyone is invited to join Islay Heritage and University of Reading team at 11.00am that morning to start the dig – bring a spade (or borrow one of ours) to help de-turf and hear about the excavation.

The dig will continue until 3 September, with a team of 40 staff, students and volunteers. Islay Heritage has arranged a programme of events at the dig for everyone to join in with, engaging and learning about Islay’s heritage in new ways. Read more...

One of the perks of being on Islay is the chance to visit a few neighbouring islands such as Jura, Colonsay and (indirectly) Oronsay. Where Jura is only a 5 minute ferry trip away from Port Askaig, the Isle of Colonsay requires a bit more planning. With the latter it all comes down to finding a nice day to make the trip from Port Askaig to Scalasaig, the main settlement on Colonsay. Make sure to check the weather beforehand. If the return ferry is on yellow alert you'd better stay on Islay to avoid cancellations and the chance to be stuck on Colonsay as it only sails to Islay twice a week, on Wednesday and Saturday. There is a daily ferry service in the summer from Oban to Colonsay.

Kiloran Bay Colonsay

The Isle of Colonsay is easily accessible on foot, by bike or by car. There is one main circular road, single track, covering most of the island with a few minor roads going to Kiloran Bay in the north and Oronsay in the south. It's an ideal island for cycling and it's highly recommended to take your bicycle to Colonsay, it's free to take it with you on the ferry and you save £35.50 on ferry fares for your car. Alternatively you can hire a bike on the island for £10 a day. Read more...

It's time to share a great Islay video with you. It's an exceptional good video as it contains some crips shots from a drone, but most of all it's from a stunning part of Islay not known with many folk. It shows parts of The Oa and the walk up to Soldiers Rock, an impressive Sea Stack within 20 metres from the cliffs. The drone footage is mostly of Soldiers Rock, the stunning surrounding landscape and Port Ellen. This one is highly recommended :-)