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Where Is The Isle of Islay?
Islay is located off the West Coast of mainland Scotland, just west of the Kintyre peninsula of Argyll and South of the Isle of Jura. It’s also only 22 nautical miles North of Northern Ireland, which you can see from the South of Islay on a good day.
It’s a fabulous place with plenty of things to do as a family. You will find excellent views, beautiful beaches and whisky, as of course it is whisky island.
The island and surrounding area was once part of the ancient Lordship of the Isles. This included many islands and even the Kintyre peninsula. It would have been easy to navigate to the islands by boat and although Islay may seem remote now, it certainly wouldn’t have been then.
How To Get To Islay
There are several ways to get to Islay, most people arrive by ferry, but plane is also an option. Read on below for how to get to Islay!
Flying From Glasgow
You can take a direct flight from Glasgow International Airport to Islay for approximately £165 return in the off season. The flights are only 45 minutes long and you get some incredible views out the plane on the way to the island!
Only Loganair currently offer flights to Islay, usually twice a day, aside the weekends, when it’s once per day.
Kennacraig To Islay Ferry
The Kennacraig to Islay ferry is a popular route across the Sound of Islay and there are several sailings a day to both Port Ellen and Port Askaig. There is usually two ferries running, however, there are often technical faults, so sailings can be limited if this happens. Arrive before the check-in time, which can be up to an hour before sailing for cars. When check-in is closed you won’t be able to get on the ferry, even if it hasn’t left.
Oban To Islay Ferry
Calmac also runs a ferry from Oban to Port Askaig, via Colonsay. It’s a longer route, but if you are already in Oban and want to head down to Islay, this is a good option. You could easily arrive via Oban, but leave to Kennacraig and travel through Kintyre afterward.
Where To Stay on Islay With Kids
Hotels
There are plenty of small hotels throughout the island to stay. Just choose your favourite area on the island, whether you want to be in Bowmore, a small village such as Port Charlotte or near a distillery!
Guest Houses and Self Catering
Check on google for the location of guest houses, there are many throughout the island. Not all the accommodation appears on sites like booking.com. I suggest checking exactly where you want to stay before working out where to book it for the cheapest price!
Hostel
Port Charlotte Hostel run by Hostelling Scotland, hostel, is a great base. It’s perfect for families, friends and groups, with private rooms available as well as dorms. It’s right next to a quiet sandy beach, with space for drying wetsuits and outdoor clothing as well as a bike shed.
The kitchen can be used to make your own meals, saving on eating out. You can read more about Islay hostel here.
Camping
Just along the road from Port Charlotte is a campsite at the Port Mor centre with space for motorhomes as well as tents. It’s open from March to November and has excellent facilities including toilets, showers, laundry, cafe and free internet access. There are both electric and non-electric hook-ups.
Where To Eat On Islay With Kids
Peatzeria is an excellent pizza restaurant and take-away. It’s a great location for a relaxing dinner with kids and you can even book a transparent pod outside to eat in!
Other options include the Lochindaal seafood restaurant with an excellent array of seafood dishes (and a few non-seafood!). Most hotels also have their own restaurants, such as Port Charlotte Hotel, which usually serve locally sourced food.
Most distilleries have their own cafes, which are excellent for lunch or a cake stop. You can also find plenty of coffee shops/cafes, including several in Bowmore.
What To Do On Islay With Kids
Islay is very much an island to spend time outdoors on! There are the usual kids play parks around and if it’s very wet there is also an indoor swimming pool in Bowmore. However, I suggest bringing waterproofs and outdoor shoes for plenty of time exploring.
This is the perfect place for a family holiday for the whole family, as long as you love spending time outdoors!
Visit Finlaggan – Ancient Seat of The Western Isles
Finlaggan was once the centre of the Lordship of the Isles. Which sounds very grand and it was for the time! It’s basically the centre of the islands before they were ruled by the kingdom of Scotland.
The site looks remote and fairly unremarkable now. But first visit the visitor centre at Finlaggan to find out more about the history. Check opening times before you go!
There are plenty of information boards telling you more, but the staff are more than wiling to explain it in detail to you too. The kids were especially interested in the new VR headset which shows you what the area would have looked like in it’s heyday.
After the visitor centre walk down the grassy path and boardwalk to the island in the loch. This is where the chief would have lived and held meetings and discussions with other important people. The Chapel still has several gravestones visible on the ground.
The Islay Natural History Trust
This is a great place to head on a wet afternoon or just for a little rest from hiking!
Children can pick up a quiz sheet if they would like from the reception area. They are several types for different ages, giving kids a chance to find the answers throughout the museum. There are lots of boards to read, or plenty of different exhibits on display. Kids will especially love the marine room with small marine animals such as lobsters and crabs in the tanks. Plus touch tables with a variety of items discovered across the islands. There are also microscopes that can be used in the room next door.
Visit A Child Friendly Distillery on Islay With Kids
Yes, distilleries are normally aimed at adults. However, there are some distillery tours that kids are welcome on too. They may not get a chance to drink the whisky, but they will learn about the process during the distillery tour and maybe get some cake in the cafe afterward!
Not all distilleries accept children on their tours, it’s subject to their insurance. However, Kilchoman Distillery accepts children aged 8+ on their 1-hour tour for a small fee. Of course kids aren’t offered any alcohol during the tour.
Take A Boat Trip
Most children love a good boat trip, especially when there’s a chance of seeing wildlife. Fortunately you can rely on Islay Sea-Adventures for a fantastic boat trip. They have several different trips available, but the wildlife trip is most suited to younger children. Taking in the coast of Southern Mull you may see seals, bird life, including white-tailed sea eagles and Perhaps even dolphins!
If you have older children they may be interested in a trip to the Corryvreckan whirlpool at the North end of Jura, it’s a longer trip at 3 hours, and twice the price. But if you want to see a real life whirlpool then this is the one to go on!
Go Fishing
Islay Sea Adventures also offer fishing trips. The age limit is 8+, but they may consider slightly younger children on a case-by-case basis. You need to phone and check for younger children.
The trip is 2.5 hours long and suitable for beginners or experienced fishers. They can take up to 12 people on the trips and you may catch anything from mackerel to cod. Whatever you catch you are also allowed to take home to cook for dinner! So it could be a fun afternoon of catching fish and making dinner together later as a family.
Visit The Beaches
Islay has many fantastic beaches to visit. Not all are safe for children to play in, with strong currents and large waves. But the best ones for playing at the beach are Singing Sands near Port Ellen, Port Charlotte (small but sheltered and great for swimming), Ardnave Point and Killinallan Point.
There are plenty of other beaches worth walking to or playing on, but do be careful with kids swimming in the sea.
Go Cycling on Islay With Kids
Most cycling on the island of Islay is along the roads, so these aren’t particularly great for younger children. They may be ok if you have a sensible teenager though!
However, there is a great cycle path called the Loch Indaal Way that connects Port Charlotte with Bruichladdich. It’s only 2.5km, but if you’re staying in or near Port Charlotte, this is a fun activity to tire kids out in an evening!
Try Body Boarding
If you have older kids who love body boarding, then you can definitely try that out here. There are plenty of waves on the beaches, we even found Port Charlottes beach rather full of waves on a stormy day. Check the weather and wind direction to decide which beach to visit! The kids will have a great time!
Buy Cake From A Cake Cupboard
Portnahaven has a fab honesty box cake cupboard at Burnside Lodge. You can take a cake and leave change in the box. The owner is sometimes there too and when they are you can also order hot drinks.
It’s a fun stop for some cake ad a walk around the pretty little village.
Hike To Ardnave Point on Islay With Kids
This is an easy low level walk around to Ardnave point, with a good chance of seeing seals and choughs. It’s a great walk on a dry day with the kids, take a picnic lunch with you!
Use the Walk Highlands route for a map.
Pottery Painting
This is a great option for a rainy day with the kids, although it’s best to book in advance. Persabus Pottery has both painting experiences and beautifully painted pottery already painted that you can buy. You can choose from a range of items to paint in various techniques. Leave the pottery at Persabus and come back to pick up in a day or two once it’s glazed and fired.
Try Bird Watching On Islay With Kids
Islay has an abundance of birds, for the best places to visit you’ll need to check out the 2 RSPB reserves. Or simply take a walk along the coast with some binoculars and see what you and the kids can spot.
I’d also recommend this app to identify bird song – BirdNet. You can record the bird song and then identify the birds by requesting the app to analyse sections of the recording. It’s also possible to save recordings for later to analyse when you have internet reception.
Visit The American Monument
The American monument was erected by the American Red Cross to remember the American servicemen who died on 2 ships off the Oa peninsula in 1918. A significant number of Americans were killed in these 2 separate tragedies. So although they aren’t the only ships to be destroyed nearby, they were significant to the USA.
Spot Seals On Islay With Kids
There are plenty of seals across the coast of Mull. You will probably find some curious seals just off the shore if you walk along the coast. Watch out for the curious heads bobbing about in the sea watching you!
We even had one come fairly close when the kids were body boarding at Port Charlotte beach trying to watch what the kids were doing in the waves.
Visit The Craft Shop In A Telephone Box
On the Oa peninsula you will find a craft shop inside a little red telephone box at a corner on the road. The Shop In A Box is actually Islam’s smallest craft shop! You can find everything from jewellery and key rings, to Islay tea towels and postcards. There’s quite a range of choice for such a small shop. Check their facebook page for opening times.
Watch Wildlife At Loch Gruinart RSPB Reserve
At Loch Gruinart there are several trails to follow and look for wildlife. You may be lucky enough to see otters, brown hares and roe deer, with birds such as Lapwing, Corncrakes and Hen Harriers too. In the winter there are often Barnacle Geese on the nearby fields. So a fantastic place to wander about with a pair of binoculars!
Seashore Foraging Tour With Islay Outdoors
There are lots of tour options with Islay Outdoors, from bird and wildlife watching to fishing tours. However it’s the seashore foraging that will probably interest the kids most!
You get a chance to check lobster pots for crustaceans, that have been set the day before. Rake for cockles, collect mussels and winkles and flounder fishing from the shore. Plus you can take the catch home with you to eat! This will be one of the best things you do together.
Walk Along To Singing Sands Beach and Port Ellen Lighthouse
This is a fairly gentle walk along the coastline, or head up the hill to go directly down to Singing Sands from the field above. You can check the route on Walk highlands, but it’s a fairly easy walk for families. Don’t miss the Port Ellen lighthouse too, it’s fun to see up close if the tide is out!
Visit The Isle of Jura!
Only a short 10 minute ferry ride away is another island, the Isle of Jura. You can easily visit on a day trip from Islay and add another island to your list. Jura has a much smaller population and is much more rugged than Islay. Most of the island is taken up by the Paps of Jura, a series of 3 cone shaped mountain peaks. Alongside the smaller peaks they look rather impressive!
Aside hill walking you can also visit Jura’s distillery, look around the main village on Jura – Craighouse, or go for a more gentle walk along the coast. Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife, particularly golden eagles!
Here Are All My Guides To Visiting The Scottish Islands!
- Shetland Islands – The most Northernly islands in Scotland, but so much to see!
- Orkney Islands – Beautiful islands filled with history and wildlife.
- Isle of Skye – Popular with tourists, great to visit in the quieter shoulder season.
- Isle of Tiree – Popular for Watersports, it has plenty of beaches and hikes.
- Isle of Mull – Rugged island with amazing wildlife, beaches and hikes.
- Isle of Iona – Famous for St Columba, it has fab beaches and hikes.
- Isle of Islay – Often referred to as the whisky island, it also has fab wildlife.
- Isle of Gigha – A small island, but so much to offer, beaches, trails and views.
- Isle of Bute – Great island close to mainland, don’t miss Mount Stuart!
- Isle of Kerrera – A small island with excellent tea room, great for a day trip from Oban.
- Inchcolm Island – Tiny island in the Firth of Forth, great day trip from Edinburgh.
Other Scottish Islands You May Enjoy
Pin 19 Things To Do On Islay With Kids
