An Islay travel report by Katherine Liney

Its always nice to read about other peoples experiences when they visit Islay. Katherine Liney was kind enough to send me the following report from her trip to Islay early June 2007.....

Just back from a lovely visit to Islay where I met so many kind and helpful people. The main purpose of the visit was to see if we could find out more information about my friend Jan's ancestors, Malcom Macdonald and Isabel Macaffer married Scarrabus in 1796. (Isabel Macaffer was from Carabus).

The Saturday sailing was superb, sun all the way and very hot. It stayed that way until Wednesday. We were able to sit outside the cottage until about 9 PM and no midges to worry about. Jan and I plus husbands were renting Coilabus Cottage on the Oa. The Sunday morning we went to the Singing Sands while the men fished. In the afternoon we went looking for Scarrabus and found local farmer Angus Kerr, a very kind man with a keen interest in history. He showed us the ruins of the original settlement of Scarrabus, plus the well which is now his family's water supply. There is a map of Scarrabus as it was in the Bridgend Hotel.

Monday it was golf at Machrie (beautiful, well kept course on a calm sunny day). Jan and Ron went to the airport to meet Jan's brother Geoff and his wife, Sheila, while Les and I visited some old graveyards in the Kilarrow area. At night we went to a Welcome evening at Ardbeg distillery. There we met Joan and Henry Mencion on holiday looking for Joan's McDougall roots. She is a fellow Islay lister. We were to meet them over and over again during the week. On Tuesday we had a breathtaking walk on the Oa cliffs to the American monument with the RSPB. (forgot to say we saw the Springwatch team at Ardbeg on Monday) In the afternoon we visited Islay Family History Society... met a very helpful, busy lady there, and picked up some pointers to Jan's Macdonald/Macaffer ancestry.

Wednesday took us to Finlaggan, where would you believe, we got involved with the MacDonald clan gathering, meeting the chief and his wife. Jan was thrilled. In the afternoon we visited the Museum of Islay life. The curator was charming and most helpful. In the evening we looked for Carabus, where the farmer interrupted his silage preparation to speak to us. Another RSPB walk on Thursday and a day at home beside the Log fire at Coillabus on Friday.

My abiding memory of Islay will be the beauty of the coastal scenery and the overwhelming friendliness of the people

Thank you Islay
Kay