Anyone got nay recommendations?
A cousing is getting married up by Poltalloch on the mainland, thought I might make a week of it with the bike.
Been to Islay a couple of times and Jura once - I didn't have a bike with me but I think it would be fantastic for road biking, possibly not really mountain biking.
[url] http://www.thewashingmachinepost.net/ [/url]
check here for road routes on islay and general info on the island.
fantastic place and people up there. make sure you visit some of the fine distilleries if you like your single malt too
I did a route on Islay - a while ago, it's been removed from new OS maps and it was quite tricky. The last bit was carry over bog + tussocks and as I remember (so poss inaccurate) that the path got so narrow close to a drop I walked a bit, also requires gps/compass/map reading skills as bit before path was absolutely unmarked.
Drop a post if you want more info
Cheers all,
Checking out the washinmachine post at the mo, looks interesting.
I do like the single malts, Oban being my favourite. Some of the west coast island based ones can be a bit 'fiery', such as talisker, but Jura is more than acceptable!
A cycle incorporating a distillery always works, did that on skye.
Jura is a lovely place btw, with a nice campsite with pub. But basically there's just one road up one side of the island (that goes private after a while). There are various paths going off towards the other side of the island which is quite wild and remote feeling, but in my experience these were sometimes quite indistinct and boggy/brackeny etc so not much good for biking imo.
If you think Taliker is fiery best stay away from pretty much all the Islay distilleries then!
if you like a mild malt then check out bruichladdich and Bunnahabhain
Yeah Ive tried Laphroaig and Lagavullin - phwoar! Great if you have bloked sinuses!
SofaKing will try Bunnahabhain and Bruichladdich, cheers for the tip.
Just been running the idea of a touring cycle holiday by the SO, and a positive response!
Leave the car at Kennacraig, foot passenger to Port Ellen and start at the south of Islay. Over to Bowmore, round to Bruichladdich and stop for the night. Then up to Bunnahabhain and stop off at Port Askaig. Over to Jura, stop off mid way up the island, day trip to the top end (do-able?) then back to Port Askaig for the ferry to mainland. Recon on a five day trip with days off as and where we take a shine to.
Cant Wait 😀
Sounds like a plan. I've been planning something similar and I reckon it would be awesome especially if you were lucky with the weather.
Port Charlotte is a nice place to stop with a couple of decent pubs, and a nice youth hostel and campsite. Bruichladdich is just down the road too (walking distance).
I never went past the end of the private road but I seem to remember there is a pub/campsite and not a lot else in Craighouse then only a few houses further up the road which ends (or at least turns private) after maybe a 45 minute drive or so (from memory so could be way out 🙂 ).
We walked from somewhere along that road west - past the 'paps' which are the big hills on Jura. It's beautiful over there. Never ventured up the north end - the Corryvrekan whirlpool is off the north coast I think.
I managed to get out car stuck and almost roll it down a fairly big embankment off one side of the road, right near the furthest end of the road before it turns private.
Had to walk down to the nearest farm and sheepishly ask the farmer if he could tow us out. A load of his mates turned up in a Land Rover and stood around smoking pipes and taking the piss out of us - was pretty entertaining. 🙂
Bloody glad I didn't have to try and call out a breakdown service though, god knows how long it would have taken!
Rollo - Member
Just been running the idea of a touring cycle holiday by the SO, and a positive response!
Highly recommended, it's a great place for just pottering around, soaking up the fresh air, the scenery, and a wee dram or two. And if you happen to be there on August 1st, you could also partake in the annual [url= http://www.rideofthefallingrain.net/ ]Ride of the Falling Rain[/url].
Im over working on both island's once or twice a month but only ever had the chance of a few quick ride's on them(alway's work late) but Jura is my favorite of the 2 islands as its more remote, its also nigh on 1.5hrs to the top end of Jura (Kinuachdrachd bay) by car from Craighouse so reckon it will be out for you. Cycling could be a bit of an issue on the island if the weather(wind) is against you, but in saying that its possibly 2 of the friendliest place's you could ever imagine to visit. When are you heading over, if its springtime the Craighouse to Tayvallich ferry will be back on, this could also give you other option's of route's and places to leave your car...
If you need any info about accomodation etc give me a shout as i have stayed virtually everywhere on both islands.. 🙂
Poltalloch is a nice spot for a wedding, been a few there recently(5 minutes from my house 🙂 )