Another purile (sic) tale from the Highlands and Islands...

Warning this post may contain (almost certainly will) puerile content.


"Go to Islay" said my friend...

"Lots to do on Islay" said my friend...

"Lots for your wife to do on Islay" said my friend.

Yeah. About that...

Long short.

I went to Islay. Worse than that, I went to Islay with my wife. I invited my wife. I did not invite Storm Eowyn...


Islay is a long way from my wee house. Pretty much it is two days trek. Start with your back to the English Channel and stop when you fall into the water left of Glasgow. At least that is what the AA rout planner says. It was not wrong.

Whilst we had planned to stay in the Stonehouse Castle - they had decided to close for the inbound leg of our journey, and so we ended up in a wee B&B in Tarbert. Clean enough, but we needed to find somewhere to eat dinner, and Tarbert at this time of year is not exactly bustling.



We did find a small hotel which was open and had a really good seafood dish and a couple of drams. I was not to know but this was perhaps the nicest meal of the trip.

The following morning, and the ferry hoves into view. I still get that childish sense of excitement whenever I see a ferry. It is shared with a sense of anxiety that I am not holding a paper ticket, and that my phone will 'magic' me and the car onboard. I don't know how but it does just that.



The crossing to Islay is about two hours. I made the fatal mistake of 'relaxing' the moment we weigh anchor. Two days trek and we are finally here - only we are not here are we. I still have to drive on the island. I make an executive decision and hand the car keys to my wife...




I have a couple of days stalking booked, and hope to spend some time showing my wife around. My 'friend' said there was plenty of places to take her, and much to show her...that's what my friend said...

The island is (all islands are ) beautiful.

 

[Fosbery Holster]

Have you been on the naughty step all this time or was it a self imposed exile ?

Anyway good to have you back, good write up by the way, your lass has something to put up with I’ve the utmost sympathy for her.

 

[Klenchblaize]

Tarbert in October:

Welcome back!

K

 

[Pedro]

As always, excellent reading and indeed illustrations. I spent the storm sitting in the house worrying. The result was three tiles dislodged and some lead flashing sticking up at a jaunty angle by the central heating flue. Which, looking at the houses round about is better than many.

 

[Stalker62]

I couldn’t help but notice the omnipresent alcohol or distillery in most of the pics….

It was Islay.

With a population of 3,200 and (at the last count) nine distilleries, the challenge is to take a photograph without any whisky in it...



There are currently nine working distilleries on the island and a couple more are in the making! The nine distilleries are; Ardbeg, Ardnahoe, Bowmore, Bruichladdich, Bunnahabhain, Caol Ila, Kilchoman, Lagavulin, and Laphroaig.

 

[Freeforester]

I fondly recall the cuisine on Islay. ‘Deep fried Haggis with a garnish’. Call me old fashioned but I’ve always considered ‘garnish’ to be salad based, a lettuce leaf, maybe a slice of tomato and cucumber. But oh no, not on Islay. The garnish was chips!

There are other choices available there..

 

[Foxyboy43]

It was Islay.

With a population of 3,200 and (at the last count) nine distilleries, the challenge is to take a photograph without any whisky in it...



There are currently nine working distilleries on the island and a couple more are in the making! The nine distilleries are; Ardbeg, Ardnahoe, Bowmore, Bruichladdich, Bunnahabhain, Caol Ila, Kilchoman, Lagavulin, and Laphroaig.

Attaboy!
I am sure that profusion played no part in your choice of destination, like none….

 

[LuckyEddie]

Beautiful write up and photos as always.

Adventures like this, that due to my illness, are things that I can only dream of.

So stories like this, are like reading Swallows and Amazons for the first time when I was young.

 

[Donkey Basher]

@Stalker62 - do you ever get the feeling that the saying “if I didn’t have bad luck I’d have no luck at all” was written for you?

Cracking write up as usual & glad to see you back in circulation

Loving the picture of the view from your hotel window, what I’d give to wake up to that every morning!

 

[William Grant]

It was Islay.
With a population of 3,200 and (at the last count) nine distilleries, the challenge is to take a photograph without any whisky in it...
There are currently nine working distilleries on the island and a couple more are in the making! The nine distilleries are; Ardbeg, Ardnahoe, Bowmore, Bruichladdich, Bunnahabhain, Caol Ila, Kilchoman, Lagavulin, and Laphroaig.

 

[Sika98k]

Hello, A lovely write up and Photos Stalker 62 , The ferry reminds me of my first trip to Southern Ireland going to the Match Making Festival at Lisdoonvarna in Co Clare,

Did you bring a wife back ?

 

[Stalker62]

....stories like this, are like reading Swallows and Amazons for the first time when I was young.

@LuckyEddie

No rough words of mine can articulate how much that sentence means to me.

 

[Stalker62]

@Stalker62 - do you ever get the feeling that the saying “if I didn’t have bad luck I’d have no luck at all” was written for you?

@Donkey Basher


Do you know what?

The thought had crossed my mind...

 

[Mungo]

He’s back!

Glory be.

 

[Foxyboy43]

It was Islay.

With a population of 3,200 and (at the last count) nine distilleries, the challenge is to take a photograph without any whisky in it...



There are currently nine working distilleries on the island and a couple more are in the making! The nine distilleries are; Ardbeg, Ardnahoe, Bowmore, Bruichladdich, Bunnahabhain, Caol Ila, Kilchoman, Lagavulin, and Laphroaig.

Good man!
Your last sentence reads like an “Islay whiskey tour” I once tried - from the safety of the bar in my local club, but perhaps best to draw a discreet veil over that …

 

[chriswjx]

A decent meal in warm surroundings and even my wife is starting to 'thaw out'...

View attachment 404837

Welcome back! Missed these write ups.

Don't know what kind of slow cooked shank (or otherwise) that is before you, but my god I want one now too

Certainly looks like some good feeding on the island as well! Might have to see if I can encourage my missus to sign off on a trip there!

 

[Stalker62]

I fondly recall the cuisine on Islay. ‘Deep fried Haggis with a garnish’. Call me old fashioned but I’ve always considered ‘garnish’ to be salad based, a lettuce leaf, maybe a slice of tomato and cucumber. But oh no, not on Islay. The garnish was chips!

@ColinJ

I read that out to my wife last night.

She laughed out loud.

A rare thing.

Let's face it: she badly needed something to cheer her up...

 

[Stalker62]

Don't know what kind of slow cooked shank (or otherwise) that is before you, but my god I want one now too

@chriswjx

Duck confit (apparently).

It was delicious but the potato was tepid...

Being the coward that I am, I begged my wife (who noticed) not to complain.

Fun fact.

I do not think I have ever "complained" about food, and stayed to be served with the 'remedy'...

 

[LuckyEddie]

@LuckyEddie

No rough words of mine can articulate how much that sentence means to me.

You’re most welcome.

You, Sir, have a knack of weaving words to convey a sense of innocence, wonder and incredulity (possibly not the best word but can’t think of a better one).
Which as I said, reminds me of the books of my youth.

 

[Flash G 74]

Did you bring a wife back ?

Hello, No but i met some lovely people while i was there, including a local fishing club who took me trout fishing on Lickeen Lough, I also me Willie Daly and his family who organise the Festival, A nice chap from the fishing club invited me to stay in their lovely home and i went back to Ennistymon many many times, Sadly Paul and Mary passed away a few years ago, Very happy memories

 

[Northwest]

Lovely pictures, if you don't mind me asking, what camera did you use? Or was it a phone cam?