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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Accommodation In Islay (1 Viewer)

ronjax

Well-known member
Please can anyone recommend some decent "digs" on Islay?
Somewhere near to birds ideally, but also near (walking/lurching distance) to licensed premises.

I plan on going there later this winter,


Ron
 
Thanks for that. I was hoping though for some birdwatcher recommended places to stay.
Would be nice, for example, to be able to walk from digs and watch e.g. harbour birds,

Ron
 
Thanks for that. I was hoping though for some birdwatcher recommended places to stay.
Would be nice, for example, to be able to walk from digs and watch e.g. harbour birds,

Ron

Anywhere in Bowmore would be good and you can see a lot just from the pier in the village (e.g. seaduck, divers, otters etc). In Port Charlotte places like the Port Charlotte Hotel and even the Youth Hostel are next to Loch Indaal, and you'd get a few things there (although maybe not as much as further up the loch). The following place is run by a birder (here's his blog) and has very good birding nearby (e.g. Choughs, geese, gulls) but it's nowhere near a pub.
http://www.islaycottages.com/
The Bridgend Hotel might also be an option. There's a bar and it's near to both the head of Loch Indaal and some nice woodland. I think it's a bit expensive though.
 
The following place is run by a birder (here's his blog) and has very good birding nearby (e.g. Choughs, geese, gulls) but it's nowhere near a pub.
http://www.islaycottages.com/

I stopped here last year (I'll be there April this year too), the accomodation is excellent and Ian knows all the local birders so can pass on any info. Previously, we'd stayed down south by the Oa but find Ian's place much more central. However, as Andrew suggests, there's no pub within staggering distance Ron . . . though this might help.

Cheers
Jonathan
 
I stayed in their detached cottage last October. Highlight was seeing 6 species of geese in the same field from the front door of the accommodation: barnacle, greenland white-front, greylag, pink-foot, brent and richardson's canada. Also chough, raven, whoopers and snow bunting from the windows...

Geoff

Here's the same Richardson's down at Gruinart
 

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Thanks again.
The "Port Charlotte Hotel "wants £95 for a single room and £150 for a double. "full Scottish Breakfast" though they trumpet, as if what is basically a big fry up each morning justifies being ripped off, and this hotel isn't the dearest one on the island.

I'm looking to stay 5 nights and ain't prepared to pay Islay hotel prices. I couldn't face 5 "full Scottish" (or English) breakfasts either.

B and B and pub/restaraunt evening meal it must be. Self catering okay if with a group but not so if on one's own or even in my case with wife.

Ron
 
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