A small book, but loaded with gorgeous colour pictures of this beautiful Island in the Hebrides. Has a Useful Information and Places to visit Guide. Gives you a crash course of Place-Names and their pronunciation, so you won't be murdering the Gaelic. Includes of map, gives information of Medieval ruins, the Islay distilleries - which produces fine Single Malt Whisky. Gives you a real flavour of this delightful Island. The book is soft sided and lightweight so if you plan to visit, the book is easy to take along.

This work explores the history of the Hebridean islands of Islay, Jura and Colonsay. It covers the human occupation since earliest times, the relics left on the islands, monasteries, forts, carvings, artefacts of mesolithic times through to the modern-day distilleries of Islay and Jura.

All aspects of island life are covered here: there's a plane on the Strand; peat being carried home in a horse-drawn cart; the distilleries at Bruichladdich, Bunnahabhain, Bowmore, Lagavulin and Ardbeg; the cattle show; pictures of steamers berthed at Port Ellen; and more.

Margaret Storrie - Biography of an Island

Those who discover malt whisky quickly learn that the malts made on the Isle of Islay are some of the wildest and most characterful in the malt-whisky spectrum. In PEAT SMOKE AND SPIRIT, Islay's fascinating story is uncovered: from its history and stories of the many shipwrecks which litter its shores, to intimate descriptions of the beautiful wildlife, landscape and topography of the island. Interwoven through these different narrative strands comes the story of the whiskies themselves, traced from a distant past of bothies and illegal stills to present-day legality and prosperity. The flavour of each spirit is analysed and the differences between them teased out, as are the stories of the notable men and women who have played such a integral part in their creation. PEAT SMOKE AND SPIRIT is the last word on Islay and its whiskies.

As part of a series of books by Scotland's leading photographers, George Robertson (Lord Robertson of Port Ellen), former Defence Chief of NATO, has produced an intriguing and, dare I say it, eccentric collection of photographs of his favourite islands. And has also provided us with an individual view of the isles through a ten page introduction to many of the delights described through his colour photographs in the following pages. The photographs are not necessarily the images of the islands that you would normally see - George knows the place(s) well, and from a different viewpoint than those generally charged with this visual task. From the legs of Islay Pipe Band (really) to the remains of a deserted Islay village of yesterday, this book will let you into many of Islay and Jura's secrets that you may have missed on a recent visit, or will be eager to track down on a forthcoming one. If there is a criticism of the book (not the photographer) it's the quality of the printing. many of the images appear somewhat dull and lifeless without the sparkle of colour that I know to be there. too much black ink on the plate. There are a few obvious spelling errors in the captions and it would have been nice to have had page numbers, but all in all, this is a delightful addition to the islands' panoply. Brian Palmer

Islay is the most southerly island of the Hebrides lying 24 kilometres from Kintyre on mainland Britain, across the approaches to the Sound of Jura. It has an area of 615 square kilometres. For this book, the author presents a collation of facts about the birds and some ways in which they interact with human aspirations. The main part of this book is based on the ornithological records accumulated by C.Gordon Booth from 1968 to 1985. Accounts of the occurrence of both regular and vagrant birds seen here together with migration, the history of habitats and the problems of conservation in association with the island community are also discussed.

From the abandoned crofts of Mingulay and the standing stones of Orkney to the white beaches of Colonsay and the spectacular Cuillins of Skye, this is a complete gazetteer covering all of Scotland's many hundreds of islands, including those which are uninhabited and those which are notoriously difficult to reach. Packed with information on access, anchorages, points of historical or natural interest and things to do and see, this compendium provides information for touring, for browsing, for reference, and for all of those travellers who wish to experience some of the most beautiful and remote places in the world. Illustrated with full colour illustrations and relief maps of all the main islands, this is both an impressive work of reference and a fascinating personal view of Scotland's distant outposts.

Samuel Johnson and James Boswell spent the autumn of 1773 touring the Highlands and the Western Islands of Scotland. Both kept detailed notes of their impressions and later published separate accounts of their journey together. The account of their great tour is one of the finest pieces of travel writing ever produced: it is a historical document and also a portrait of two extraordinary personalities. The juxtaposition of the two very different accounts creates a portrait of a society which was utterly alien to the Europe of the Enlightenment, and straining on the brink of calamitous change. It is suitable as a key text for school and college courses in literary or social history studies. Samuel Johnson is the author of "A Dictionary of the English Language" and "The Lives of The English Poets". James Boswell is the author of "The Life of Samuel Johnson".

From the establishment of the Kingdom of Dalriada in Argyll by Fergus Mor in AD 500, through to the forfeiture of the Lordship at the end of the 15th century, this is Scotland's history told in narrative style. The book also examines the depredations of the Vikings and the Battle of Clontarf. Ronald Williams is a gifted historian and House of Lochar is proud to have published three of his titles to date

A reissue of the bestselling guide to over 180 species of birds to be found throughout Scotland. An ideal pocket guide to over 180 species of bird found throughout Scotland. Each species is illustrated in full colour with a comprehensive description, plus the bird's English, Latin and -- new this edition -- Gaelic names. For ease of use the birds are grouped together by the type of habitat in which they can be found, including gardens, farmland, woodland, freshwater, heath and hills, and coasts. A places to visit section details over 70 of the best sites for bird-watching, complete with directions to them and what to expect to see when you get there.

Working with the help of scientists and conservationists, including those on the staff of the National Trust for Scotland, wildlife photographer Niall Benvie has compiled a portrait of the creatures which we all think of as characteristically Scottish - red deer, pine martens, otters, mountain hares and red squirrels among the mammals, and birds such as golden eagle, ptarmigan, and red and black grouse. In all 73 species are illustrated in photographs, mostly the author's own, and described in a text which focuses upon the status of endangered species and threatened habitats, and the efforts which are being made to preserve them and, in some cases, to re-introduce species that have been lost to Scotland in the past.

This map is part of the Landranger (Pink) series and is designed for people who really want to get to know an area. It includes the following information: tourist information, camping and caravan sites, picnic areas and viewpoints, selected places of interest and rights of way information for England and Wales. Each map in the series covers an area of 40 km by 40 km (25 miles by 25 miles) and like other Ordnance Survey maps, National Grid squares are provided so that any feature can be given a unique reference number. Perfect for planning ahead and local excursions, these maps are full of useful information that will help you really get to know an area

These maps are part of the Ordnance Survey's Explorer series designed to replace the old Pathfinder map series. At 1:25,000 scale this detailed map shows a host of attractions including gardens which are open to the public, nature reserves and country parks as well as all official footpaths, bridleways, roads and lanes. Other facilities covered include: camping and caravan sites, picnic areas and viewpoints, selected places of interest, rights of way information for England and Wales, National Trail and Recreational Path routes, and selected tourist information. The main advantages of this map are the geographical design of the sheetlines to capture the best local coverage, and the coverage of a larger area for value for money. The series is aimed mainly at the experienced map user but can be used by tourists and locals alike.

Islay North - Ordnance Survey