The road around Loch Indaal
Every Islay visitor will sooner or later drive along the shores of Loch Indaal. The A846 from Bowmore to Bridgend and the A847 from Bridgend to Portnahaven are the roads leading along Loch Indaal.

Loch Indaal
Loch Indaal stretches roughly from the Mull of Oa in the east to Rinns Point in the west and offers miles and miles of beautiful unspoilt beaches which are great to discover and are safe for bathing. The shores of Loch Indaal are approximately 35 miles long and show a big variety in landscapes, such as the high cliffs in Lower Killeyan, the 7 miles of sandy beach at Laggan Bay, the beaches at head of Loch Indaal near Black Rock, and the rocky beaches from Bruichladdich to Rinns point. But they all have their own charm and special characteristics. Views change just as fast as the weather, making sure there is always something interesting to watch. Because Loch Indaal is very shallow the bay never had any importance for the Royal Navy, but was used by the Air force for their flying boats during WW II. Large ships arent able to enter Loch Indaal towards the harbour of Bowmore, leaving Bowmore harbour for the fisherman and recreational boats. The only larger ships that enter Loch Indaal are the ships that dock at the Bruichladdich Distillery pier. The most beautiful part of Loch Indaal is probably the part from Bridgend to Bruichladdich where miles of great and very accessible beaches are waiting to be explored and the views towards Bowmore are some of the finest on Islay. The Bruichladdich distillery has webcams installed and two of them are pointed at Loch Indaal offering live views. Dont miss them!

Wildlife
The whole coast line of Loch Indaal is famous for its rich wildlife. Birds can be seen from almost any location and the most common species are oystercatchers, (arctic)terns, gulls, eiderducks and lots of other waders. In the wintertime the geese roost by their thousands on the mud flats near Bridgend. Roughly between Bridgend and Bruichladdich is an area of raised beaches, remains from the last Ice Age when huge masses of ice were compressing the lands underneath. When the ice melted the lands raised leaving the raised beaches, in fact, this process still contuinues today.