Port Askaig Feature Page
From Ballygrant to Port Askaig
The distance is exactly 4km and the road runs through good quality farmland and some very interesting points of interest. Just after the village of Ballygrant, about one km further down the main road is a signposted turning to the left to Mulreesh and Finlaggan, the administrative centre of the Lordship of the Isles. The single track road itself continues north to Balulive farm. Here is a gate and this is the start of a really nice cycling track, although rough at times, to Bunnahabhain Distillery, passing Loch Staoisha and some dense woodland. Just before the gate are remains of a chapel and there are numerous deserted (farm)buildings. Back on the main road and heading north is the village of Keills, where there are the remains of a chapel on the left, which can be reached from a track in the centre of the village. Back on the mainroad there is a turning to the left onto a beautiful and very scenic single track road to Persabus Farm and Pottery and the Bunnahabhain Distillery, both worth visiting. A little further towards Port Askaig is a turning to the left towards Caol Ila directly followed by a parking place on the right-hand side of the main road with a fine track towards the Lily Loch and Dunlossit Estate.
Port Askaig Harbour
The mainland Ferry comes to Port Askaig every afternoon in summer and weekdays in winter except Christmas and New Years Day. Just before reaching Port Askaig, Dunlossit House can be seen from the ferry. Port Askaig is the second main ferry port of Islay offering (day)trips to Colonsay and Oban once a week during the summer. Oban is the main hub for all transport links in the west hightlands and islands. The link to Oban is likely to be expanded in the near future because the Scottish Executive are around 50% through of a £7M civil engineering development in Port Askaig which will result in much enhanced berthing facilities for larger ferries and commercial and pleasure craft.
Isle of Jura Ferry
Isle of Jura Ferry
The Isle of Jura ferry runs on approx a 30min to one hour interval daily from 7.30am till 6.30pm from Port Askaig, Sundays from 08:30am. Booking is not required, here it's first comes first served. The costs are around £15 return fare for car and driver, extra for passengers. It is advisable to fill up your car with petrol or diesel at Port Askaig, for services on Jura and Colonsay can be irregular. In earlier days the Isle of Jura ferry was called for by shouting to the other side of the Sound of Islay, which probably only worked during calmer weather.
Port Askaig
Port Askaig, located on the shore of the Sound of Islay, is one of the smaller settlements on Islay containing no more than a few houses, a shop, petrol station, the RNLI Lifeboat station and life boat and Port Askaig Hotel. The Sound of Islay is the narrow sea passage between Islay and Jura and the water flows at great speed, pushed in and out by the tides. Because of its sheltered position Port Askaig is sometimes used as an alternative ferry landing for Port Ellen when the weather is rough. Close to Port Askaig and visible from the ferry, is Dunlossit House. This stately house is home to Baron Bruno L Schroder who, together with his sister Charmaine, donated £675,000 to help fund the £1.4 million lifeboat for Islay, contributed in memory of his late father.
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