Ballygrant - Things to do
walking | cycling | fishing | whisky | history | mining | family history |
|leisure centre| island trips| things to see |
Ballygrant
Ballygrant (Baile Grainne) is the longest established village on Islay, pre-dating the clearance and distillery villages on the coast, and nearby place names suggest connections to Viking times.
Ballygrant means 'Town of Grain' and the water powered mill, now demolished, was turning oats into meal up until the early 20th century. Later the water wheel powered a sawmill until electricity took over in the late 1960s.The oldest part of the village, where Craigard stands, is at the junction of the main Port Askaig-Port Ellen road and the Glen road.
Walking - The quiet, almost traffic free Glen road - a single lane highway - is the starting point for several walks. You can choose from strolls around Ballygrant and Lossit Lochs to hikes across heathery hills, the home of golden eagle and red deer. Woodland walks - Between Ballygrant and Port Askaig and around Bridgend there are delightful woodland walks, havens of shelter even when Atlantic winds blow strong. Especially attractive in spring with wild flowers, and autumn with changing leaf colour it's when the trees are bare in winter you get the best views of the abundant birdlife.
With the help of the local bus service - there's a bus stop close to Craigard - you can be flexible about where and how far you want to walk, and the bus driver's 'craic' is a bonus. We provide information in your accommodation on bus timetables, popular walks and what you're likely to see.
Cycling - For cyclists the Glen Road, after a hard pedal on the second half mile, has a gentle descent to Mulindry where the road splits with one section winding its way to Bridgend, and the other to the 'High' Road - the single lane route to Port Ellen. Or you can go to Bridgend by the main A846 road (only busy with traffic at ferry times), head for Gruinart and complete your day by circling Loch Gorm.
To hire bikes contact Catherine MacTaggart, Bowmore: 01496 810366
For repairs Brian Palmer: 01496 810653.
Fishing The European Angling Championships were held In Islay in September 2003, confirming the island as a top class destination for brown trout anglers. Fourteen international teams tested their skill on Lochs Ballygrant, Finlaggan, Gorm and Kinnabus, with the Polish team just beating Scotland into second place.
Of the two lochs nearest to Ballygrant angling journalist Bruce Sandison, writing in the Press and Journal, says 'Loch Ballygrant is one of Islay's most attractive waters, and it is an easy and pleasant walk from the centre of the village' and 'Finlaggan trout ...are wild fish, are beautifully marked and they fight well.'
To fish on these internationally rated lochs contact:
Dunlossit Estate for Ballygrant, Lossit, and the smaller but equally interesting Lochs Scannasdale (or Cadhan), Fada, Leathann, Bharradail and Allan. Phone 01496 810232
Islay Estates for Finlaggan, and Loch Gorm. Phone 01496 810293 (Head Keeper) or 01496 810212 (Estate Office).
River fishing - for the upper reaches of the Laggan River contact Dunlossit Estate on 01496 810232. For the lower reaches contact Laggan Estate on 01496 810235.
Sea fishing - You can fish off Port Askaig pier or choose any of the rocky coves on the shores of Lochindaal. To go afloat charter Roger Eaton's fishing boat (day or half-day trips). Contact: 01496 850436; email: info@islaymarine.co.uk |www.islaymarine.co.uk
Whisky - The island has seven working distilleries. Caol Ila and Bunnabhain on the Sound of Islay are just three and seven miles from Ballygrant. You'll be rewarded with magnificent views to Mull, Colonsay and the mainland hills when you drive to the latter. Laphroaig, Lagavulin and Ardbeg are all east of Port Ellen - you can make a day trip to Islay's south coast and have lunch at Ardbeg's very pleasant restaurant. Bowmore and Bruichladdich are on opposite shores of Lochindaal. Ballygrant had its own whisky distillery, now Lossit Kennels, but it also had its share of illicit distillers. The most famous, Baldy a'Chladdaich, was deported to Australia when he became too successful (or careless). If you like walks on the wild side we can guide you to find his former dwelling on the Sound of Islay shore. As of 2005 a farm distillery has been added to Islay's seven existing distilleries, this time at Rockside Farm, Kilchoman. This will also house a visitor centre and cafe.
Ardbeg | Bowmore | Bruichladdich | Laphroaig | Kilchoman |
History - Islay is rich in history and the Ballygrant area is specially interesting.
The Lords of the Isles The lords ruled the western seaboard from their administration centre on the island of Eilean Mor on Finlaggan Loch from the 12th to 15th centuries. Gravestones and the ruins of the Lords' chapel have been preserved on the island by the Finlaggan Trust. Finlaggan Cottage is open from Easter to end October providing information on the Lords of the Isles, the archaeological research carried out by the National Museum of Scotland and family history. This romantic place is licensed for civil weddings. You can find out more on the Trust's web-site www.finlaggan.com
Mining - lead and silver were mined around Ballygrant, probably as early as Viking times and up to the latter part of the 19th century. Historical records show that between 1862 and 1880 the mines around Ballygrant produced 1,919 tons of lead ore and 18,4245 ounces of silver. We are tenants of Finlaggan Farm where you can see some of the abandoned mines and we're happy to help you to recognise other remains of this industry.
Ruins of mining engine room at Finlaggan
Family history - Looking for your roots? The Finlaggan Trust has computerised records in Finlaggan Cottage of all the information on Islay gravestones, and a search programme to help you connect your information with your Islay ancestors and the place where they lived. You can also visit the Islay Family History Society in Islay House Square, Bridgend. They have microfiche records of census and parish register information. www.islayfamilyhistory.org.uk
Leisure Centre - Is there a gym anywhere in Scotland which can rival the view from the Mactaggart Leisure Centre in Bowmore? You can watch the waves rolling in, study the seabirds, as you get fit. The centre has special rates for visitors using its small but well equipped gym, and friendly staff to give you an induction session if you've never been to a gym before. It has a 25 metre pool, sunbed and laundrette.
Island trips - A frequent ferry service operated by Argyll and Bute Council connects Islay with Jura, and between April and October there is a Caledonian MacBrayne ferry connection with Colonsay every Wednesday. The ferry terminal for both islands is at Port Askaig less than three miles from Ballygrant. Timetable details on www.argyll-bute.gov.uk and www.calmac.co.uk. Islay Sea Safari can also provide trips to view the wildlife and/or distilleries from the sea surround the island. Trips are also available round Jura and to Northern Ireland. www.islayseasafari.co.uk
Ballygrant - Things to see
| Wildlife | Birdlife | Wild Flowers | Butterflies |
Wildlife - Red deer beside the Glen road, roe in the woods and fields, hares and rabbits just about everywhere. Enjoy the walk from Ballygrant to the solitude of Baleachdrach on the Sound of Islay and you'll find seals on the rocks, the evidence of otters and if you're lucky a siting. In early summer seabirds nest on the pebbly shore. If you don't fancy the walk you'll find seals in all the bays on the south coast, at Gruinart and Portnahaven and, frequently, dolphins in Lochindaal.
Birdlife - By the end of April we are all listening for the cuckoo - it's bad luck to hear it before you've eaten so Islay people have been known to sleep with a biscuit under their pillow. Finlaggan and Baleachdrach are good places to hear it. Islay has a huge variety of birds - skylarks fill the air with song in summer, buzzards are everywhere, you have a good chance of seeing a hen harrier hunting in the fields around Ballygrant, a merlin skimming over a stone dyke or, at dusk, a barn owl at Finlaggan. Shy treecreepers and bullfinches can be seen best when the woods are bare and then the fields are populated by Greenland geese. Nearly 50,000 of them winter on the island. The most exciting bird experience must be seeing a golden eagle. The area to the south and east of Ballygrant is eagle territory, and it's well worthwhile to be on the alert for a siting.
For more information contact the RSPB Reserve: 01496 850505
Wild flowers - Snowdrops appear in Bridgend woods, often as early as the first week in January, by March there will be primroses and violets in the woods by Ballygrant Loch, followed by swathes of bluebells (wild hyacinths), wood anemones and then, in high summer, banks of wild orchids. In late June flag irises are prolific in all the wet places and August brings the Scottish bluebell and the lovely Grass of Parnussus. The air is scented with wild thyme and bog myrtle and the heathery hills turn purple.
For more information contact Islay Wildlife Centre: 01496 850288
Butterflies - The Marsh Frittillery, one of the UK's rarest butterflies, depends on the scabious plant which grows on limestone. Ballygrant is in a limestone area and the butterfly is known to breed nearby. It has a short flying season - between the end of May and end of June - however many of the more common butterflies can be seen throughout the summer.