Gravel Cycling
Isle of Islay Whisky Circuit
Plan-your-own Islay riding — the Kildalton distilleries, Bowmore and the Rhinns
Quick facts
- Distance
- Not published
- Ascent
- Not published
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Route type
- Linear
- Archetype
- Island Circuit
- Region
- Islay & Jura
- Start point
- Port Ellen
- Grid ref
- NR 363 451
- Parking
- PA42 7BH
- Midges
- Low
- Dogs
- On lead only
- Ferry
- Required
Surface breakdown
- Tarmac single-track90%
- Estate road10%
About this route
Islay has ten working whisky distilleries. Three of them — Laphroaig, Lagavulin and Ardbeg — sit close together on the south coast road east of Port Ellen, and the road continues beyond Ardbeg to the Kildalton Cross, an early Christian high cross in the kirkyard of a ruined church, cared for by Historic Environment Scotland. Bowmore, in the middle of the island, has a distillery founded in 1779 and a round parish church; across Loch Indaal on the Rhinns are Bruichladdich and the farm distillery at Kilchoman, near the Atlantic beach at Machir Bay.
This page used to carry generated figures and several factual errors, so it has been reduced to what is fixed. Ride the south coast road out and back from Port Ellen, or plan a longer route across the island on OS Explorer 352 — and if you are tasting, read the drink-cycling answer below first.
Highlights
- The three south coast distilleries east of Port Ellen
- The Kildalton Cross, an early Christian high cross (Historic Environment Scotland)
- Bowmore's round parish church
- Machir Bay on the Atlantic side of the Rhinns
Key waypoints
- 1. Port Ellen
- 2. Laphroaig
- 3. Lagavulin
- 4. Ardbeg
- 5. Kildalton Cross
- 6. Bowmore
- 7. Bruichladdich
- 8. Kilchoman
- 9. Machir Bay
Ferry logistics
Book bike spaces well in advance — summer crossings to Islay & Jura fill fast. Ferry schedules are fixed: missing the last return means an unplanned overnight. Check calmac.co.uk for timetables and bike reservations.
Route notes
Not a traced route — no distance, ascent or timings are published. Islay roads are narrow single-track with passing places and carry farm and distillery traffic. CalMac sails from Kennacraig on Kintyre to Port Askaig; Port Ellen's ferry terminal is closed for rebuilding until 2029, so the south coast is a ride across the island from the pier. Check the current timetable and book bikes ahead in summer. Distillery tours and tastings usually need booking.
Island conditions & season
Wintering geese are a feature of the island from autumn into spring. Fèis Ìle, the island's whisky festival, fills accommodation in late May — book well ahead if you are visiting then.
Key hazards
- Alcohol and cycling — it is an offence to ride while unfit through drink, and distilleries are close together
- Farm and distillery vehicles on narrow roads
- Sheep and cattle on unfenced roads
- Ferries can be disrupted by weather — have a plan if a sailing is cancelled
Water sources on route
- Few places to fill up between villages — carry water
Always filter or treat water from natural sources. Carry at least 1L reserve on remote sections.
OS map sheets
Nearest hill
Beinn an Oir
785m · argyll-bute
View hill
Nearest bothy
Cruib (Cruib Lodge)
6km walk-in · argyll-bute
View bothy
Daylight Today
- Sunrise
- 07:28
- Sunset
- 16:49
- Civil dawn
- 06:49
- Civil dusk
- 17:28
NOAA Solar Calculator · 31 October 2026
Common questions
- How many distilleries are on Islay?
- Ten are working: Ardbeg, Ardnahoe, Bowmore, Bruichladdich, Bunnahabhain, Caol Ila, Kilchoman, Lagavulin, Laphroaig and Port Ellen. They are spread around the island, so visiting them all needs more than one day.
- Is it legal to cycle after a whisky tasting?
- Section 30 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 makes it an offence to ride a cycle on a road while unfit through drink or drugs — that is, unable to keep proper control. There is no set blood-alcohol limit for cycling, so there is no "safe" number of drams. (The Scottish limit for driving is 50mg per 100ml of blood.) If you want to taste, ask for samples to take away.
- How do I get to Islay with a bike?
- CalMac sails from Kennacraig to Port Askaig while Port Ellen's ferry terminal is closed for rebuilding (until 2029). Loganair flies from Glasgow to Islay Airport — check with Loganair before assuming a bike can travel.
- How long is the circuit?
- This page does not publish a distance. The figure it used to carry was generated and could not fit the places it listed, so plan and measure your own route on OS Explorer 352.
After the ride
Resupply, eat, drink — on the SCOT network.
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