# Bowmore, Islay Bowmore is Islay's main town, 15 minutes' drive from our Bruichladdich self-catering. Bowmore Distillery, the Round Church, Co-op, Peatzeria, Islay's Plaice, leisure centre with pool, and the practical infrastructure of the island. Source: https://portbahnislay.co.uk/explore-islay/bowmore > Bowmore is Islay's main town — functional rather than picturesque, but honest, well-stocked, and important to know. ## Bowmore — Islay's Main Town Bowmore is Islay's main town — 15 minutes' drive from our properties in Bruichladdich, at the head of Loch Indaal where the island's main roads converge. It is functional rather than picturesque, but it is honest, well-stocked, and important to know. Most guests find themselves in Bowmore at least once during a stay: for groceries, for an evening meal, for distillery tours, or simply because every road through Islay eventually passes through. The town has a clear shape. Main Street runs from the loch up to the Round Church at the top, with Bowmore Distillery at the foot of the street and a single line of houses, shops, and cafés between. Behind Main Street, the back streets hold the leisure centre, the vet, the Gaelic centre, and the practical infrastructure of the island. The seafront, on Loch Indaal, looks west across the loch to Bruichladdich — you can see our properties from the Bowmore shore on a clear day. ## What's in Bowmore Bowmore is the island's practical centre, with the largest concentration of shops and services on Islay. The town is small enough to walk end to end in fifteen minutes. ## Where to Eat & Drink Bowmore has the broadest eating choice on Islay. The pubs are dog-friendly and the cafés are good. Headline picks: - Peatzeria — wood-fired pizza in a converted church on Main Street. Family-friendly. - Islay's Plaice — fish and chips, run by Andy and Islay, locally sourced. An island institution. - The Cottage — burgers, jacket potatoes, reliable comfort food. - Bowmore Hotel & Luccis Whisky Bar — dog-friendly bar with a strong whisky list. Good Main Street stop after a distillery day. - Cafaidh Blasta — café at the Islay Gaelic Centre. Dog-friendly. Daytime coffee and cake. - Celtic House (locally known as Roy's) — bookshop and gift shop downstairs, café upstairs. - Labels — café on Shore Street. Good sweet jar selection; caged birds in the window (which may not be to everyone's taste). Co-op Bowmore — the biggest supermarket on Islay and the main grocery stop for the week. Fresh produce, meat, alcohol, household supplies. Full menus, prices, and what's worth ordering: see the [Islay food & drink guide](/explore-islay/food-and-drink). ## Practical Services The pharmacy and bank are here — the only ones on Islay. Beth Newman's veterinary practice, Islay's only vet, is on Shore Street. The Mactaggart Leisure Centre has an indoor swimming pool — useful for families on wet days, and inflatables run during school holidays. Petrol is available at the seafront garage; bus connections from Bowmore reach Port Ellen, Port Askaig, Portnahaven, and Bridgend. If you're staying in Bruichladdich, Bowmore is the 15-minute trip you'll likely do at least once — a Co-op stock-up early in the week, a Peatzeria evening when you don't feel like cooking, the leisure centre for an afternoon if the weather turns. ## Bowmore Distillery, the Round Church & the Planned Village Bowmore was built as a planned village in the 18th century — laid out by the Campbell of Shawfield estate in 1768, with neat terraces running back from the Loch Indaal shore. The plan has held: Main Street still runs in a straight line from the seafront up to the Round Church, and the working buildings of the town — the distillery, the parish church, the shops — sit roughly where they were placed 250 years ago. ## Bowmore Distillery Bowmore Distillery sits at the foot of Main Street, on the seafront. It claims to be Islay's oldest distillery, founded in 1779. The distillery produces medium-peated single malt in the classic Islay maritime style — softer than the south coast peat-bombs (Ardbeg, Laphroaig, Lagavulin) but considerably more peated than Bruichladdich. The visitor centre and tour shop are on the seafront; tour bookings are recommended through the distillery website. The signature warehouse on the loch shore is one of the most photographed buildings on Islay. ## Kilarrow Parish Church — The Round Church At the top of Main Street stands Kilarrow Parish Church — the Bowmore Round Church — built in 1767. It is one of only a handful of round churches in Scotland and is small, unusual, and worth a five-minute stop. Local tradition holds that it was built round so the Devil could find no corner to hide in; the more likely architectural reason is that round buildings are structurally stronger. Still a working parish church, with regular services. For the wider Islay heritage picture — Finlaggan and the Lords of the Isles, the 8th-century Kildalton Cross, the 1.2-billion-year-old Bunnahabhain stromatolites, the WWI memorials on the Oa — see our Islay Archaeology & History guide → ## Ferry Basics Getting to Islay isn't easy. And that's what makes it so special. With the right planning the journey is as much a part of the holiday as being here — not something to push through in choruses of "are we nearly there yet?". From the moment you leave Glasgow and reach Loch Lomond, the scenery changes dramatically. Bye bye Lowlands, hello Highlands. We make this crossing all the time, in all weathers — get in touch if you're not sure and we'll help you find the best route. [Plan your journey →](/islay-travel/ferry-to-islay) ## Bruichladdich Proximity You're a 10-minute walk from the pioneering Bruichladdich Distillery along the coastal cycle path — tour the distillery, then walk home. Portbahn Beach is 5 minutes the other way. Port Charlotte village (restaurants, shops, museum, and petrol) is a 5-minute drive. Bruichladdich's central location means all eleven distilleries and Islay's best beaches are within easy reach. ## Places & Attractions ### Bowmore Category: village Island: islay Bowmore is Islay's main town, located at the head of Loch Indaal, 15 minutes' drive from Bruichladdich. It has the largest concentration of shops, services, and restaurants on the island, as well as Bowmore Distillery. Location: Bowmore Distance from Bruichladdich: 15-minute drive ### Bowmore Distillery Category: distillery Island: islay Bowmore Distillery is located in Bowmore, Islay's main town, and claims to be Islay's oldest distillery, founded in 1779. It produces medium-peated single malt in the classic Islay maritime style. Location: Bowmore Distance from Bruichladdich: 15-minute drive Website: https://www.bowmore.com Phone: +44 1496 810441 Hours: [object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object] ### Bowmore Round Church (Kilarrow Parish Church) Category: heritage Island: islay Bowmore Round Church (Kilarrow Parish Church) is a distinctive circular church at the top of Bowmore's main street, built in 1767. Local tradition holds it was built round to prevent the Devil finding a corner to hide in. Still a functioning church. Location: Bowmore Distance from Bruichladdich: 15-minute drive ### Peatzeria Category: restaurant Island: islay Peatzeria is a wood-fired pizza restaurant in a converted church on Main Street, Bowmore, Islay, serving creative pizzas with local toppings including lobster, scallops, and whisky-infused sauces. Location: Bowmore Distance from Bruichladdich: 15-minute drive Website: https://www.peatzeria.com Phone: +44 1496 810810 Hours: [object Object] ### The Cottage Category: restaurant Island: islay The Cottage is a casual restaurant in Bowmore, Islay, serving burgers, fries, jacket potatoes, and comfort food. Location: Bowmore Distance from Bruichladdich: 15-minute drive Website: https://www.facebook.com/p/The-Cottage-CAFE-FISH-BAR-100050292438351/ Phone: +44 1496 810342 Hours: [object Object] ### Islay's Plaice Category: restaurant Island: islay Islay's Plaice is a fish and chip shop in Bowmore, Islay, run by Andy and Islay, serving fresh locally sourced fish and chips. Location: Bowmore Distance from Bruichladdich: 15-minute drive Website: https://www.facebook.com/p/Islays-Plaice-61568208287189/ Phone: +44 1496 810612 Hours: [object Object] ### Bowmore Hotel Category: restaurant Island: islay Bowmore Hotel in Bowmore town centre includes Luccis Whisky Bar, which welcomes dogs. Location: Bowmore Distance from Bruichladdich: 15-minute drive Hours: [object Object] ### Cafaidh Blasta Category: cafe Island: islay Cafaidh Blasta is a dog-friendly café at the Islay Gaelic Centre in Bowmore, Isle of Islay. Location: Bowmore Hours: [object Object] ### Labels Category: cafe Island: islay Labels is a dog-friendly café on Shore Street in Bowmore, Isle of Islay. Notable for a good sweet jar selection. Caged birds on display in the window (which may not be to everyone's taste). Location: Bowmore Hours: [object Object] ### Co-op Bowmore Category: cafe Island: islay The Co-op in Bowmore is Islay's largest supermarket, stocking fresh produce, meat, alcohol, and household supplies. It is the primary self-catering grocery stop for guests staying in Bruichladdich. Location: Bowmore Distance from Bruichladdich: 15-minute drive Website: https://www.coop.co.uk/store-finder/PA43-7JN/main-street Phone: 01496 810201 Hours: [object Object] ### Mactaggart Leisure Centre Category: attraction Island: islay Mactaggart Leisure Centre is an indoor leisure facility in Bowmore, Islay, with a swimming pool and sports facilities. Used by guests as a rainy day activity, particularly during school holidays when inflatables are available. Location: Bowmore Distance from Bruichladdich: 15-minute drive Hours: [object Object] ### Beth Newman, Islay Vet Category: other Island: islay Beth Newman is Islay's only veterinary practice, located at 20 Shore Street, Bowmore, Isle of Islay PA43 7LB. Location: Bowmore Phone: +44 1496 810205 ### Loch Indaal Category: nature-reserve Island: islay Loch Indaal is a large sea loch forming the western shore of central Islay. Common and grey seals are frequently visible along its shores, and the Portbahn Islay properties overlook it. Location: Bruichladdich / Bowmore (both shores) ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is the main town on Islay? Bowmore is Islay's main town, located at the head of Loch Indaal roughly in the centre of the island. It has the largest concentration of shops and services — the Co-op supermarket, a pharmacy, a bank, Bowmore Distillery, and several restaurants including Peatzeria and Islay's Plaice fish and chip shop. Bowmore is 15 minutes' drive from our Bruichladdich properties along the B8016 road around Loch Indaal. For practical errands during a self-catering stay, Bowmore is where you go first. ### Is the Bowmore Round Church open to visitors? Bowmore Round Church — formally Kilarrow Parish Church — is a functioning Church of Scotland parish church, built in 1767, at the top of Bowmore's main street. It is open for regular services and to visitors outside service times; the door is usually unlocked during the day. The church is circular in plan, the only round church on Islay, and local tradition attributes the unusual design to a desire to prevent the Devil finding a corner to hide in. Whether or not that story is true, the building is distinctive and worth five minutes on any visit to Bowmore. It is 15 minutes' drive from our Bruichladdich properties.