# Touring Islay's Distilleries Without a Car Two ways to tour Islay's distilleries on foot — walk to Bruichladdich from our door (10 min), or the surfaced Three Distilleries Pathway past Laphroaig, Lagavulin & Ardbeg. No designated driver needed. Source: https://portbahnislay.co.uk/explore-islay/distilleries-without-driving As far as we know Islay has more whisky distilleries per square mile than anywhere on earth — and the usual catch is that touring them means someone stays sober at the wheel. On most of the island that’s true. But there are two stretches where you can leave the car behind altogether: walk to the distillery, take the tour, taste everything, and walk home. We’ve done it ourselves many times with friends and family and this was Lynton’s daily commute for several years — 10 minutes along the shores of Loch Indaal — so it’s the first thing we point whisky-minded guests towards. > Walk to the distillery, take the tour, taste everything, and walk home. ## Bruichladdich Proximity You're a short walk from the pioneering Bruichladdich Distillery along the coastal cycle path — 10 minutes from Portbahn House and Shorefield House, 15 minutes from Curlew Cottage. 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. ## More Information Both are covered below, along with the distilleries you'll still need a car, taxi or bus to reach. ### Walk to Bruichladdich from the door (10 minutes) From our three houses in Bruichladdich, Bruichladdich Distillery is a 10-minute walk along the flat coastal cycle path (15 minutes from Curlew Cottage). Tour the distillery, taste the Bruichladdich, Port Charlotte and Octomore ranges — and the distillery-only valinch bottling as well as The Botanist gin of course — then amble home along the shore. No driving, no designated driver, no taxi to book — the one distillery on Islay you can do with no logistics at all. And really one of the very best to explore. ### The Three Distilleries Pathway — three (now four) on the south coast, on foot On Islay's south coast, the [Three Distilleries Pathway](https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/islay-jura/three-distilleries.shtml) is a flat, surfaced walking-and-cycling path running roughly 4 miles (6.3 km) from Port Ellen past Laphroaig, Lagavulin and Ardbeg — and now Portintruan, the island's newest distillery, sits on the same stretch. You can walk the lot in a day, tour as you go, and catch the bus back from Ardbeg rather than retrace your steps. It's about a 40-minute drive from our houses to Port Ellen to start if one of you wants to drive. Alternatively, it's quite easy to co-ordinate a trip from Bruichladdich to Port Ellen and Ardbeg with the local Islay bus timetable — a very doable whisky tasting day without a car. ### Caol Ila, Bunnahabhain and Ardnahoe This trio of distilleries are all physically close to each other along the north coast by Port Askaig, but there is no direct path or road connection between them and it requires going back up to the main road to get from one to the other. They are most easily visited by car. ### Planning a no-car distillery day Be realistic about the other distilleries: of Islay’s distilleries open to visitors, most — Bowmore, Kilchoman, Bunnahabhain, Caol Ila, Ardnahoe — do need a car, taxi, or the island bus to reach. A no-car distillery trip works best as: Bruichladdich on foot from the door, a south-coast day on the Three Distilleries Pathway (bus out and back from Bowmore/Port Ellen), and the island bus or a pre-booked taxi for anything else. ### Why the walking matters Scotland's drink-drive limit is low enough that the safe rule is simple: if you're driving, you're not tasting. Don't drink. Don't risk it. We are a long way from a hospital and although we are hugely fortunate to be served by the air ambulance service, do not count on it. Building even one or two walkable distillery days into a trip means at least some of your whisky is enjoyed the way it's meant to be — unhurried, and without one of you watching everyone else. ### Take-away drams Distilleries are very happy to provide take-away drams for designated drivers to enjoy later at home, so please bear this in mind in your planning and do ask when you’re at the distillery. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Can you walk to a distillery on Islay? Yes — Bruichladdich Distillery is a 10-minute walk from our Bruichladdich houses along the coastal path, and on the south coast the surfaced Three Distilleries Pathway links Port Ellen with Laphroaig, Lagavulin and Ardbeg on foot. ### Which Islay distilleries can you easily walk between? Laphroaig, Lagavulin and Ardbeg (plus the new Portintruan) on the Three Distilleries Pathway from Port Ellen — a flat ~4-mile surfaced path. Bruichladdich is walkable on its own from the village and our holiday houses. ### Where should I stay to walk to a distillery on Islay? Bruichladdich — our three holiday homes are a 10–15-minute walk from Bruichladdich Distillery along the coastal cycle path. ### Can you tour Islay's distilleries without a car? Partly. Bruichladdich and the south-coast trio are walkable; the Islay bus service is a good option if you co-ordinate with the infrequent service. Otherwise the rest need a taxi, or a designated driver.