# Port Ellen, Islay Port Ellen is Islay's south-coast ferry port and the gateway to Ardbeg, Lagavulin and Laphroaig. The Copper Still café, SeaSalt Bistro, the Kildalton Cross walk, and the Oa peninsula — all from a local host's perspective. Source: https://portbahnislay.co.uk/explore-islay/port-ellen > Port Ellen is the south-coast ferry port and the gateway to Islay's most celebrated distillery cluster. ## Port Ellen — The South-Coast Ferry Port Port Ellen is the south-coast ferry port and the gateway to Islay's most celebrated distillery cluster. From the terminal it's a 10-minute drive east along the coast road to Laphroaig, Lagavulin, and Ardbeg — three of the most famous names in Islay whisky, all within 10 minutes of each other. Port Ellen sits 45 minutes south-east of our Bruichladdich properties. The village itself is the south's working town: a handful of restaurants and cafés on the seafront, the Co-op for groceries, and the freshly reopened Port Ellen Distillery — one of whisky's most storied lost distilleries, silent from 1983 and back in production from 2024. ## What's in Port Ellen ## Where to Eat & Drink The Copper Still — A café by the ferry terminal run by Marie and Joe. Home-roasted coffee, handmade deli sandwiches, cakes, soup, and what they describe as the best brownies on the planet. The best café on Islay. Open from breakfast through lunch. SeaSalt Bistro — On the Port Ellen waterfront, serving pizza, pasta, seafood, and steaks. A good south-coast dinner option. Port Ellen Co-op — The smaller of the island's two Co-op supermarkets, on the seafront. Useful for stocking up if you arrive late on the ferry or are doing a south-coast day. ## What Else You'll Find The seafront has the ferry terminal, the Co-op, the cafés and bistro, public toilets, and a small playground. Port Ellen Distillery sits at the head of the bay; the malting buildings are visible from the seafront walk. The pier and harbour are working, and the seafront walk towards them is a 10-minute stretch worth taking before getting in the car for the distillery run east. ## South Coast Distilleries, Kildalton & The Oa ## The South Coast Whisky Cluster From Port Ellen, the coast road east runs through three of the world's most photographed distilleries. Laphroaig, Lagavulin, and Ardbeg sit in that order along a single stretch of shoreline — each with their own visitor centre, café, and shop. A full south-coast distillery day is one of the best on Islay. ## The Kildalton Cross and Walk Beyond Ardbeg, the road continues to Kildalton — home to the 8th-century Kildalton Cross, by consensus the finest surviving Early Christian carved cross in Scotland. The Three Distilleries Pathway runs along the shoreline from Port Ellen past Laphroaig, Lagavulin, and Ardbeg — 3.5 miles one way, excellent on foot or by bike. From Kildalton itself, the Kildalton Shoreline Walk continues for a further 1.5 miles to Ardmore Point — a quieter, lovelier stretch of coast that pairs the carved cross with a short shoreline ramble. ## The Oa and Singing Sands Beyond the village to the south-west, the Oa peninsula holds the American Monument — built by the American Red Cross in 1920 to commemorate the US troops lost when the Tuscania and Otranto sank off Islay during WWI. The clifftop circular from the RSPB car park is 2.2 miles and one of the most exposed but rewarding walks on the island. Closer to the village, the Singing Sands walk leads to a remote beach where the dry sand emits a distinctive squeak underfoot — 45-60 minutes round trip from the cemetery at NR 343 455. Port Ellen is 45 minutes from our Bruichladdich properties. A south-coast day from there is a long but full day — distilleries in the morning, lunch at Ardbeg or back at The Copper Still, a walk after. ## 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 ### Port Ellen Category: village Island: islay Port Ellen is a village on the south coast of Islay, the arrival point for the CalMac ferry from Kennacraig (2 hours 20 minutes crossing). It has shops, cafés, restaurants, and access to the south coast distillery cluster. Location: Port Ellen Distance from Bruichladdich: 45-minute drive ### Port Ellen Ferry Terminal Category: transport Island: islay Port Ellen Ferry Terminal is the southern CalMac arrival/departure point on Islay, 40 minutes' drive from Bruichladdich. It receives ferries from Kennacraig (2 hours 20 minutes). Location: Port Ellen Distance from Bruichladdich: 40-minute drive Website: https://www.calmac.co.uk Phone: +44 1496 302209 ### Port Ellen Distillery Category: distillery Island: islay Port Ellen Distillery is located near Port Ellen on the south coast of Islay. It reopened in 2024 after decades of closure, making it the newest operational distillery in the south coast cluster. Location: Port Ellen Distance from Bruichladdich: ~45-minute drive Website: https://www.malts.com/en-gb/distilleries/port-ellen Hours: [object Object] ### The Copper Still Category: cafe Island: islay The Copper Still is a café and deli in Port Ellen, Islay, located by the CalMac ferry terminal, run by Marie and Joe, serving home-roasted coffee, deli sandwiches, cakes, and soup. Location: Port Ellen Distance from Bruichladdich: 45-minute drive Website: https://www.facebook.com/CopperStillCoffeeIslay/?locale=en_GB Phone: +44 1496 302513 Hours: [object Object] ### SeaSalt Bistro Category: restaurant Island: islay SeaSalt Bistro is a waterfront restaurant in Port Ellen, Islay, serving pizza, pasta, seafood, and steaks. Location: Port Ellen Distance from Bruichladdich: 45-minute drive Website: https://www.seasaltbistro.co.uk Phone: +44 1496 300300 Hours: [object Object],[object Object],[object Object] ### Port Ellen Co-op Category: cafe Island: islay Co-op supermarket in Port Ellen village. The most convenient food shopping stop for guests arriving at Port Ellen ferry terminal. Location: Port Ellen Website: https://www.coop.co.uk/store-finder/PA42-7BE/75-frederick-crescent Phone: 01496 302446 Hours: [object Object] ### Port Ellen Town Beach Category: beach Island: islay Port Ellen town beach is a convenient sandy beach adjacent to the CalMac ferry terminal in Port Ellen, Islay. Location: Port Ellen ### Ardbeg Distillery Category: distillery Island: islay Ardbeg Distillery is located on the south coast of Islay near Port Ellen, producing heavily peated single malt Scotch whisky. It is part of the south coast distillery cluster alongside Lagavulin and Laphroaig. Location: Port Ellen area (south coast) Distance from Bruichladdich: ~45-minute drive (south coast) Website: https://www.ardbeg.com Phone: +44 1496 302244 Hours: [object Object],[object Object] ### Lagavulin Distillery Category: distillery Island: islay Lagavulin Distillery is located on the south coast of Islay near Port Ellen, producing medium-to-heavily peated single malt Scotch whisky in the classic Islay maritime style. Location: Port Ellen area (south coast) Distance from Bruichladdich: ~45-minute drive Website: https://www.malts.com/en-gb/distilleries/lagavulin Phone: +44 1496 302749 Hours: [object Object],[object Object],[object Object] ### Laphroaig Distillery Category: distillery Island: islay Laphroaig Distillery is located on the south coast of Islay near Port Ellen, producing one of the most heavily peated and distinctively medicinal single malt Scotch whiskies in the world. Location: Port Ellen area (south coast) Distance from Bruichladdich: ~45-minute drive Website: https://www.laphroaig.com Phone: +44 1496 302418 Hours: [object Object],[object Object] ### Kildalton Cross Category: heritage Island: islay Kildalton Cross is an 8th-century carved ringed high cross at Kildalton Church on the south-east coast of Islay, widely considered one of the finest examples of Early Christian carved stonework in Scotland. It stands in its original outdoor location. Location: Kildalton, south-east Islay (near Ardbeg) Distance from Bruichladdich: ~50-minute drive ### Kildalton Shoreline Walk (Kildalton to Ardmore) Category: route Island: islay The Kildalton Shoreline Walk is a 1.5-mile (2.5 km) coastal path running from Kildalton Cross to Ardmore Point on the south-east coast of Islay. A quiet, easy stretch of shoreline pairing the 8th-century carved cross with a short coastal ramble — one of the loveliest short walks on the south coast. Location: Kildalton, south-east Islay Distance from Bruichladdich: 50-minute drive to Kildalton ### American Monument, The Oa Category: heritage Island: islay The American Monument stands on the clifftop of the Oa peninsula on Islay, commemorating the hundreds of US soldiers lost when the troopships Tuscania and Otranto sank off the Oa in 1918. The memorial was unveiled in 1920 by the American Red Cross. Views extend to Ireland on clear days. A 20-minute walk from the RSPB car park. Location: The Oa, south-west Islay Distance from Bruichladdich: 35–40 minute drive + 20-minute walk ### The Oa — American Monument Circular Category: route Island: islay The Oa circular walk is a 2.2-mile moderate route from the RSPB car park at PA42 7AU to the American Monument on the clifftop of the Oa peninsula, Islay. The monument commemorates US soldiers lost when the troopships Tuscania and Otranto sank off the Oa in 1918. Location: The Oa, south-west Islay Distance from Bruichladdich: 35–40 minute drive ### Singing Sands Category: beach Island: islay Singing Sands (locally also called Tràigh Bhàn — a common Gaelic 'white beach' name) is a remote beach at Kilnaughton Bay near Port Ellen on Islay's south coast, where the dry sand squeaks distinctively underfoot — a phenomenon caused by quartz grain resonance. This is the beach Ardbeg's 19-year-old single malt is named for. A separate beach on Islay's NW Rhinns coast also carries the Tràigh Bhàn name. Worth the walk to reach it. Location: Near Port Ellen, south Islay ### Singing Sands Walk Category: route Island: islay The Singing Sands walk is a 45–60 minute return coastal path to Singing Sands (locally also called Tràigh Bhàn — a common Gaelic 'white beach' name shared with a separate remote beach on Islay's NW Rhinns coast), a beach at Kilnaughton Bay on the south coast of Islay, just outside Port Ellen. The dry sand emits a distinctive squeaking sound underfoot. This is the beach Ardbeg's 19-year-old single malt is named for. Access via the Oa road south of Port Ellen; parking by cemetery at grid reference NR343455. Location: Near Port Ellen, south Islay Distance from Bruichladdich: 30–35 minute drive ### Kilnaughton Bay Category: beach Island: islay Kilnaughton Bay is a shallow, sandy beach near Port Ellen on the south coast of Islay, suitable for families and safe for swimming. Location: Port Ellen area Distance from Bruichladdich: ~45-minute drive ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is there to do in Port Ellen on Islay? Port Ellen is where the CalMac ferry arrives on the south coast of Islay — 45 minutes from our Bruichladdich properties. Beyond the ferry, it is the starting point for the south coast distillery cluster: Laphroaig, Lagavulin, and Ardbeg are all within 10 minutes' drive east, and Port Ellen Distillery reopened in 2024. Port Ellen has a Co-op supermarket (slightly smaller than the Bowmore branch but well-stocked) and a Spar with a deli, specialty food and a zero-waste refill section — useful if you're staying on the south coast or need to top up before the ferry. The Copper Still café by the ferry terminal serves excellent coffee and food — our guests always stop there on a south coast day. SeaSalt Bistro on the waterfront is a good dinner option if you're spending the evening on the south coast. Kilnaughton Bay near Port Ellen has a safe sandy beach suitable for families. Port Ellen itself is a functional port town rather than a picturesque village, but its position as the gateway to the best whisky drive on the island makes it essential to know.