Ardbeg

Although you can pick up a visitor’s mooring off the Ardbeg distillery (ph 01496 302244) it is rather exposed and not as attractive as the Lagavulin anchorage. But there is a delightful walk across the cliffs from Lagavulin where I prefer to anchor or pick up a visitor's mooring (or walk round by the road which is a bit longer). The distillery which was started in 1815 and restored in the late 1990s is well worth a visit, particularly for the splendid cafe which is in an old kiln, and the white painted buildings are highly attractive. Indeed the buildings were according to 'Pevsner' described by Barnard in 1887 as though constructed "with no pretensions to taste or elegance, nevertheless...look picturesque and are substantially built". Just like they look and are today. The staff are very friendly too, and you can indulge yourself in excellent coffee, lunch or tea. As ever there are tours. But the web site is a bit odd, to get into it you have to enter your date of birth to ensure you are of drinking age. But anyone can lie and this effortful entry sits oddly with the home page comment that they are "a worldwide family of Ardbeg aficionados in 90 countries who work tirelessly to drink more Ardbeg"! But one mustn't complain, the cafe is great, and the buildings delightful.