Stornoway
Stornoway is a natural harbour in the Western Isles of Scotland. It has been recognised as a haven for nearly a thousand years.
The main centre of commerce for the Outer Hebrides, this is a town where the Gaelic language is still spoken. It is the island’s main seaport, where it provides a link to mainland Britain.
The Stornoway Port is the entrance to a history filled island. Some of Europe’s most famous monuments, The Standing Stones of Canlais and the Brochs, can be found on the island. The famous Black Houses can be reached easily from the port.
The Lewis War Memorial, completed in 1924, is a war memorial dedicated to those who lost their lives in World War I. It is situated at the highest point of Stornoway. Brochs, circular defensive towers that were used in the Iron Age, can only be found in Stornoway. The Great Broch of Carloway is one of the best preserved brochs in Scotland.
Every July, the annual Hebridean Celtic Festival is held, which attracts more than 10,000 visitors. The An Lanntair Arts Centre can be found in the Old Town Hall. Artworks by local artists can be found here. The harbour is usually full of seals and was given a nickname ‘Portrona’, which means port of seals.
The Number 3 Pier is where cruise liners put into port. Though limited in terms of facilities, smaller vessels are also found here. Located 4 km from the port is Stornoway Airport, linking the island with Glasgow, Aberdeen, Inverness and Edinburgh by air.
If you’re from outside the EU and would like to spend your holiday in Stornoway, Scotland, you will need to enquire as to whether you need a tourist visa.
The Lagavulin Festival Edition Single Malt and the Caol Ila Festival Edition Single Malt
To celebrate this year’s Islay Festival of Malt & Music on 23-30 May, Diageo is once again making available two special Festival editions of its Islay Single Malt Scotch Whiskies. These very limited editions will be available only to personal shoppers, with a limit of one bottle per person.
The first-ever single cask bottling of Caol Ila™ by the Distillers is drawn from a European oak ex-sherry cask filled in December 1996, which has provided just 654 70cl bottles of 12 year old Single Malt Scotch Whisky. The cask was hand-selected by Caol Ila distillery’s long-established manager, Billy Stitchell.
From Lagavulin™ comes a 14 year old expression of this famous Single Malt, from a European oak cask filled in 1995, and hand-picked from Warehouse No. 1 by Iain McArthur, long-standing warehouseman at Lagavulin distillery. This edition consists of 660 bottles.
Both editions are bottled at natural cask strength, and will be on sale at £69.99.
Nick Morgan, Diageo’s Scotch Knowledge and Heritage Director, said: “The Lagavulin single cask edition for the Feis Ile has been a great success in previous years, and we hope this one will bring just as much pleasure to Festival visitors. The Caol Ila bottling is a first for us: I’m sure devotees of this Whisky will find it an interesting and satisfying dram. Both are genuine bottlings made specifically for this year’s Festival and are priced very fairly, we think, to meet the pockets of the hard-pressed Whisky enthusiasts who may have travelled a very long way, and at considerable expense, on their pilgrimages to Islay”.
The Lagavulin Festival Edition will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis at Lagavulin distillery during their open day on Saturday 23 May. The Caol Ila Festival Edition will go on sale at Caol Ila distillery during their open day on Monday 25 May.
Port Ellen Voted Top Single Malt Scotch Whisky in World Spirits Competition
In a crowded field of the world’s top single malt Scotch whiskies, the cult single malt from a long-closed Islay distillery, Port Ellen™, was declared “Best Single Malt” at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, which announced its 2009 results this week.
The accolade (accompanied by the award of a Double Gold medal) went to the 29 year old cask-strength bottling of Port Ellen, released last year from the owner’s diminishing stocks. The distillery, on the southern coast of Islay, opened in the 1830s and closed in 1983, though its warehouses still exist today alongside the Port Ellen Maltings.
The annual releases of the irreplaceable Port Ellen are anxiously awaited by malt whisky connoisseurs and collectors, particularly those in love with complex smoky Hebridean whiskies. The 2008 release consists of only 6,660 bottles, with a recommended price of £180. Drawn from ever-dwindling stocks, the few rare bottles which are not pre-ordered sell out within days of reaching the retailers’ shelves. Some retailers are already taking orders for the 2009 release, due this September.
An extremely limited single-cask bottling of Port Ellen, distilled in 1981, was on sale last year to visitors to the Islay Festival, in an edition of a mere 200 or so bottles. They are now selling on the internet for upwards of £2000.
The 29 year old Port Ellen that seduced the judges at San Francisco is the 8th release of this rare malt. It was one of a handful of limited cask-strength single malt whiskies released last September in Diageo’s annual Special Releases series. Tasters described it as “elegant, compelling and mellow” with its characteristically powerful tar-smoky, almost antiseptic, notes playing alongside a spicy rich fruit palate.
Dead by Dawn Festival, Edinburgh
Horror film enthusiasts from around the globe have just a few weeks to prepare for the Dead by Dawn festival, which begins in Edinburgh next month.
Set to run between Thursday April 30th and Sunday May 3rd, the event features a range of different types of movies, from the very best offerings from the independent cinema circuit to premieres and previews of upcoming blockbusters.
Complementing the newer films will be a programme including a range of classic features, as well screenings of rare and obscure pieces.
Audience members are able to vote for their favourite movie in three different sections, Best Feature, Best Short and the Cutting Edge gong for debut and emerging filmmakers.
The latter sees a total of ten short films screened - both live action to animated - and can serve as a launching pad for budding George A Romeros and Alfred Hitchcocks.
People staying in Edinburgh Hotels can visit the event and are now able to purchase Dead by Dawn passes, which provide access to the entire show, for £65.
Meanwhile, tickets to the Spawn of the Dead party - which rounds off the festival on the night of Saturday May 2nd - are also available for £25.
Aviemore Highland Resort - Winter breaks from £19.99
Aviemore Highland Resort can pick you up with a well deserved winter break. treat yourself to a holiday without feeling the pinch.
Rooms at the Aviemore Inn are on offer for only £19.99 per room per night.
This offer is valid for stays between 23rd Jan to 28th Feb 2009 and uses promotion code PE3.
1,500 rooms up for grabs - first come, first served. Click here or on the banner below.
Mountain Biking Holidays in Scotland
Scotland and cycling are a winning formula – just look at what newly knighted Sir Chris Hoy achieved! Try seven of the best day rides in the world’s best mountain bike destination.
Scotland is the ‘global superstar’ of mountain bike trails according to the International Mountain Bike Association and Wilderness Scotland’s ‘The Magnificent Seven’ trip takes bikers on stunning routes, focusing on wild backcountry trails through the Highlands, and includes the longest single-track descent in Britain.
Departing 23 May 2009 it costs £695 pp including six nights guest house accommodation, most meals, transport throughout (starting and finishing Inverness) and the services of a guide. Graded: moderate plus. Call Wilderness Scotland on 0131 625 6635 (www.wildernessscotland.com).
Edinburgh For Less Short Breaks Offer
Superbreak, the UK based market leader for short breaks, has revealed a new winter deal, offering people the chance to visit Edinburgh and enjoy a number of attractions at no cost.
Superbreak’s ‘Edinburgh for Less’ campaign offers free admission to one of the Scottish capital’s famous attractions to anyone booking a two night stay from a choice of ten hotels in Edinburgh.
Among the attractions that Superbreak customers visiting Edinburgh can enjoy for free is the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Queen’s official residence in Scotland. Successive kings and queens have made the Palace of Holyroodhouse the premier royal residence in Scotland and today, the Palace is the setting for State ceremonies and entertaining, while offering a fascinating glimpse into Scotland’s royal history.
In a similar vein, the Royal Yacht Britannia can also be visited at no cost to Superbreak guests. This magnificent ship has played host to some of the most famous people in the world and was home to Her Majesty the Queen and the Royal Family.
Those wishing to enjoy a Christmas theatre break during their time in Edinburgh can enjoy “The Witches of Eastwick” at the Playhouse, starring former Wet Wet Wet star Marti Pellow. Set in the small town of Eastwick, this exciting musical boasts a fantastic score and wonderfully choreographed numbers and can be seen for free during the festive season by those who booked an Edinburgh short break with Superbreak.
The Edinburgh Dungeon can also be visited for free by those booking with Superbreak. Live actors, shows, a spooky ride and interactive special effects help transport visitors back to some of the darkest moments in Scottish history in this unique experience.
Those wishing to compare Edinburgh’s Old Town to the elegant Georgian New Town can enjoy a free tour on one of Edinburgh’s sightseeing buses, which also allows guests to travel the length of the Royal Mile, from Edinburgh Castle to Holyroodhouse.
Superbreak’s ‘Edinburgh for Less’ campaign is available until the 29th of Februrary.
Click on the banner below to check it out.
Self-Guided Breaks in the Western Highlands
With white sand beaches and mountain summits, the stunning year-round beauty, solitude and wildlife of the Western Highlands provide a magical setting for a self-guided walking break.
Ideal for couples, highlights of The ‘Ben Nevis, Glencoe and Ardnamurchan’ trip include walks to Ardnamurchan Point, mainland Britain’s most westerly tip with beautiful Sanna Bay, and hiking through Glencoe.
Stay in a four-star country house hotel, with a romantic dining award, less than two hours from Glasgow. Available year-round, three to six-night trips cost from £375 pp including accommodation with breakfast, dinner on your final night and an information pack with maps and route notes for a choice of walks.
You can also upgrade to a suite from £50 pppn.
This holiday is available from Wilderness Scotland on 0131 625 6635 (www.wildernessscotland.com).
Robbie Burns - Scottish Family Adventure Holiday, Spring 2009
2009 is the 250th anniversary of the birth of great Scottish bard Robbie Burns. Celebrate his love of Scotland with a break to the great outdoors.
Wilderness Scotland’s small group family adventure in Perthshire offers families the chance to get close to nature while trying their hands at rock climbing and canoeing along with gorge and nature walks. And it’s also based at Kenmore Hotel where Burns once stayed and scrawled a poem on the wall - still visible today!
With the next departure 5 April, this six-day trip costs £695 per adult and £495 per child (recommended age nine-15). This includes five nights’ hotel accommodation, most meals, transport to activities, equipment and guiding.
Graded: easy.
Call Wilderness Scotland on 0131 625 6635 (www.wildernessscotland.com).
