Back to Islay at night and pretty tired after our 10-mile-round walk in Jura.
But being hardy souls (and both keen for a dram) we decided to leave the car and walk the two miles from Bruichladdich for our meal in the Port Charlotte Hotel.
Kindness of strangers
On the way to Port Charlotte, our legs were aching even after a few hundred metres, and then a strange thing happened. We heard a car approaching, and I remember thinking "How good would it be if we were offered a lift?" And guess what... We were. A lovely couple from Bruichladdich, whom we'd never seen before, said "Jump in!" I don't think I've ever been more grateful.
On the mainland, or in our part of it at least, that's never happened to us. (Also, would we have accepted a lift there?) You just feel more relaxed about these things.
Not just driving but waving
And we noticed that everyone waves to each other when they pass by in the car. Not just at passing places! By the end of our three whole days there we felt like locals as we always passed a knowing comment when someone didn't wave back - "Must have just arrived." :-)
Port Charlotte Hotel
Had a delicious meal in Port Charlotte Hotel. Highlight was a dish of scallops in a creamy Lagavulin sauce. The wine list was good, as was the fresh homemade bread.
The hotel is so comfortable and welcoming - hanging baskets of tumbling purple flowers outside, squashy sofas and a view of the bay inside. Plus the bar's got a fab selection of malts.
Got a friendly taxi driver to take us home (a tip from our friendly couple earlier) and we slept so well!
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