Facts of the Day:
Date: 11/July/2002
From: Port Charlotte, Islay
Via: Bowmore, Islay
To: Port Charlotte, Islay
Miles: 30
Midges: 0 (Estimate)
Weather: Showers and sunshine
Mood: Relaxed

After all the walking on Colonsay and Oronsay the previous day this day was to be more relaxing. Most of the morning I spent writing on the travelogue and just relaxing at the hotel. The afternoon I spent in Bowmore, Islay's capital. My first priority was to do some laundry, as I was running low on clean clothes and unsure where I would find a laundrette again. This one is at the Mactaggart Leisure Centre, next to the distillery in Bowmore. I was lucky and the washing machine and dryer were available immediately, so I could start with my laundry. While my clothes were in the machine I took a walk around Bowmore. I like the view from the pier up Main Street to the round church. Bowmore is laid out in a grid plan, with the terraces climbing up the hill from the shore. I also had a nice chat with the Islay butcher. He supplies the meat for the Port Charlotte Hotel. Mail order is also available at www.islaybutcher.com, I'll certainly use it when I'm back home. Postcards were purchased at C & E Roy (The Celtic House) to be sent to relatives not yet online. The whisky shop next to it is run by the wife of the butcher, it's also the oldest whisky shop in the village. By now my laundry was finished, time to get out to the beach: The Big Strand of Laggan Bay is seven miles long. Miles and miles of golden sand. I spent a while here, just enjoying the view and listening to the waves breaking. Finally I returned to the hotel for dinner and to get some sleep for the next day.