20 Attractions to Explore Near Bowmore Distillery

Kilchoman is a small-scale, farm-based distillery located at Rockside Farm, not far from Bruichladdich. It produces produces single malt Scotch whisky and it uses barley grown on site at Rockside Farm and malted at the distillery, as well as malt from the Port Ellen maltings and releases separate bottlings depending on the source of the grain.

Finlaggan is a historic site on Eilean Mòr in Loch Finlaggan. The Loch, the island, and Finlaggan Castle lie around two kilometres to the northwest of Ballygrant on Islay. The Finlaggan Trust maintains the site and also refurbished a derelict cottage that has been converted into a comprehensive museum. The centre contains numerous artefacts discovered during archaeological excavations: from a sheep wool quilted aketon, worn under armour, to an ancient cross related to the lords.

Caol Ila is the largest of the eight working distilleries on the island of Islay. In 1986, the distillery became part of the United Distillers conglomerate, leading to the first “semi-official” bottling range in 1989, Flora & Fauna.

Laphroaig Distillery is beautifully situated in the south of Islay and is one of the three "Kildalton Distilleries". Laphroaig is considered one of the most strongly flavored of all scotch whiskies, and is generally aged to 10 years. The distillery and brand are owned and operated by Beam Suntory, the American subsidiary of Japan's Suntory Holdings.

The Lagavulin distillery on Islay is home to perhaps one of Scotland's most famous Whiskies. It can be found sitting quietly in its small and beautiful bay, within view of the Dunyvaig Castle ruins. Lagavulin is known for its producer's use of a slow distillation speed and pear shaped pot stills. The two wash stills have a capacity of 11,000 litres and the two spirit stills of 12,500 litres each.

Ardbeg is one of the most famous distilleries on the Isle of Islay. The distillery is owned by Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy, and produces a heavily peated Islay whisky. The distillery uses malted barley sourced from the maltings in Port Ellen. Compared to other Islay Malts Ardbeg doesn’t focus on the sea and salt tastes. They rather focus on aromas of spices, malt or sweet tones like vanilla and chocolate.

Jura distillery is a Scotch whisky distillery on the island of Jura in the Inner Hebrides off the West Coast of Scotland. The distillery is owned by Glasgow founded and based Whyte and Mackay, which in turn is owned by Philippines-based Emperador Inc. The distillery was founded by the Laird of Jura, Archibald Campbell in 1810.

The Paps of Jura are three mountains on the western side of the island of Jura. They are steep-sided quartzite hills with distinctive conical shapes resembling breasts. The word pap is an ancient word of Old Norse origin for the breast. One of the simplest routes of ascent starts from Craighouse. The route of the annual Isle of Jura Fell Race includes all three Paps and four other hills.

Oronsay is asmall tidal island south of Colonsay in the Scottish Inner Hebrides with an area of 543 hectares. The island has no facilities for visitors and is now privately owned. There is a small grass air strip south of the priory that "fights a losing battle with the rabbits. A beautiful natural location which was blessed with antureal beauty and also there are so many other things to see.

A beatuiful botanical garden set on the Scottish Island of Gigha with its white sandy beaches and breathtaking scenery. This 54-acre Gardens hosts many notable and unusual plants and trees from around the world and It specialises in tender rhododendrons. The gardens include specimens of southern rātā from New Zealand, Montezuma pine from Central America, Puya alpestris from the Andes, and Wollemia nobilis from Australia.

A majestic historical ruin located on the eastern shore of Loch Sween, in Knapdale. Castle Sween is thought to be one of the earliest stone castles built in Scotland, having been built in the late 11th century. The castle's towers were later additions to wooden structures which have since vanished. To its west is a small islet cleared to act as a boat landing, illustrating the vital importance of the sea as a major transport link.

Tarbert Castle is a ruined 13th-century royal castle of enclosure, which was extended in the 14th century, by the addition of an outer bailey with towers. The castle overlooks the harbour and although pre 14th century in construction, the tower dates back to 1494 and the visit of James IV to the Western Highlands. There are only a couple of standing walls left. The castle has a very commanding view of the water approaches.

Erraid is a tidal island approximately one mile square located in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. The island features a disused signal station for the lighthouses on Dubh Artach and Skerryvore and a row of cottages built for the lighthouse keepers. The island is privately owned and is home to an intentional community, part of the Findhorn Foundation.

Skipness Castle stands on the east side of the Kintyre peninsula in Scotland, near the village of Skipness. Together with the nearby Kilbrannan Chapel it is a scheduled ancient monument. It is impressive as it has managed to survive for more than seven centuries in a surprisingly intact state. The original structure was a basic two-storey Hall House surrounded by a small curtain wall.

A beautiful tidal island, which sits in the mouth of Campbeltown Loch and provides fantastic views of the town and over to Arran and the Ailsa Craig on a clear day. It was linked to the mainland by a natural shingle causeway called the Dhorlin near Campbeltown at low tide. The island is also known for its seven caves, one of which contains a life size cave painting depicting the crucifixion, painted in 1887 by local artist Archibald MacKinnon.

A wonderful waterway to explore by canoe or kayak, surrounded by the stunning scenery of Argyll & Bute. The nine-mile-long canal links Ardrishaig at the Firth of Clyde with the picturesque village of Crinan and the spectacular scenery of Scotland’s west coast. The Crinan also offers the chance to see some incredible wildlife. Visitors can catch a glimpse of deer and rare red squirrels in the surrounding pine forests.

The Ross of Mull is the largest peninsula of the Isle of Mull. The Ross of Mull is definitely a playground for the outdoor enthusiast offering bouldering and rock climbing, walking, cycling and kayaking amongst other sports and activities. Historically the area's main industries consisted of crofting, fishing, kelp, and granite quarries.

Dunadd is a hillfort in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, dating from the Iron Age and early medieval period and is believed to be the capital of the ancient kingdom of Dál Riata. Dal Riata was a kingdom, that appeared in Argyll in the early centuries AD, after the Romans had abandoned Scotland.

Lochranza Castle is one of three fortifications on the Isle of Arran and is located on the north end of the island upon a gravel spit jutting out into Loch Ranza. The castle originally took the form of a two storey hall house and would have been similar in style to contemporary MacSween strongholds at Skipness and Sween. The entrance was originally on the first floor providing direct access into the Great Hall and the Lordly accommodation. The ground floor consisted of storage.