Islay is approximately 25 miles by 20 miles (40km by 32km) and is known as the "Green Grassy Isle". It has a population of about 3,300 and is famous for its eight working distilleries. The main village is Bowmore, which is well known for its Round Church, built, it is said, so that the Devil could not hide in the corners. Islay offers a variety of places to go walking, and has many lochs for trout and salmon fishing (permits available locally). There are a number of lochs on both Dunlossit and Islay Estates, which are just a few minutes drive from the cottage. There is an excellent 18-hole traditional links golf course at The Machrie.

In addition to its Ales, Islay is justly famous for its malt whiskies. There are eight working distilleries on the island, the newest of which is Kilchoman, one of the smallest in Scotland and the first to be built on Islay for 125 years and now in production. Several of them offer guided tours and include a free dram! Those who appreciate the fine taste and variety of the Islay malts will no doubt savour a pilgrimage to the origin of their favourite tipple.

There are many interesting historical and archaeological sites on Islay to visit. Kildalton Church and the famous Kildalton Cross (the best preserved high cross in Scotland) both date back to around 800 A.D. Finlaggan, the administrative capital of the Lord of the Isles from the 12th to the 16th century, has a visitor centre which houses a number of archaeological finds and a model of how the site would have looked during its heyday. Also worth a visit are the standing stones at Ballinaby, the stone circle at Coultoon and the large and impressive Iron Age fort at Dun Nosebridge. The Museum of Islay Life at Port Charlotte presents a fascinating insight into the social history of the island.

The Island is also very popular with birdwatchers and it is one of the main wintering places in the country for Grey Lag, Barnacle and White Fronted Geese, which arrive in their tens of thousands in September from their breeding grounds in the Arctic. The RSPB Scotland Visitor Centre at Loch Gruinart delivers a fascinating glimpse into the birdlife there and has closed circuit television providing close-up coverage.

Islay is the most southerly of the islands in the Inner Hebrides and has been inhabited since prehistoric times. There are several sites of historical and archaeological interest, including Finlaggan which was the administrative capital of the Lords of the Isles.