Islay Voices Guided Walk: Port Wemyss and Portnahaven

This is one of two guided walks that we're running over the festival weekend. While taking in the local scenery, the walks will feature anecdotes from local oral history, including poems and songs, taken from Jenni Minto and Les Wilson's recent book, Islay Voices.

“Port Wemyss, on the Islay Estate, Mr Morrison’s property, consists wholly of fishermen. The population by the last Census is 263. A number of whom have lots of good land which they diligently cultivate.” (Robert Oliphant, The Tourist’s Guide to Islay, The Queen of the Hebrides, 1881)

The villages of Port Wemyss and Portnahaven sit proudly at the foot of the Rhinns. Join Jenni Minto and Les Wilson on a stroll around them, bringing their history alive through readings from their book.

Walk instructions: Meet between 1.45pm and 2pm outside An-Tigh Seinnse in Portnahaven. This will be easy walking but rainwear may be required. Any children must be supervised at all times. If the weather is very bad, we will retreat to An-Tigh Seinnse. The stroll will take around an hour to an hour and a half.