Towns & cities · Scottish Lowlands
Port Ellen
Also known as: Port Ilein, Port Ìlein
Port Ellen — small town on the island of Islay, in Argyll, Scotland.
Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 3 h–6 h
- Free entry
- Family-friendly
- Dog-friendly
About
Port Ellen is a town, city, village or settlement in the United Kingdom. Recent population estimates put it at around 810 people. Address: PA42. Wikidata describes it as: "small town on the island of Islay, in Argyll, Scotland". Coordinates: 55.6294°, -6.1881°.
Photo gallery
From the Wikipedia article
Port Ellen (Scottish Gaelic: Port Ilein) is a small town on the island of Islay, in Argyll, Scotland. The town is named after the wife of its founder, Walter Frederick Campbell. Its previous name, Leòdamas, is derived from Old Norse meaning "Leòd's Harbour". Port Ellen is built around Loch Leòdamais, Islay's main deep water harbour. It is the largest town on Islay, only slightly larger than Bowmore and provides the main ferry connection between Islay and the mainland, at Kennacraig. The Port Ellen Distillery was first established in the 1820s and ceased production of Scotch whisky in 1983, until reopening in 2024. The large malting continues to produce for the majority of the distilleries on Islay.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
The area around Port Ellen has a variety of archaeological sites covering the Neolithic, Bronze and Iron Age periods. There are standing stones at Kilbride, a fort at Borraichill Mor, several chambered cairns, and a chapel at Cill Tobar Lasrach. The current town was planned by Walter Frederick Campbell and founded in 1821 originally intended to support the herring industry. It was originally called Port Ellinor in honour of his wife, Lady Eleanor Charteris (d. 1832), daughter of Francis Douglas, 8th Earl of Wemyss.
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 55.6294, -6.1881
- District
- Argyll and Bute
- Postcode
- PA42
- Parliamentary constituency
- Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber
- Population
- 810
Sources
- wikidata: Q1019330 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Port Ellen (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Port Ellen, Islay.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
Dennys of Dumbarton M.V. "Lochiel"
Memorials & monuments · 0.1 km
Port Ellen War Memorial
Memorials & monuments · 0.1 km
Loch Leòdamais
Mountains & hills · 0.2 km
White Hart Beach
Beaches · 0.3 km
St John's Church (Port Ellen)
Historic churches · 0.4 km
The Grange
B&Bs · 0.5 km
Port Ellen
Villages · 0.5 km
Islay, Port Ellen, The Ard
Vineyards · 0.6 km
Tighcargman
Vineyards · 0.6 km
Port Ellen standing stone
Windmills · 0.8 km
Islay, Sron Dubh
Vineyards · 1.3 km
Islay, Port Ellen, Borraichill Mor
Vineyards · 1.4 km
Port Ellen, located in the Scottish Highlands, has a population of 810. Our guide lists several nearby attractions within reach.
At a glance
- Population
- 810
- Constituency
- Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber
- Top categories near here
Things to see in Port Ellen
126 attractions within 12 km — showing the 24 most editorially-significant. Full guide: things to do in Port Ellen →
Flagship📷 3Islands · Scottish Lowlands
Texa
Texa — island south of Islay, in the Inner Hebrides, Scotland.
📷 4Memorials & monuments · Scottish Lowlands
American Monument
American Monument — Monument, dating to 1920.
📷 5Distilleries · Scottish Lowlands
Ardbeg Distillery
Ardbeg Distillery — Whisky/spirit distillery.
📷 3Natural landmarks · Scottish Lowlands
Beinn Sholum
Beinn Sholum — 347m high mountain on Islay in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, UK.
📷 3Lighthouses · Scottish Lowlands
Carraig Fhada Lighthouse
Carraig Fhada Lighthouse — lighthouse in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, UK.
📷 3Castles · Scottish Lowlands
Dunyvaig Castle
Dunyvaig Castle — castle in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, UK.
📷 3Natural landmarks · Scottish Lowlands
Glenastle Loch
Glenastle Loch — lake in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, UK.
📷 3Mountains & hills · Scottish Lowlands
Kilnaughton Bay
Kilnaughton Bay — bay on Islay, Argyll and Bute, Scotland, UK, west of Port Ellen.
📷 3Beaches · Scottish Lowlands
Kilnaughton Beach
Kilnaughton Beach is a beach in the United Kingdom.
📷 5Mountains & hills · Scottish Lowlands
Lagavulin Bay
Lagavulin Bay — bay in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, UK.
📷 5Distilleries · Scottish Lowlands
Lagavulin Distillery
Lagavulin Distillery — Whisky/spirit distillery.
📷 3Distilleries · Scottish Lowlands
Laphroaig Distillery
Laphroaig Distillery — Whisky/spirit distillery.
📷 3Reservoirs & lochs · Scottish Lowlands
Leorin Loch
Leorin Loch — lake in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, UK.
📷 3Natural landmarks · Scottish Lowlands
Loch Àrd Achadh
Loch Àrd Achadh — lake in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, UK, outflows west via a watercourse to Loch Kinnabus.
📷 3Natural landmarks · Scottish Lowlands
Loch Kinnabus
Loch Kinnabus — lake in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, UK, outflows west to Abhuinn a' Mhuilinn.
📷 3Mountains & hills · Scottish Lowlands
Loch Leòdamais
Loch Leòdamais — bay in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, UK.
📷 3Natural landmarks · Scottish Lowlands
Loch nan Gillean
Loch nan Gillean — lake on Islay, Argyll and Bute, Scotland, UK.
📷 3Natural landmarks · Scottish Lowlands
Loch Uigeadail
Loch Uigeadail — lake in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, UK.
📷 3Golf courses · Scottish Lowlands
Machrie golf course
Machrie golf course — golf course in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, UK.
📷 3
📷 3Historic churches · Scottish Lowlands
Risabus Church, Oa, Islay
Risabus Church, Oa, Islay — church in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, UK.
📷 3Historic churches · Scottish Lowlands
St John's Church (Port Ellen)
St John's Church (Port Ellen) — church in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, UK.
📷 3Chapels · Scottish Lowlands
St. Nechtan's Chapel and Burial Ground
St. Nechtan's Chapel and Burial Ground — chapel building, ruined, and cemetery on Islay, Argyll and Bute, Scotland, UK.
Nearby
📷 3Memorials & monuments · Scottish Lowlands
Dennys of Dumbarton M.V. "Lochiel"
Dennys of Dumbarton M.V. "Lochiel" — a memorial in scotland-highlands, United Kingdom.
📷 5Memorials & monuments · Scottish Lowlands
Port Ellen War Memorial
Port Ellen War Memorial — a monument in scotland highlands.
📷 3Mountains & hills · Scottish Lowlands
Loch Leòdamais
Loch Leòdamais — bay in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, UK.
📷 3📷 3Historic churches · Scottish Lowlands
St John's Church (Port Ellen)
St John's Church (Port Ellen) — church in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, UK.
📷 5Where to eat & stay near Port Ellen
Places to stay
📷 5
📷 3
📷 5Campsites · Scottish Lowlands
Kintra Campsite
Kintra Campsite — a campsite in scotland highlands.
📷 5
📷 5Campsites · Scottish Lowlands
Port Mòr Campsite
Port Mòr Campsite — a campsite in scotland highlands.
📷 5Hostels · Scottish Lowlands
Port Charlotte Youth Hostel
Port Charlotte Youth Hostel — a hostel in scotland highlands.
More towns in this region
📷 4
📷 4Towns & cities · Scottish Lowlands
Coldstream
Coldstream in England North East, United Kingdom.
📷 5
📷 4Frequently asked questions
- Where is Port Ellen?
- Port Ellen is in the Scottish Highlands, United Kingdom (postcode PA42).
- What is Port Ellen?
- Port Ellen — small town on the island of Islay, in Argyll, Scotland.
- How do I get to Port Ellen?
- Drivers can use postcode PA42.
- Is Port Ellen free to visit?
- Yes, Port Ellen is free to enter.
- How do I get to Port Ellen?
- Drivers can navigate to postcode PA42. It sits within the Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber parliamentary constituency.