Bowmore

Bowmore is the principal town on the island of Islay, in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, set on the sheltered shores of Loch Indaal. It was laid out as an 18th‑century planned village and is instantly recognisable for the low whitewashed houses and the unusual circular church, the Kilarrow Round Church, which reflects the island’s distinctive historical character.

The local economy is dominated by whisky and tourism: the riverside Bowmore Distillery and other Islay producers draw visitors keen to taste peaty, maritime malts, while summer festivals such as Fèis Ìle bring music, culture and craftsmen to the town. Beneath that visitor bustle lies a small, tight‑knit community with Gaelic roots, fishing and crofting traditions, and a strong sense of island identity.