Ardtalla facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ardtalla
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![]() Sheep grazing on the Ardtalla Estate |
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OS grid reference | NR4654 |
Council area | |
Lieutenancy area | |
Country | Scotland |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | ISLE OF ISLAY |
Postcode district | PA42 |
Police | Strathclyde |
Fire | Strathclyde |
Ambulance | Scottish |
EU Parliament | Scotland |
UK Parliament |
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Scottish Parliament | |
Ardtalla (in Scottish Gaelic, Àird Talla) is a special place and estate. It is found on the southeast coast of Islay, an island in Scotland. The name comes from old Gaelic words. Àird means "point," and talla was an old word for "rock." So, Ardtalla means "point of rock."
A clear path starts from the Ardtalla Estate. This path takes you along the coast. You can see beautiful views and even an ancient Iron Age fort along the way.
A Glimpse into Ardtalla's Past
Long ago, a famous Irish saint named Saint Columba might have landed near Ardtalla. He landed at a spot called Ardmore Point. This was during his important journey from Ireland to the Hebrides islands. A writer named Roger Redfern wrote about this in his book, Walking in the Hebrides. He also described the amazing sights and history around the Ardtalla Estate.
People have known about Ardtalla for a long time. Records show it was mentioned as far back as the late 1700s. Even then, people on Islay did not think Ardtalla was a faraway place. This was because the coastal road connecting Ardtalla to Port Ellen was quite good.
Ardtalla in Music
Ardtalla has even inspired music! A famous Scottish composer, James MacMillan, wrote a piece called The Road to Ardtalla. He created this music for a chamber sextet (a group of six musicians) in 1983. The music was first played at the Manchester University on October 6, 1987.