Isle of Jura Blog » Websites

Jura Passenger Ferry Wins ForArgyll Award

Ron — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 18:35:05 +0000

Great news for Jura. ForArgyll just published their results and the Jura Passenger Ferry won an award in the category best tourism initiative. Let’s hope that this award will give the passenger ferry enough publicity to draw a lot more passengers than they did last year. The financial situation of the passenger ferry is not good to say the least so every bit of help is important to finish the three year trial period successfully and to hopefully continue this important project in the future.

Here are this years winners:
Best Achievement for Argyll: Eilidh Steel, with fellow musician Joy Dunlop a close second.
Best Tourism Initiative: Jura Passenger Ferry, with Fiddle Folk / Lochgoilhead Fiddle Workshop a close second.
Best Environmental Initiative: Islay Energy Trust – way out in front from a early stage, with Seil Community Garden Project in second.
Best Community Initiative: Lochgoilhead Fiddle Workshop, with the Finlaggan Centre development on Islay a close second.
Best Homecoming Event, Joint winners: The Columba Ceilidh Trail and the Islay Festival in a thrilling last hours dead heat and with Inveraray’s Spirit of the West Festival in second.
Best Major Event: Royal National Mod, a standout winner with the Mull of Kintyre Half Marathon and 10k Run in second.
Best Community Event: Mull of Kintyre Half Marathom and 10k Run, with the Meur Chruachain pre-Mod Ceilidh a close second.
Best Arts Programme: Fiddle Folk / Lochgoilhead Workshop, a runaway winner with the Meur Chruachain Summer & Winter Ceilidhs in second.
Best Activity Website: Islay Wilderness Guide, ahead of Islay Shipping Blog in close pursuit.
Best Wildlife Website: Mull Eagle Watch, a long way ahead, with Islay Birds a good second.
Best Community Website: The Carradale Goat, with a very close dead heat for second between Arrochar and Tarbet and the Kintyre Forum.
Best Local Newspaper: The Oban Times, a flyaway winner with the Ileach a good second.

Check out the ForArgyll website for the full overview

Support the Jura Ferry Now

Ron — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 10:01:48 +0000

When the nominations started for this years ForArgyll awards I was one of the first to nominate the Jura Passenger Ferry. Not that a reward will solve their financial problems but getting enough publicity and showing that the ferry exists, and is there for everyone to use, is perhaps the greatest award they can get. The nomination phase started about a week ago and much to my surprise and pleasure the Jura Passenger Ferry ended up being a finalist in the category best tourism initiative. The Jura Passenger Ferry has to compete with the Lochgoilhead Fiddle Workshop, Mull Eagle Watch and the Walking Theatre Company.

What can you do to support the Jura Passenger Ferry? Visit the ForArgyll website and go to the page forargyll.com/forargyll-votes-2009/. Here you can submit one vote per category. The Jura Passenger Ferry is the only Jura related website. Another Jura related candidate is the Ileach, Islay and Jura Newspaper, and there are several participants from Islay. Enough for everyone I should say so please go to the ForArgyll website and vote. Thanks very much.

Craighouse Jura in 1817 from the Canmore Database

Ron — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 16:14:27 +0000

I’m a big fan of old images and postcards and one of the best resources comes from the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS). It’s a mouth full, I know, but there is lots to be found as well. The site has several collections and the one I’m most fascinated of is the Canmore Database. The best explanation for the contents of the Canmore Database can be found on the website itself: “Canmore is a window to Scotland’s places, Canmore features photographs, maps, drawings and expert information on more than 280,000 places of interest, from abandoned settlements to the local high street, and ancient monuments to historic houses.” And since August 2009 the public is invited to add images and text to the database. To give you an example of what there is to find I have included a wonderful print showing Craighouse in the year 1817. There is a lot more from Jura to be found making it an excellent resource for historical information and a great resource to browse on that rainy Sunday afternoon. Enjoy!

Craighouse Jura in 1817

Paddy Boyle Memorial Website

Ron — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 10:01:47 +0000

Gavin from Ireland sent me a link to a beautiful and touching website dedicated to the life and times of Paddy Boyle. When I had a look at the website I must admit that it was a bit emotional although I have never had the pleasure to meet him. It made me think of a personal loss I suffered myself and the fact that life is short and therefore must be enjoyed. I have read on the website that Paddy lived that way and I think it’s great that someone created such a beautiful website for such a special person!

Visit Paddy’s Memorial website here

Jura Passenger Ferry Website

Ron — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 09:52:53 +0000

First there were merely plans, then the passenger ferry between Craighouse and Tayvallich started and now there is a website. It seems that the whole operation is well embedded into the island community and people probably no longer accept it when the ferry would stop after the trial period of three years. And who can blame them, the awarded ferry service makes the island acessible for visitors and locals alike. A day trip to Jura from the mainland, or vice versa, is now possible with the new passenger service. In former times one had to travel to Islay first and then take another ferry to Jura. It’s like the new website states: “When George Orwell came to Jura to write 1984 he described it as being “an extremely un-gett-able place” …Not any more!” A ferry service is vital for a small community and makes the island attractive for people to live and work on, thus preventing a community from becoming smaller and smaller making it harder for the people to have a life there.

By creating a new website for the Jura ferry the community makes a clear statement: “The Jura passenger service is here to stay”. The website is easy to use and gives information about the boat, the Isle of Jura and most important, up to date timetables and travel information. The ferry service and website is supported by Initiative at the edge. “Initiative at the Edge has now been established since 1998 and in that time it has encouraged and supported a community-led, multi-agency approach to achieving a sustainable future for selected areas designated as the most economically and socially fragile in the Highlands and Islands.”

Click here to access the passenger ferry website

The Antlers – Bistro Restaurant Craighouse Jura

Ron — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 21:01:23 +0000

Grahame Petit, one of the owners of the Small Isles Catering Van together with Steve Prust, sent me an email a while back with some great news for Jura. If all goes as planned a new restaurant will open on Jura in May 2009. Grahame said: “Steve Prust and I are opening with the help of the “Jura development Trust” The Antlers Bistro – Restaurant In Craighouse Jura and our hope is that it will be ready and open next April”. The name for the new restaurant is well chosen and matches the image people have of Jura. The owners have started a website as well which can be found at www.theantlers.co.uk. The restaurant will be opened all year round and is a welcome addition for locals and visitors alike. To give you an idea what they offer, you can find an overview below:

Bistro open daily from 8am until 5pm (All day breakfasts, home baking, and a menu with a difference)

Restaurant open evenings 6.30 – Late (bookings only) (a Two and three course high quality menu using local produce will be available)

Full take away service, and packed lunches

Party nights (book us for birthdays & anniversaries etc)

Theme nights (Indian, Chinese, Mexican etc)

Traditional Sunday lunches (bookings only)

Music nights (with local musicians)

Children’s birthday parties (we may live to regret this one)

Tea, cake and coffee mornings

Local Arts and crafts sold on premises

Local jura interpretation centreFor reservations call 01496 820 142 or send an email to reservations@theantlers.co.uk

I think this looks very impressive already and I can recommend a visit as soon as they are opened. Congratulations Steve and Grahame and lots of success with your new venture!

Jura in the Old Days

Ron — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 09:53:37 +0000

Gavin, a reader of the Jura Blog, sent me a link to a remarkable Jura related website which turned out to be a highly interesting resource. The website is hosted at rootsweb and is a treat for genealogists and others. The pages are created by Susan M. Rumble and are about her family tree which contains information personally researched. These pages also include research gifted by fellow researchers. Besides many family names from which many generations are written down and go back as far as five generations. Besides the family trees there is a lot of information and pictures of graveyard inscriptions for Jura, Colonsay and Oronsay.

The site also holds a most enjoyable image collection with black and white photographs of Jura, like the on attached below. The photographs are mainly about the people who lived on the island and not so much about the landscape. I have spent a lot of time on the website looking at all the pictures which is great fun. This is a highly recommended website. Click here to visit.

Isle of Jura Live Webcam

Ron — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 21:03:59 +0000

From the website of Jura Stores you can have a look at the Live Jura Webcam which is pointed at the stone pier, at the back of Jura stores. The images from the webcam are of a very good quality and it’s a pleasure to watch. The refreshrate is about one second which is great. The owner of the shop however requested not to watch the webcam with twenty or more people at a time. So have a look and close the browser window when you are ready, don’t leave it running in the background since you could disappoint someone else. Have fun and don’t expect to see too much, Jura really is a very quiet island

Click here for the Jura Stores Website and Webcam

Islay Web Directory Including Jura, Colonsay and Gigha

Ron — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 20:59:14 +0000

A new resource for the southern isles of the Inner Hebrides is born. It’s the Islay Web Directory which includes the islands of Islay, Jura, Colonsay and Gigha. The new directory provides access to all the available websites of the islands mentioned above. If your site isn’t listed yet you can use the submit link from the menu and add it yourself.