Balevullin Coastal Circuit.

Start. Traigh Baile a' Mhuilinn.

Route. Traigh Baile a' Mhuilinn - Rubha Boraige Moire - Na Carnain - Carrastaoin - Rubha Carrastaoin - Balevullin - Traigh Baile a' Mhuilinn.

Notes. Another walk starting and finishing at a stunning beach, Traigh Baile a' Mhuilinn, perfectly proportions, hidden by dunes, approached over machair, with it's very own surf school. Come along you're quite welcome. This a short walk utilising minor roads, dry tracks over the islands fertile grassland and faint paths traversing a rugged, wild un spoilt coast.

We parked on the car park overlooking Traigh Baile a' Mhuilinn at Balevullin, signs requested vehicles only use the designated car park, as there was only us and a couple of surfers there was no problems. A gravel track guided us north west away from the beach and parked car, already the rocky coastline was drawing the interest of the camera lens, as we entered a small field the track terminated leaving us sauntering over a green trod. After passing through a field gate we came up against a road block, a high(ish) fence had been strung across the gap our intended route passed through, too high for short legs, we climbed a small knoll to the right, obviously other vertically challenged individuals had had the same idea, a faint path lead to a low wall, we scaled it re-joining the path as it wound it's merry way through stunning coastal scenery.

Small un spoilt pebble beaches, silver strands divided by rocky fingers reaching out into the turquoise salt water, caves and blow holes, all added to a tasty menu of coastal a la carte. After pausing several times we reached Rubha Charrastaoin, the path swung left rounding three craggy outcrops and a hollow to join a good land rover track passing over the fertile machair. With this track under foot we wandered on to reach a cattle grid allowing access to a narrow tarmac lane, a lane that ran along side of rough pastures then long narrow croft's, at the first junction we swung left onto the road that guided us in as car passengers earlier.

view route map.

home.

Traigh Baile a' Mhuilinn looking to Sgeir Dubha.

Viewing Sgeir Dubha across Balevullin Bay.

The ragged joint between rock and sea and sky.

Wonderful beaches, spectacular skerries, craggy headlands and whispering seas, the alluring north coast of Tiree, my mistake it's all like this.

Wandering over rocky headlands and gorgeous beaches with a turquoise ocean for company.

One of the delightful secret corners along this stretch of coast.

White dune backed beaches guarded by rugged headlands.

This large field was full of livestock, sheep are no problem but fearsome looking bovine lawnmowers with calves, I was not so sure, take a look at the route map our route doesn't exactly follow the track across this large machair meadow.

Back on track feeling quite brave.

Our route back to Balevullin.

Black House, a traditional type of house which used to be common in the Scottish Highlands and islands.

Traigh Baile a' Mhuilinn at the end of the walk, as stunning as ever.

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