Coral Beaches from Glen Claigan.

Start. Claigan.

Route. Claigan - Camas Ban - Coral Beaches - Groban na Sgeire - Cnoc Mor a' Ghrobain - Coral beaches - Camas Ban - Claigan.

Notes. Constructed of white shale and desiccated sun-bleached algae millions of years old the Coral Beaches are a must see whilst on the Isle of Skye. Locally known as “a wee gem” all you have to do is brave the four miles of rough in places single track road from Dunvegan, the road ended abruptly at a busy car park.

We found a space and slotted the car in (hoping we would be able to get it out on our return), at the west end of the car park an obvious track leads along the coast, this we followed. After passing a couple of ruined buildings at Camas Ban the track crossed a small headland, here we got our first view of the Coral Beaches. A slow traverse of the beaches followed, we picked our way around black boulders to the north end of the beach, these made the coral sand look even brighter, the beach terminated at Groban na Sgeire, where the views across Lovaig Bay and over the many islands in Loch Bay were stunning.

Unfortunately that’s as far as you can go without climbing a fence, obviously put there to keep the visitors out, so we turned back ascending Cnoc Mor a’ Ghrobain before re-tracing our steps.

view route map.

home.

Viewing Claigan in the shadow of a cloud capped Beinn Bhreac.

Looking south over Loch Dunvegan, just below the cloud base Beinn an Fhraoich.

Across Loch Dunvegan melting into the haze the Duirinish Peninsula.

The dark finger of Fiadhairt reaches into Loch Dunvegan.

Camas Ban the first and least interesting of the Coral Beaches, although the track guiding us in was built from Claigan to Camas Ban by the MacLeod estate to enable them to extract coral from the shore there.

Backed by Cnoc Mor a' Ghrobain the Coral Beaches.

Wandering along the tide line of the whispering sea.

Iosaigh across the waters of Loch Bay.

Again Iosaigh seen from the north end of the Coral Beaches.

Groban na Sgeire looking to Dunvegan Head.

Lovaig Bay with views to Sgurr a' Bhagh, beyond capped by cloud the Waternish Peninsula.

Seen from Cnoc Mor a' Ghrobain, Lampay backed by Dunvegan Head.

Viewing the islands in Loch Bay, from front to back, Iosaigh, Mingay and Clett.

Viewing the tidal island of Lampay, separated from the mainland by a small Sound, An Dorneil.

Spectacular views over the Coral Beaches and down the east shore of Loch Dunvegan.

Still under a blanket of cloud Duirinish.

Beinn Bhreac above Claigan.

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