Point of Sleat.
Start. Aird of Sleat.
Route. Aird of Sleat - Camas Daraich - Point of Sleat - Aird of Sleat.
Notes. Note before we start, I make no apology for the poor quality of my photographs, they're not too good at the best of times but today, well read on. Our little guide book advised us to do this walk on a clear day, it promised sweeping views to the Small Isles and Knoydart on the mainland, it promised an ideal spot for the wildlife enthusiast, well it was clear when we set out. The Gaelic weather gods rained fire on us, in the form of horizontal sleet and snow, wind and rain, it was most definitely a water in every crevice kind of day, soaked to the skin we battled on, why don't you come along, or maybe it's wiser to sit there and let us suffer.
We left the car at the small crofting community of Aird of Sleat, the weather was already closing in around us as we followed a rough vehicle track into the wilderness. On reaching a metal gate a finger post anounced the Point of Sleat was ½ mile and a Sandy Beach ¼ of a mile, lets start with Sandy Beach. We left the security of the track just as the weather broke, through rain, sleet and snow we plunged, through heather, over exposed rock, a fence line and muddy narrow path our guide, a short visit to what on a nice day would be a beautiful picnic spot followed, an arch of wonderful white sand backed by shear cliffs, a quiet unspoilt bay to while away a few hours, we hung around a few minutes, I took a few photographs using Sue as a shield against the weather.
We re-traced our steps to a path junction passed earlier, this wet, muddy trod guided us through peat bog over heather moorland, we descended into a deep defile slippery steps under foot before reaching a light house (built from Meccano), a modern structure rather uninspiring dating back to 2003, although a lighthouse has stood on this spot since 1938. Thoroughly wet and miserable we turned tail heading back the way we came, all that remained, to find a walker friendly pub with a blazing fire still serving lunch.
Views over the Sound of Sleat, in the gathering gloom the golden beaches on the coast of Arisaig.
The white washed cottages of Aird of Sleat.
Eigg under gathering cloud.
A short de-tour of route, a small knoll topped with a cairn provides a fine viewpoint.
Heavy weather sweeps over the Sound of Sleat.
The track that guides us, we'll be leaving it shortly to battle through wind, rain, sleat and snow.
Sue ascends the path signed Point of Sleat, about to cross weather washed moorland.
Camas Daraich with views to the Point of Sleat.
On a beautiful beach in pouring rain with the cliffs of Creag Mhor rising to the left and Leir Mhaodail far right.
Approaching the Point of Sleat looking back to Creag Mhor.
It's impossible to keep the camera dry, here's a crap photo of the Point of Sleat.
Sue battles through the storm.
In the lea of the hill out of the wind.
We're in our own little world, heads down against the onslaught, this could be anywhere but it's the track back to Aird of Sleat.
View taken looking back down the track, just visible through the snow the small green finger-post that points the way.
Peat moors above Aird of Sleat.