Carraig Fhada - Islay
Circular walk: 2.7 miles
what3words address for parking:
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The w3w address takes you to a parking area beside the cemetery. There is also an older burial ground a little further along the road where there is more, but limited, parking.
A short walk but very pleasant and lots to see. We started by walking to the unusual ‘double’ lighthouse at Carraig Fhada – it’s unusual as it’s the only square lighthouse in Scotland. It was built in 1832 by the Laird of Islay, Walter Frederick Campbell, in memory of his wife, Lady Ellinor (Ellenor) Campbell, who tragically died when she was 36 years old. The lighthouse looks out towards Port Ellen, which Walter Frederick Campbell also built. The town was named after Lady Ellinor.
It was a hazy, still day and the the water on Kilnaughton Bay was like glass – all very atmospheric!
From here a track leads from the road to Traigh Bhan, or the ‘singing sands.’ A tranquil, deserted place when we stopped.
We then followed a track through the dunes and up to an access road that meets the road to the lighthouse. We walked along the beach at Kilnaughton to its northern end where there is the ruin of a stone-built ‘bathing hut.’ To return to the road you need to ford the stream at the end of the beach (shoes and socks off!) before following a path to a grassed parking area for campervans and on to the road and cemetery car park.
walking
PeterHadfield on scottexservices.com