Five atmospheric hikes on Scottish islands
A selection of superb day hikes on Mull, Arran, Skye and Raasay: from moderate trails to more adventurous mountain routes.
Skye: The Quiraing
Sandwood Bay is a majestic beach that can only be accessed on foot or by boat. Sitting on the beach in the morning mist, it is easy to imagine Vikings landing their longboats here to seek shelter from storms. Indeed, Sandwood takes its name from the old Norse word Sandvatn, meaning sand-water.
How to go
I walked the route as an ‘out and back’ – staying the night at Cape Wrath Lighthouse and returning the next day.
The route is approximately 15 miles, and is the final section of the Cape Wrath Trail, Scotland’s iconic long-distance hike.
A couple of miles East from Sandwood Bay, across the dunes, lies Strathchaillleach Bothy, whose rough interior walls are covered in colourful folk art depicting mermaids and Vikings. The murals were painted by the bothy’s former inhabitant James McRory Smith, known as ‘The Hermit of Sandwood Bay’, and set an air of myth and mystery for the walk ahead, over rough moorland to Cape Wrath.
Raasay: circular
Raasay is just a fifteen minute ferry trip from Sconser on Skye, but is a world apart from its more famous neighbour. Whilst Skye is bare, sweeping and majestic, Raasay offers a more intimate landscape where pockets of woodland and hidden corners abound. The island is quiet, away from the main tourist routes, and its little capital Inverarish is a delightful haven.
Flat-topped Dun Caan is the objective for many visitors to the island, but there is an excellent network of shorter paths all over the island. The east coast is dotted with the sad remains of Hallaig and Screapadal, once thriving crofting communities that became victims of the Highland Clearances.
How to go
I walked the route as an ‘out and back’ – staying the night at Cape Wrath Lighthouse and returning the next day.
See the route on All Trails
The route is approximately 15 miles, and is the final section of the Cape Wrath Trail, Scotland’s iconic long-distance hike.
A couple of miles East from Sandwood Bay, across the dunes, lies Strathchaillleach Bothy, whose rough interior walls are covered in colourful folk art depicting mermaids and Vikings. The murals were painted by the bothy’s former inhabitant James McRory Smith, known as ‘The Hermit of Sandwood Bay’, and set an air of myth and mystery for the walk ahead, over rough moorland to Cape Wrath.
View from Ben More
Mull: Ben More
Ben More, at 966m, is the highest peak in the Scottish Isles.
This imposing but accessible mountain arose more than 60 million years ago as a result of a huge volcano, thus becoming part of the Loch Ba Caldera.
On clear days, the panoramic views over the Isle of Mull and surrounding islands are said to be astonishing, although as you can see from the photo above, I saw only a glimmer of this. However, the experience of being on this spectacular mountain enclosed in shifting clouds was magical.
How to go
The route is 6 miles long on a rocky, steep and rough track. Recommended for experienced hill walkers only.
Mull Magic conducts guided walks.
Cuillan
Sandwood Bay is a majestic beach that can only be accessed on foot or by boat. Sitting on the beach in the morning mist, it is easy to imagine Vikings landing their longboats here to seek shelter from storms. Indeed, Sandwood takes its name from the old Norse word Sandvatn, meaning sand-water.
How to go
I walked the route as an ‘out and back’ – staying the night at Cape Wrath Lighthouse and returning the next day.
The route is approximately 15 miles, and is the final section of the Cape Wrath Trail, Scotland’s iconic long-distance hike.
A couple of miles East from Sandwood Bay, across the dunes, lies Strathchaillleach Bothy, whose rough interior walls are covered in colourful folk art depicting mermaids and Vikings. The murals were painted by the bothy’s former inhabitant James McRory Smith, known as ‘The Hermit of Sandwood Bay’, and set an air of myth and mystery for the walk ahead, over rough moorland to Cape Wrath.
Goatfell: Arran
Sandwood Bay is a majestic beach that can only be accessed on foot or by boat. Sitting on the beach in the morning mist, it is easy to imagine Vikings landing their longboats here to seek shelter from storms. Indeed, Sandwood takes its name from the old Norse word Sandvatn, meaning sand-water.
How to go
I walked the route as an ‘out and back’ – staying the night at Cape Wrath Lighthouse and returning the next day.
The route is approximately 15 miles, and is the final section of the Cape Wrath Trail, Scotland’s iconic long-distance hike.
A couple of miles East from Sandwood Bay, across the dunes, lies Strathchaillleach Bothy, whose rough interior walls are covered in colourful folk art depicting mermaids and Vikings. The murals were painted by the bothy’s former inhabitant James McRory Smith, known as ‘The Hermit of Sandwood Bay’, and set an air of myth and mystery for the walk ahead, over rough moorland to Cape Wrath.
Note:
The weather in Scotland can change in a heartbeat.
In the words of the great Scottish comedian Billy Connolly to visitors to Scotland, “If you don’t like the weather, just wait five minutes!”. The summits of mountains are often covered in cloud, which can make navigation confusing and give rise to wet, cold conditions.
Indeed, several there were other several hikes I wanted to include here, but the views and landmarks were too obscured by thick cloud.
So take care, carry a set of waterproofs, warm clothes, GPS (I use the Gaia app on on my phone), map and compass, spare food and water: even in he summer!.