Talmine – A Coast Walk Towards Port Vasgo and Lunch in Tongue
About 4 miles on foot.
Talmine is a small township of crofts above a sandy bay on Tongue Bay's west shore.
A morning here is a walk on the shore and out round the headland, with the islands of the bay offshore, then lunch over the causeway at the Brass Tap in Tongue.
- Time
- About two and a half to three hours, with time on the beach and the path towards Port Vasgo and back.
- The path
- A path along the coast.
- Where to start
- A grassy area by the beach.
- Set off
- About 10am.
- Dogs
- Dogs on a short lead or close at heel near farm animals and nesting birds (the Scottish Outdoor Access Code).
The walk
Park on the grassy area by the beach. The sand runs round an east-facing bay, with the Rabbit Islands close by and Eilean nan Ron further out, where grey seals come ashore each autumn to have their pups.
The timbers of the Reaper, a fishing boat damaged by fire in 1976, lie beached on the shore. At the far end of the bay, a pier runs out to the tiny island of Eilean Creagach and its little beach.
From the pier a path follows the coast round the headland towards Port Vasgo, the next bay, about two miles on. Go as far as you like and come back the same way.
If it rains
On a wet day, the Brass Tap is under cover.
Afterwards
11 min by car
The Brass Tap Bar, Tongue Hotel
Lunch
Lunch is 11 minutes' drive away, at the Brass Tap in the Tongue Hotel. The bar is open to everyone, and food is served every day from noon to 5.30pm, with walk-ins welcome when there's room. Well-behaved dogs are very welcome.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
For further reading, before you go.
Photographs by Bertrand Soleil and Tongue Hotel via Google