The Coral Beach – White Shore on Loch Dunvegan
About 2.5 miles on foot.
North of Dunvegan the road ends at Claigan, and a track and a croft path carry on to a curve of white shore on Loch Dunvegan.
It isn't coral at all. The sand is maerl, a hard red seaweed that dies, breaks up in the waves and bleaches in the sun. The walk is about 4 km there and back.
- Time
- One to two hours: 4 km there and back on a farm track and a croft path, with 90 m of climbing. An easy shore walk.
- The path
- A farm track, then a grassy path over pasture with a burn crossed on stones; boggy after rain.
- Where to start
- The free gravel car park at the end of the Claigan road, north of Dunvegan Castle. Small: never block the gates.
- Set off
- From November to January, set off by 2pm to be back in daylight.
- When to go
- All year in daylight. From November to January set off by 2pm.
- Dogs
- Under tight control: sheep and cattle graze the whole way.
- Children
- A gentle shore.
- Toilets
- None on the walk; the nearest public toilets are in the Dunvegan village car park.
- Before you set out
- Crofting land with sheep and cattle. Boggy after rain, with a burn, or stream, to cross on stones.
The walk
Park in the free gravel car park at the end of the Claigan road, the single-track road that runs north past Dunvegan Castle. It's small and it fills on fine days. If it's full, don't block the gates or the turning space: come back later. Walkhighlands gives the walk as 4 km there and back with 90 metres of climbing, and allows one to two hours. A farm track and then a path over grazing land lead along the shore of Loch Dunvegan, with a burn, or stream, to cross on stones.
It's boggy after rain, so wear boots. The beach is a white crescent under a green knoll, with a low grassy island close offshore and the Waternish peninsula across the loch. The white is maerl, a hard red seaweed that dies, is broken small by the waves and is bleached by the sun. Leave it on the beach. The shore is gentle and a good one for children.
Crofters' sheep and cattle graze the ground the whole way, so keep dogs under tight control. There are no toilets on the walk, and nothing to buy. The nearest public toilets are in the Dunvegan village car park. Dunvegan has a bakery and cafés too, and in winter it's worth ringing ahead before you count on any of them. From November to January, set off by 2pm.
If it rains
There's no shelter on the shore and the path turns to bog after rain. It's short enough to walk in waterproofs and boots, but the white of the beach wants some light: keep it for a brighter day if you can.
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.