Oldshoremore, Polin and Sheigra – Three Beaches in a Row
5 miles · 2½ to 3½ hours
free parking · dogs on a lead · toilets
Beyond Kinlochbervie the road runs out along a bare, beautiful coast with three sandy bays in a row: Oldshoremore, Polin and Sheigra.
This walk strings them together, over rough headlands on the way out and back along the quiet township road. It's just over five miles and partly pathless, so it suits walkers who are happy finding their own way with a map.
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Before you go
Getting there
Free.
On the path
Two and a half to three and a half hours: 8.3 km (5.2 miles) with 260 metres of climbing. Rough and pathless between Oldshoremore and Polin, a waymarked coast path from Polin to Sheigra, and a quiet road back. Sand, rough pathless headland, a coast path and a single-track road. The beaches are lovely for children; the headlands between them are rough, with steep drops.
Good to know
All year in daylight and clear weather. Check the tide for Oldshoremore Bay. From November to January set off by 10.30am. Dogs on a lead: sheep and cattle graze the crofts and wander the road. Free public toilets at the Oldshoremore car park. At a very high tide Oldshoremore Bay may not be crossable: check the tide times. The headlands are rough, with steep drops.
The walk
Park in the Oldshoremore car park, off the road beyond Kinlochbervie. It's free, and there are public toilets beside it, the only ones on the walk. Walkhighlands gives the round by Polin and Sheigra as 8.3 km, with 260 metres of climbing, and allows two and a half to three and a half hours. Oldshoremore comes first, a long sweep of pale sand below dunes, reached by wooden steps from the car park. Polin is the small one, a pocket of sand and clear green water between two grassy headlands.
Sheigra is the wildest, facing west at the end of the public road. The ground between Oldshoremore and Polin is rough and has no path, and it needs care and a map, above all in mist. From Polin to Sheigra there's a waymarked coast path, and the township road makes an easy way back. At a very high tide it may not be possible to cross Oldshoremore Bay, so check the tide times before you set out. If the rough part doesn't appeal, start from Polin instead and miss it out.
The headlands have steep drops, so keep children close on them. These are working crofts with sheep and cattle on the road and the grazings, so keep dogs on a lead. There's no café out here, so bring lunch and a flask and eat it on the sand. Sandwood Bay starts from the same road and is a full day of its own. From November to January, set off by 10.30am.
If it rains
In rain or mist the pathless stretch is hard to follow and the headlands are exposed. On a poor day, settle for Oldshoremore beach itself, a few minutes from the car.
After the walk
Something to do with the rest of the day, nearest the end of the walk first.
With the rest of the day
6 min by roadThings to doPolin BeachA tiny sandy cove below the crofting settlement of Polin, just beyond Oldshoremore, turquoise water held between rocky headlands.
9 min by roadThings to doInshegraA tiny crofting township on the south shore of Loch Inchard, on the road to Kinlochbervie, among bare hills and lochans in the far north-west.
14 min by roadThings to doLoch na ThullA still loch by the road at Rhiconich, where the way to Kinlochbervie leaves the A838, its water mirroring the bare hills, with boats for the fishing.Places to stay near the walk
Our places to stay nearest the start, by road.
None of ours is close to the start. The nearest is Ceannabeinne Cottage in Durness, 24 miles from the start. Sleeps 4. An advert.
Then Hill Cottage in Port na Con, 28 miles from the start. Sleeps 2. An advert.
More walks near here
Within a short drive of the start.
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For further reading, before you go.
Maps from OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors; heights from Mapzen's terrain tiles.