Raasay – A Gun Battery, a Rocky Shore and a Ruined Chapel
Raasay House looks over the Sound to Skye from behind an old gun battery, and a coastal path sets off from it round the headland to North Bay.
The way back is inland, by Orchard Wood and a small hill loch, to a walled garden and a ruined chapel behind the house. It is a loop of two and three quarter miles on rough paths, a few minutes from the ferry pier.
- Time
- About two hours on foot: a loop of 4.5 km, two and three quarter miles. Half a day with the ferry from Sconser.
- The path
- Grass and earth paths with rocky stretches, rock steps, gates and some lengths of road.
- Where to start
- The free car park at the Sconser ferry terminal on Skye: leave the car and cross on foot. The walk starts at Raasay House, a few minutes from Raasay's pier.
- When to go
- All year, by the ferry from Sconser. The shore path is rough and wet from mid October to March, and the days are short.
- Children
- A rough shore path with a long steep slope: for children used to walking.
- Toilets
- Public toilets at Raasay's ferry terminal.
- Before you set out
- The winter ferry timetable runs from 19 October 2026 to 25 March 2027. In December the sun sets at about twenty to four. Raasay House's café serves lunch from noon to 3pm, Tuesday to Saturday, until 24 October 2026, and is then shut for the winter.
The walk
Leave the car in the free car park at Sconser's ferry terminal on Skye and cross on foot. The walk begins at Raasay House, a few minutes from Raasay's pier, and the island has no bus. In front of the house a grassy gun battery faces the Sound, with an old iron cannon behind its parapet and stone mermaids weathering beside it. From there the coastal path keeps to the rocky shore round the headland to North Bay, where seals and otters are worth watching for.
It comes back inland by Orchard Wood and Loch a' Mhuillin to the walled garden and the roofless chapel of St Moluag, behind the house. The loop is two and three quarter miles and takes about two hours. It is graded strenuous: rough, narrow, muddy paths, one long steep slope and some rock steps, so wear boots. Read CalMac's Sconser to Raasay timetable before setting out, and plan the walk around the last boat back.
From mid October to March the days are short. Bring food.
If it rains
The shore path is open to the weather off the Sound and its rocks are slippery when wet. Wind, more than rain, is what stops the ferry.
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.