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Mist rolls over dark hills above a sea loch and a curving pebble shore.
Isle of Skye

Camasunary Bay

A bay under Bla Bheinn on the south coast of Skye, with a grass-backed beach and a bothy, and no road to it: 9.2 km there and back from the Elgol road.

Welcome

Camasunary is a bay on the south coast of Skye, under Bla Bheinn, with a grass-backed beach, two burns coming down off the hill to the sand, and no road to it at all.

The way in starts from a layby on the single-track road to Elgol, twenty minutes out of Broadford, and runs 9.2 km there and back: a gravel track climbing to about 140 metres over the moor, where the Cuillin come into view, then dropping to the shore.

There is a bothy on the east side of the bay, kept by the Mountain Bothies Association and open to anyone who walks in. It sleeps about fifteen and is insulated throughout, but there is no fire and no stove, so it is shelter rather than comfort. Loch Coruisk lies round the coast to the west, though the way there crosses the Bad Step and is not a walk to take lightly.

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The Daily for 31 October, from Scotland with love. A ring of standing stones set among mist and autumn birch
A short drive awayTorrin PoolsClear pools and small waterfalls on a burn above Loch Slapin, looking across to Blà Bheinn.7 min by roadSee itTorrin Pools
The walk

The way in starts from a large layby on the single-track road to Elgol, twenty minutes from Broadford and three miles short of Elgol itself.

The track climbs over the moor to about 140 metres, where the Cuillin come into view, then drops to the shore. It is 9.2 km there and back and takes about two and a half hours without stopping.

Start
A large layby on the Elgol road, 11.3 miles from Broadford or 3.2 miles from Elgol.
Distance
9.2 km there and back, the same route both ways.
Time
About two and a half hours without stops.
High point
The track tops out at about 140 m before dropping to the bay.
Ground
A gravel track, loose and steep in the second half, with puddles and small burns.
Before you go

The bothy on the east side of the bay is open to anyone walking in.

It sleeps about fifteen, is insulated throughout and has no fire or stove, so it is shelter rather than comfort: take a sleeping bag, a stove of your own and everything you mean to eat, and carry your rubbish back out. Loch Coruisk lies round the coast to the west, but the way there crosses the Bad Step and is not a walk to take lightly.

The bothy
On the east side of the bay, grid reference NG 517 183. Open, free, and kept by volunteers.
Room
About fifteen. No fire and no stove, though the building is insulated.
On to Loch Coruisk
Round the coast to the west, over the Bad Step. Not for an average walker.

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Where it is

On the south coast of Skye between Elgol and Loch Coruisk, under Bla Bheinn. There is no road: the way in is on foot from the Elgol road, or by boat.

Close byThe rest of this corner of Skye, and the road back to it.
  1. Loch Coruisk running back between the steep walls of the Cuillin ridge under low cloud.Loch CoruiskThe loch under the Cuillin ridge, round the coast to the west.Under a mile 1 min by road
  2. Elgol BistroElgol BistroSomewhere to eat at the end of the road, three miles on from the layby.3 miles 5 min by road
  3. ElgolElgolThe village at the end of the road, and the boats out to Coruisk.3 miles 5 min by road
  4. Misty Isle Boat TripsMisty Isle Boat TripsThere’s no better way to experience Skye’s coastline than by boat.3 miles 5 min by road
  5. Glen Sligachan opening south from the road, the Cuillin rising on either side and the river running through the moor.Glen SligachanThe long glen that comes down to Camasunary from the north.28 miles 38 min by road
Directions
Coruisk House's white harled exterior shows dormer windows and clustered chimneys against a grey sky.ElgolCoruisk HouseSleeps 4 · 2.6 miles
Fishing boats moored at a stone pier beneath misty hillsAttractionsBella Jane Boat Trips3.9 miles
Small waterfall tumbling through moorland beneath a snow-dusted conical peakAttractionsTorrin Pools5.1 miles
A narrow gorge cuts through layered sandstone walls, with moss and ferns along the rim and a stony streambed leading through it under an overcast sky.AttractionsSpar Cave5.2 miles
Round table and teal chairs beneath "Stay Longer" lettering in a gift shop caféCafeAmy's Place Tea Room5.5 miles
A pool table under low lamps in the Gabbro Bar, a ball about to be struck.BarsThe Gabbro Bar11 miles
Shopfront sign for The Selkie Collective, advertising ethical, sustainable products and giftsShoppingThe Selkie Collective11 miles
A walker on a path above a loch beneath a steep mountain on the Skye Trail.WalksSkye Trail with Thistle Trekking11 miles
Rough grass and pools on the shore at Broadford, the bay and hills beyond.AttractionsBroadford11 miles

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Stay nearby

Places to stay near the bay, and when each is next free.

Coruisk House's white harled exterior shows dormer windows and clustered chimneys against a grey sky.Coruisk House
  • Sleeps 4
  • In Elgol
  • 3 miles from the bay
Check datesGravel path curves through green fields towards mist-covered mountain peaksGlenbrittle Campsite
  • To stay
  • In Glenbrittle
  • 6 miles from the bay
Check datesWood-burning stove alight beside floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a hillside pathSligachan Blackhouses
  • Sleeps 6
  • In Sligachan
  • 7 miles from the bay
Check datesA white house sits beside a stone bridge over a river, misty mountains rising behind.Sligachan Campsite
  • To stay
  • In Sligachan
  • 7 miles from the bay
Check datesPlaces to stayEvery stay on SkyeAll our places to stay nearby, to search by date and by who is coming.See them all
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The collections it is in and more on Skye.

CollectionWalks, Wildlife and Nature in SkyeCollectionSkye's Hidden SideCollectionBest Picnic Spots on SkyeCollectionScotland's Best Beaches
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