Sanday – Over the Footbridge to the White Sand of Traigh Bhàn

The walk

The walk starts at the pier, by the Rhu Church. No visitor's car goes to Canna, so leave it at Mallaig: the West Bay car park charges and is five minutes' walk from the ferry, and the East Bay one is free and 10 to 15 minutes away. Sanday is the low island that closes Canna's harbour on its south side, and a long timber footbridge over a tidal inlet joins the two. The road round the harbour leads to it. On the far side, by a fisherman's shrine, the shore leads round to Traigh Bhàn, a beach of white sand in a sheltered bay. The way along the shore is rough, so watch your footing. Early in the morning there may be otter prints in the sand. Sanday's road carries on to St Edward's Chapel. It was built in 1890 with money from the Marchioness of Bute, in memory of her father, and served as a landmark for the fishing boats that used Canna. It was made into a study centre in 2000 and isn't in use now.

Allow about two hours for the bridge, the beach and the chapel, and longer if you mean to sit. In autumn and winter the sun goes down into the Atlantic over the lighthouse on Hyskeir, out to the south-west. From late April to July a longer walk goes on along Sanday's south coast to the sea stacks of Dùn Mòr and Dùn Beag, where puffins nest. Walkhighlands gives that walk as seven and a half miles and three and a half to four hours, and great skuas nesting on the way will dive at you. Seals pup on Canna in winter, so keep well back from any on the shore and keep dogs under close control. The toilets are at the Visitor Hub near the pier. Canna and Sanday belong to the National Trust for Scotland. Tighard Guest House asks for at least two nights and means to stay open all year. It cooks its guests a two-course dinner on a Tuesday and a Thursday, for £30, makes packed lunches and meets the ferry to carry luggage. Café Canna is shut until April and the campsite is shut for the winter.

The Canna Community Shop is open day and night, every day of the year, on an honesty system. Book a bed on the island before you book the boat, and bring food. On CalMac's winter timetable, from 19 October 2026 to 25 March 2027, the boat for Canna leaves Mallaig at 9.50am on a Tuesday and a Thursday and lands at 12.40pm. It sails again 20 minutes later, at 1pm, and is back at Mallaig at 3.50pm, so a winter visit means at least two nights, Tuesday to Thursday. A Sunday boat runs only if it is asked for on 0800 066 5000 by 4pm on the working day before: it leaves Mallaig at 9am, reaches Canna at 11.05am and leaves again at 1.25pm. No boat runs on Tuesday 1 December or Tuesday 2 February, nor on 25 December or 1 January. Book the crossing ahead: CalMac's Mallaig office, on 01687 310240, option 2, takes bookings until 4pm on the working day before, and foot passengers check in 20 minutes before the boat sails. Winter weather cancels sailings and can keep you on the island a night or two longer than you planned, so look at CalMac's service status page before you travel. From April to October, the island's own site says, Canna can be a day trip on a Wednesday or a Saturday.