Carraig Fhada – A Square Lighthouse and a Beach That Sings
About 1.9 miles on foot.
Across the bay from Port Ellen, a square white lighthouse stands on a reef at the mouth of the harbour.
Just round the corner from it is a small beach of pale sand that is said to sing under your feet. A short shore walk from Kilnaughton links the two. It's an easy hour or so, with otters about the rocks and wild goats on the hill behind.
- Time
- An hour to an hour and a half: about 3 km, a little under two miles, there and back with both the lighthouse and the beach.
- The path
- A seaside track, then a little path over a low hill to the beach. The lighthouse is across a metal footbridge and slippery rock.
- Where to start
- At the roadside by Kilnaughton graveyard, off the Oa road near Port Ellen. No charge. The track beyond is private and not open to cars.
- When to go
- All year in daylight. From November to January set off by 1pm. Every Islay ferry uses Port Askaig while Port Ellen's terminal is closed, until 2029. No ferry on 25 December or 1 January. Wind can stop the boat: look at CalMac's service status page on the morning you travel.
- Dogs
- On a lead: wild goats graze near the lighthouse and the beach.
- Children
- The footbridge and the rocks at the lighthouse are slippery: hold hands there.
- Toilets
- None on the walk: the nearest are in Port Ellen.
- Before you set out
- The metal footbridge and the rocks at the lighthouse can be very slippery, and spray comes over in a swell. Every Islay ferry uses Port Askaig while Port Ellen's terminal is closed, until 2029. No ferry on 25 December or 1 January. Wind can stop the boat: look at CalMac's service status page on the morning you travel.
The walk
Park at the roadside by the old graveyard and ruined chapel at Kilnaughton, off the Oa road under two miles from Port Ellen. There's no charge. The track beyond is a private road and not open to cars, so the rest is on foot. By the mapped paths it's 1.1 km to the lighthouse and 1.3 km to the Singing Sands, so about 3 km, or a little under two miles, there and back with both. Allow an hour to an hour and a half. The way is a seaside track round Kilnaughton Bay, then a little path over a low hill to the beach. Carraig Fhada is a square white tower on a low rock at the entrance to Port Ellen's bay, reached over a metal footbridge. Walter Frederick Campbell had it built in 1832 in memory of his wife, Lady Ellenor Campbell, and it has been an unmanned light since 1924.
Otters are sometimes seen on the rocks around it. The bridge and the rocks can be very slippery, and in a swell the spray comes over, so cross with care or look from the shore. The Singing Sands is a small white beach, sheltered from the west wind, and the story goes that the sand sings when you scuff your shoes across it. Wild goats graze the hill by the lighthouse and the beach, so keep a dog on a lead. There are no toilets on the walk and the nearest are in Port Ellen. Bring a flask. From November to January, set off by 1pm. Kilnaughton is 20 miles from the ferry at Port Askaig, about 40 minutes' drive.
Islay is reached on CalMac's car ferry from Kennacraig in Kintyre, a crossing of just under two hours. Port Ellen's ferry terminal is closed for rebuilding until 2029, so every boat lands at Port Askaig, in the north-east of the island. Book the car on before you travel, and be at the pier 30 minutes before the boat sails. On the winter timetable, from 19 October 2026 to 25 March 2027, the first boat leaves Kennacraig at 7am, or at 10am on a Tuesday and a Sunday. The last boat off the island leaves Port Askaig at 5.25pm on a Monday and a Wednesday, 6.05pm on a Tuesday and a Friday, and 6pm on a Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Until 18 October the summer timetable applies, so read the times on CalMac's Islay page. Wind can stop the boat: look at CalMac's service status page on the morning you travel.
If it rains
There's no shelter on the shore and the bridge and rocks at the lighthouse are slippery when wet. In rain, walk the track to see the lighthouse from the shore and keep the beach for a dry day.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
None of ours is close by: the nearest is The Hollies, 43 miles away. Sleeps 18.
Book the car onto CalMac's Kennacraig to Port Askaig ferry before you travel, out and back, and be at the pier 30 minutes before the boat.
For further reading, before you go.