A walk to Gallanach Bay and Aird nan Uan on Muck

A walk · Isle of Muck

Aird nan Uan – White Sand and an Ancient Grave on Muck

A few hours, from Aird nan Uan and back.

The route

Muck has one road, and it runs from the pier across the island to the white sand of Gallanach Bay.

Just beyond the beach is Aird nan Uan, a rocky headland with a burial cairn about four thousand years old and Rum standing across the water. It's a flat, easy walk. In winter it can't be a day trip, because the ferry stops at Muck for twenty minutes, so it needs a night or more on the island. From April, with longer days and the summer boats from Mallaig and Arisaig, it can be done in a day.

The day

Across the island by its only road to a white beach that faces Rum, then out onto a rocky headland to a ring of stones four thousand years old.

Pick your dates, and who is coming, and every stop will say whether it is open that day, and what it is like with children, a dog or a wheelchair.

How: A few hours
When: All year for anyone staying on Muck. In winter, from 19 October 2026 to 25 March 2027, the ferry sails on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays and stops for twenty minutes, so it needs a night or more on the island. From April it works as a day trip. From November to January start by noon.
Distance: About 4 miles
Starts and ends: Aird nan Uan
Good for: Walks, Beaches, History, Islands

The walk

Time: Two to two and a half hours: 6.75 km, a little over 4 miles, from the pier and back, with about 50 metres of climb, on Walkhighlands' figures.
Distance: About 4.2 miles on foot.
The path: The island road as far as Gallanach Bay, then grass and rock on the headland.
Where to start: Start on foot at the pier at Port Mòr. Leave the car in Mallaig: the West Bay car park is charged and five minutes from the ferry, and the East Bay car park is free and 10 to 15 minutes' walk.
When to go: All year for anyone staying on Muck. In winter, from 19 October 2026 to 25 March 2027, the ferry sails on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays and stops for twenty minutes, so it needs a night or more on the island. From April it works as a day trip. From November to January start by noon.
Dogs: On a lead: cattle and sheep graze here and wander onto the shore.
Children: A flat road to a sandy beach, a little over a mile from the pier.
Toilets: Public toilets in the community hall near the pier, open day and night.
Before you set out: In winter the ferry stops at Muck for twenty minutes, so stay a night or more. Gallanach Lodge runs shooting in the season: ask on the island in autumn and winter.

Book before you go

0 of 1 booked

The ferry to Muck
Book the CalMac ferry from Mallaig to Muck with the Mallaig port office on 01687 310240, option 2, by 4pm on the working day before you sail, out and back, and be at the pier 20 minutes before the boat. On the winter timetable, from 19 October 2026 to 25 March 2027, it sails on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, but not on 25 December or 1 January, nor on 4 November, 1 December, 6 January, 2 February and 3 March, when the boat is away for maintenance. Look at CalMac's service status page before you leave home. Settle where you're staying on the island before you book the boat.
Book

The day

Aird nan Uan
Muck is reached as a foot passenger on CalMac's ferry from Mallaig. Leave the car on the mainland, as a vehicle needs an island permit. On the winter timetable, from 19 October 2026 to 25 March 2027, the boat leaves Mallaig at 10.15am on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays and reaches Muck at 12.35pm, or at 1.15pm on a Saturday. It sails again twenty minutes later, so Muck can't be done as a day trip in winter. Plan on a night or more, coming on one boat and leaving on a later one. Book the boat with the Mallaig port office on 01687 310240, option 2, by 4pm on the working day before you sail. Gales cancel sailings in winter, so keep a day in hand. The walk starts at the pier at Port Mòr. Muck's only road crosses the island from there to Gallanach Bay, a little over a mile and 20 to 30 minutes away. The beach is white sand and faces Eigg and Rum, with Canna and the Cuillin of Skye beyond on a clear day. It's a good place to watch for seals and otters, and sometimes an eagle. Aird nan Uan is the rocky headland on the west side of the bay. On it is a burial cairn of the late Stone Age or early Bronze Age, from about 2000 BC, a low ring of kerb stones in the grass with a small plaque on one of them. The shore around it is cut by narrow inlets, and an islet lies close offshore with the mountains of Rum behind it. Walkhighlands gives the walk from the pier to Gallanach and the headland and back as 6.75 km, a little over four miles, with about 50 metres of climb, and allows two to two and a half hours. It's the road, then grass and rock on the headland. Cattle and sheep graze here and wander onto the shore, so keep dogs on a lead. Gallanach Lodge, which stands above the bay, runs game shooting on Muck in the season, so in autumn and winter ask at the lodge or in the village before you walk out beyond the beach. From November to January the sun is down before 5pm, and before 4pm in December, so start by noon. The Small Isles' visitor website lists a bunkhouse, B&Bs, holiday cottages and Gallanach Lodge as the places to stay on Muck. The lodge, on Gallanach Bay, charges £185 a person a night for dinner, bed and breakfast, and takes enquiries on 07712 045560. Ask about winter before you book the boat. There's no shop on Muck, so bring your food with you. The tearoom is five minutes' walk from the pier, but ask whether it's open before counting on it in winter. The community hall near the pier has public toilets and a shower, and is open day and night. From April a day trip works. Arisaig Marine's boat sails to Muck from Arisaig between April and September, and on CalMac's 2026 summer timetable the Saturday boat gave about five hours ashore. The 2027 summer timetables are still to come.
More about Aird nan Uan

If it rains

The road to Gallanach Bay is easy in any weather, though there's no shelter on the way. Leave the headland for a drier spell, as its rock is slippery when wet. Wind is what stops the ferry: check CalMac's service status before you travel.

Find out more

For further reading, before you go.