Irishman's Point – A Shore Walk from the Middle of Broadford

The walk

Park in the village car park beside the Co-op, in the middle of Broadford. It's free, and there are public toilets across the road. The walk starts through the small garden on the side of the car park away from the shop, where benches look over the bay. It keeps to the shore the whole way. There's a stony path as far as the pier, which is a working one, then a rougher gravel road through the old Corry Lodge estate, and last a grassy path over the point. Walkhighlands gives it as 3.5 km there and back with almost no climbing, about an hour.

The first part, to the pier, is level and has no steps. Beyond the lodge the edge of the path has fallen into the sea in places and is fenced, so keep children close there. The path also passes people's houses, so keep to it. The point is Rubh' an Eireannaich in Gaelic. In 1862 the paddle steamer Irishman, on her way from Liverpool to Portree to load sheep, ran aground in fog on a skerry, or sea rock, north of Scalpay. Nobody was lost, and the crew rowed ashore here.

From the end the view is over the bay to the Red Cuillin, with Pabay and Scalpay out in the Inner Sound, and seals and shore birds are often about. Cattle may be grazing on the point, so keep dogs on a lead. Broadford's shops and cafés are a few minutes from the car park. Several keep short hours or close in winter, so check before counting on lunch.