Dùn Ban and Halaman Bay, Tangasdale

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This superb walk passes the shores of Loch Tangasdale before heading across a bare, rocky landscape to reach the spectacularly situated iron-age fort of Dùn Ban. The return takes in Halaman beach, one of the finest and most popular on Barra.

Terrain

Machair paths, then rougher ground with both grass and rocky sections; finally sandy beach. The walk is mostly waymarked with posts.

Public Transport

Tangasdale is served by the buses along the west side of Barra.

Start

Phone box at Tangasdale. Open start point in Google Maps for directions.

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Walk Description

Stage 1

There is parking opposite the public phone box in Tangasdale, around 3km from the centre of Castlebay. Begin the walk by crossing the stile and then bearing left behind the house on a faint path across the machair - rich grassland covered with wild flowers in the summer. On the right is the remains of an old bunker from the second world war.

Stage 2

The walk is marked (infrequently in places) by wooden marker posts - the next one is beside a stile so aim for that, continuing beside the fence to reach the northern shore of Loch Tangasdale, beneath the rugged slopes of Beinn Tangabhal. There is a tiny sandy beach; look out across the loch for the remains of Macleod's Tower near the far shore; this dates back to 1430 and is thought to have been built on the site of an iron age crannog.

Stage 3

From the beach bear slightly right to reach the next post beside a stile. Cross this and then a footbridge to follow the waymarked path that leads through the right side of a tiny glen beneath Beinn Tangabhal and Beinn na Leig. Keep an eye out for the crumbling remains of former houses on the left. The path eventually peters out and the ground becomes rockier and more undulating; look out for the marker posts as the route climbs a little and a view opens up across Halaman Bay over to the right.

Stage 4

Continue ahead across a dip, aiming for a prominent cairn, with superb views up and down the west coast of Barra (there are several smaller cairns nearby but no mistaking this, the largest). You will return to this point after visiting Dun Ban, but it is well worth including the detour to visit this iron age fort. To do so, bear left, looking out for marker posts that offer some guide across the rugged terrain. The ground is broken into rocky hummocks; the markers lead round to the right past the first of these, and then bear left over the top of a second, before descending rocky ground to reach a stile; this convoluted route is necessary to avoid cliffs above the sea.

Stage 5

After crossing the stile the route bears right downhill before climbing up to Dun Ban. This mound - crowned now tumbled stones - is the remains of an iron age broch dating back 2,000 years. The setting is magnificent, overlooking a wild stretching of coastline with crags and inlets battered by the great waves of the open Atlantic. From Dun Ban, retrace your steps to the large cairn visited earlier.

Stage 6

From the cairn, this time head eastwards into a shallow grassy dip. Here a faint path - but no marker posts for some distance - continues east to meet the head of a deep inlet (Diorlinn) of the sea. The marker posts resume just before the inlet; keep following them to reach a gate and the narrow neck of land separating Loch na Diorlinn and the sea. Go through the gate; on the left is a secluded small sandy beach. Continue along the path to reach the main beach - Halaman Bay.

Stage 7

After the last post the route descends onto the sand and crosses the burn flowing out over it (keep away from the sand on the inland - right side here, which can be very soft). Halaman Bay is a magnificent beach and perhaps the most popular on Barra; there is a modern hotel at the far end. The walk however now makes a beeline back towards the start at the houses and telephone box at Tangasdale; head through the dunes and then follow a grassy track that soon leads back to the start.

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Dùn Ban and Halaman Bay, Tangasdale

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Terrain

Public Transport

Start

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