This lovely short walk includes a visit to beautiful Clachtoll beach with its perfect sand and the crumbling iron-age broch of An Dun.
Summary
Close-cropped grassy coast to the broch; bouldery shore edge beyond then minor road.
Terrain
NC039273
Grid ref
3km/1.75 miles
Distance
Grade
Clachtoll beach car park
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1. There is a car park for Clachtoll beach. Before beginning the walk you could visit the small Ranger's hut to find out more about what you can see along the way. Start by heading past the toilet block; when you reach a track continue straight ahead onto a wooden boardwalk. This leads down to Clachtoll beach, a truly stunning spot. After enjoying the sands, the walk continues by heading over the stile to the right.
2. Visit the whitewashed building, which is a former salmon-fishing bothy. The poles outside were erected for drying the drag-nets used to catch the fish. If it isn't locked, the bothy has interpretative displays inside to help you find out more. Continue the walk by heading through the gate decorated with pieces of driftwood. Before reaching a second gate bear right to instead head through a small gate provided for walkers. Beyond is a monument to the Revd Norman MacLeod, a locally-born minister who led his people first to Nova Scotia and then to New Zealand. His theology was unremitting and had no room for tolerance or forgiveness, but he was regarded by his followers as a saviour.
3. Keep left alongside the stone wall to reach another small gate; again go through this and then follow the path that slopes uphill to the left to reach open grassland. Continue round the coast, keeping above the rocks that shelve down into the water – there are some huge slabs. The next section of grassland is wetter, and is formed into little terraces. These are lazybeds, remains of old cultivation for vegetables. The driest going is to keep just to the right of the lazybeds, aiming for the huge pile of stones ahead.
4. The stones are the remains of a broch, an iron-age defensive tower. If you continue to the far side of the broch you can detour up to the entrance, still roofed with a giant lintel stone. It is possible to crawl inside to reach the roofless centre; there are chambers off to the left and the right but the floor has slowly filled up and there is no longer enough height to enter these.
5. From the broch you can either return the way you came, or alternatively continue along the coast next to the fence which is rough going across boulders with the pebbly Bay of Stoer ahead. When a pedestrian gate is reached go through it and then head straight across the field to another gate. Go through this and turn right along the road. Further along a sign indicates the turning back to the car park at Clachtoll beach.
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