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Clachtoll Beach and the Broch

Clachtoll Beach and the Broch


Postby Myth » Sat Oct 18, 2008 12:57 pm

Route description: Clachtoll Beach and the Broch

Date walked: 18/10/2008

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Been here every year for the last 12... mostly as a big group - often up to 8 families! We usually camp (or take the van recently) and spend the weekend with beer and bar-b-ques on the beach, fishing, swimming and building elaborate sand castles. The campsite changed hands a few years back - a great improvement, and the new owners are working hard on the site.

The Car park is reached by driving through the camp site - not intuitive. Parking is rarely busy, as most pople in the area seem to camp.

The salmon base is worth a visit, and the rocky outcrop beyond fun to clamber over for the young (and young at heart) but the lower rocks are very slippery - some care required. As you move along the coast, you skip past the last house to landward, through the "football field" and up onto the headland. The direct route to the broch is straight over the top, over some damp patches, but I'd recommend that instead you take a walk out along the headland. This takes you round and over some lovely great slabs of rock sloping down to the sea, and some amazing open views over the sea.

Lots of seabirds visible, and dolphins, seals and even whales can be spotted. There is a huge set of rock stacks just further round that can be easilly reached with a little clambering if the tide is not too far in, and there are rock pools in abundance to spot small creatures (LOTS of small jellyfish this past year) waiting for the next tide. You can get stuck out on the stack if you miss the tide - but won't get wet.

There are now signs asking you not to climb on the broch - it's in poor condition - and apart from looking at the filled-in hole there has never been much to see - the entrance hole sheltering a rotten sheep corpse this year... fairly foul!

If you take the walk onwards, it's worth going down to the shingle beach - very unusual stones... In a high sea, you sometimes see surfers in here as there is a nice consistent (if lowish) break in the bay - great fun on a body board too (wetsuit not optional).

If you fancy an extension, at low tide there is a sea cave visible across this bay, and it can be reached easilly, although wellies would be a good idea - you'll be splashing about some! Watch the tide though - you can get stuck here easilly and in some places the cliff is not climbable.

A lovely walk, very good for letting food settle - and the rocks and sea are especially pretty at dawn and dusk.
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Myth
 
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Re: Clachtoll Beach and the Broch

Postby canisp » Sat Oct 18, 2008 3:15 pm

Sounds like a great place to visit, where is it please :?: :oops:
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Joined: Jan 2, 2008
Location: Barrow in Furness/Cumbria

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