This varied walk follows the coast and raised beach to Cuan where the ferry crosses from Seil to Luing. The route returns via Kilbrandon Church with its impressive stained glass, and a moorland path.
Bog Factor
Coastal path, rough and boggy in places, minor road, moorland path, some broken gates.
Parking layby at road junction near Seaview cottages, 1km SE of Ellenabeich.
Bus from Oban.
NM752168
There is parking near the road junction at Seaview Cottages where the B844 nears the sea just after a steep downhill on the way to Ellenabeich. From here walk along the branch road past the front of the houses and then head through the gate. Keep on the track as it bears right (the path coming down on the left is the return route).
The walk heads through a gate and crosses the grassy raised beach; there are often cattle and sheep grazing here (dogs on leads) and also good views to the Garvellachs and Easdale as well as across to the Isle of Mull. Beyond the greensward, the route heads through a gateway in an old stone wall and uses a short concrete section of track before the path becomes indistinct. Continue parallel to the shore, passing through another gap in a wall and keeping to the right of Dun Mucaig - a huge detached block on the cliffs above, once topped by a fort. Eventually a wall is reached just before the inlet of Port nam Faoileann; cross a stile over this.
Round the head of the inlet on boggy ground and pass through a farm gate. Further on the route joins a track at the foot of the cliffs. When this track swings left to climb the cliff via zig-zags, leave it on a path heading to stone wall, which is crossed by rocky steps. Soon emerge onto a track; a detour to the right here visits a bench overlooking the sound, but to continue the walk bear left, with the buildings of Cuan visible ahead.
The track heads inland and through a gate, passing a small campsite and continuing straight on to soon reach the B8003. Detour to the right here to the ferry slipway at Cuan (toilets here) where the ferry plies across the, sometimes turbulent, narrows to the Isle of Luing - a visit could be made as an extension to this walk.
The return route heads back up the B8003 and climbs gently through open countryside until it reaches Kilbrandon Church, prominent on the left side of the road. Go up the path to the church. This is often locked, but if open is well worth a visit to view the beautiful stained glass windows by Douglas Strachan.
Behind the church a gate leads onto a path heading uphill and following the line of telegraph poles. After cresting a rise it becomes indistinct - descend NWN over open moorland, aiming for a kissing gate in the wall /fence at the foot of the slope. Using the app can help keep you on course here. Once through the gate the path is slightly clearer as it bears right around the flank of Barr Mòr, but it is boggy where it passes through some dense bushes. Soon the path joins a grassy track, climbing a short rise with good views to the right.
When the track bends left, keep ahead by the stone wall to reach a kissing gate. Pass through and then aim left diagonally downhill. The path becomes clearer again as it skirts the edge of a field and turns left at another waymarked gate to follow a grassy path over a small rise and down towards the coast. Go through/over another gate and bear left at the bottom to retrace the outward route back to the start.
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