Follow an ancient path across rugged coast to the Singing Sands before returning by the same route with good views to the Small Isles.
Bog Factor
Tracks and moorland path, boggy in places. Livestock, keep dogs under tight control.
Ockle.
None.
NM555704
Take the minor road to Ockle from the B8007 east of Kilchoan, there is parking at the end of the road, on the left just after the bridge. Start along the track towards the houses and bearing left to keep straight ahead towards two signed self catering properties, passing a barn on your right. Go through the gate and fork right to pass between the croft house and chalet. Keep right to go up the stony track that leads to Eilagadale, soon passing through a gate and continuing uphill.
The track continues across the undulating moorland passing a small lochan. There are good views to the Isle of Eigg, with the peaks of the Rum Cuillin behind. Go through another gate and soon the track comes a little closer to the coast.
Eventually the gate for Eilagadale is reached where the track turns left downhill. Leave the track here, keeping straight ahead onto a small path signed Gortenfern. This heads through the heather aiming inland before crossing a stream and climbing the other side. The remains of cultivated "lazy-beds" can be seen to the left behind Eilagadale.
The path continues east across the rough terrain before reaching the top of a u-shaped valley. Pass to the right of this, descending to meet a grassy track coming in from the left. Keep ahead along this. The forest in the distance is the one behind the Singing Sands.
The path descends to pass a lochan and soon the first glimpses of sand ahead can be seen. The path now widens again the descends to cross a stream and go through an old gateway at some birches. Keep right where a track comes in from Gortenfern. After a wooden bridge the track reaches the forestry plantation. Once in the forestry look out for a signed junction on the left for the beach - turn here onto a track that leads down through the trees to the beach. (The track straight ahead enables a through walk to Kentra, but transport would need to be arranged).
Plenty of time should be left to explore the sands, which form a quite stunning beach backed by birch woods; in Gaelic this is Camas an Lighe. At low tide they stretch right across the bay and allow plenty of scope for exploring along the coastline to the right. To make the sands sing shuffle across with either bare feet or shoes. The noise is made by the grains of sand rubbing together and a number of factors are present at Camas an Lighe which make it possible. The sand grains are completely round and between 0.1 and 0.5mm in diameter, the sand contains silica and has the right level of humidity to generate the low frequency sound.
Once you have fully explored the beach return is by the same outward route.
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