Calgary Point, Feall and Crossapol Bays

Calgary Point is the westernmost tip of Coll. This circular walk crosses the magnificent Feall and Crossapol beaches and through the RSPB Coll nature reserve.

Terrain

Long sections on grassy machair or sandy beaches; some pathless and boggy stretches. Route crosses grazing / crofting land with livestock.

Public Transport

None to start, which would be a 9.5km cycle or walk in from Arinagour if without transport.

Start

Parking area at western end of public road on Coll. Open start point in Google Maps for directions.

Users' reports

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Walk Statistics

Distance: 12.75km / 8 miles
Time: 3 - 3.5 hours
Ascent: 86m (Profile)
Start Grid Ref: NM151538

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Walk Description

Stage 1

The walk begins from the parking area on the machair at the western end of the public road; or if walking from Arinagour the route can be picked up at Arileod on the central circuit. Begin by following the grassy track, signed for Feall Bay, northwards, keeping left of a fenceline. Much of the land crossed by this walk is owned by the RSPB, and is home to barnacle and white-fronted geese in the winter, lapwing, redshanks and snipe in spring as well as the rare corncrake in the summer - incredibly difficult to spot though its rasping call can often be heard. When a faint track forks left this is the route on to Feall Bay, though it is worth making a detour to the summit of Ben Feall ahead first for the views.

Stage 2

Back on the route, head west across the glorious white sands of Traigh Feall - over 1km long. At the far end head up to a fence and follow this briefly to the right to reach a pedestrian gate (with - at the time of writing - a fallen signpost for Calgary Point). Pass through this and follow a faint grassy track westwards, eventually reaching a footpath marker post.

Stage 3

The coastline soon curves round to the left - keep following faint grassy trods some distance back from the shore, eventually reaching a three-way footpath sign. Turn right here ('Calgary Point'), heading through a gate in a fence and then across rougher, boggier ground, diverging right from a fence line. There is another walk marker post some distance further on; continue to eventually reach a stile in another fence.

Stage 4

Cross this and continue to a second beach - Traigh Halium. From the far end follow a grassy track west to a gate (marker post), then continue round the coastline to eventually reach Calgary Point, where a trig point on a grassy mound provides an excellent viewpoint overlooking the island of Gunna that lies in the sound between Coll and Tiree.

Stage 5

To the south are more magnificent beaches (Traigh nan Siolag, Traigh Garbh) and it is possible to extend the walk by heading around the southern peninsula. Our route, however, makes a more direct return by heading directly eastwards from the trig point, pathless but towards a prominent wind turbine at first. Soon the route comes alongside a fence running parallel on the left - switch to the other side of this at a gate before continuing as before. At a corner another gate is reached; go through this, then avoid the boggiest ground by following the fence on the left. Continue east and then north to reach a clear stony track.

Stage 6

Follow the track through a gate; it eventually curves to the right and passes some agricultural sheds before reaching the left side of the farmhouse at Crossapol. From here the track leads down to emerge beside a cemetery onto the sands at the western end of Traigh Crossapol - arguably the finest of many superb beaches on Coll.

Stage 7

Head left across the fine sands, backed by high dunes, for almost 2km. At this point a sandy track heads northeast inland; this soon leads back to the start and the car park on the machair.

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