Caolas Explorer

Summary

This circular walk mostly follows tracks and minor roads around the easternmost part of Tiree. As you'd expect, there is the usual visit to a perfect sandy beach, in this case An Traigh-lochain overlooking Gunna Sound.

Grade (key)

Bog Factor (key)

Rating

Terrain

Tracks and minor roads; optional section down to sandy beach. Final track can be muddy.

Public Transport

Tiree has a Ring-n-Ride bus service operating on request; it can be booked between 1 week and 1 hour in advance of your journey, when available.

Start

Verge parking near end on Solum minor road - around NM066488. Open in Google Maps.

Walk Statistics

Distance: 8.25km / 5.25 miles
Time: 2 - 3 hours
Ascent: 42m (Profile)
Start Grid Ref: NM066488

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Walk Description

User reports (2)

Stage 1

The walk can be picked up at any point where it runs along minor roads; our description starts at Salum, where there is verge parking before the road end. Walk north to the end of the road and continue along the track, passing to the left of the white farmhouse. Go through a gateway and continue along a grassy track, soon coming close by the shore and with views to the tidal islet of Fadamull.

Stage 2

Continue following the clear track, passing through a gate, through a gap in a wall to continue with the wall on your right, and then through another gate and along a raised grassy ridge. After more gates it runs along the left edge of an open pasture. Finally it approaches the farmhouse at Miodar. Pass round this to the right and through a gate to gain its access track, crossing a cattle grid.

Stage 3

The track leads to a t-junction (with the tarred road leading right). If the tide is very high you can bypass the following beach section by turning right here - otherwise go straight ahead, aiming left slightly to visit a prominent cairn on the coastline, overlooking the Gunna Sound to the small island of Gunna, with the Isle of Coll beyond.

Stage 4

Turn right along the coast, aiming left of a house to pass through a gate giving access to An Traigh-lochain - or Caolas beach. This section can be impassable at high tide - otherwise cross the sand for 700m (after the two houses overlooking the beach but before the very far end of the beach) and bear right to reach a gate and follow a track heading inland. When this reaches the road go straight ahead on it, then ahead again at the junction. A very short distance further turn left (signed for Milton).

Stage 5

Follow this lane for a little over a kilometre until a white house on the right side overlooking the sea. Turn right to pass the front of the house and follow the track to the buildings at Milton jetty.

Stage 6

As you reach the buildings turn right to head through a gate. Follow the track past a prominent stone. The track is mostly grassy though there are a few boggier sections as it winds about with the coast to your left. It then leads along a raised grassy embankment as it passes another prominent stone, and keeps right of a fence. Eventually it passes through a gate in a stone wall and continues as a walled lane. Follow this to a road and then turn right along it, through Ruaig. Follow this to a staggered junction, turning right and then left onto the Salum road and back to the start.

Route Profile

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