Explore a hidden bay on Eriskay to look for seals and otters, passing a moorland lochan on this very pleasant and straightforward walk from the ferry terminal.
Bog Factor
Minor road, rough moorland path, occasional waymarkers
Eriskay ferry terminal (for Barra) - there is parking here and off the approach road.
Bus via the causeway from South Uist; ferry from Barra.
NF784101
Eriskay can be reached over the causeway from South Uist or via the ferry from Barra. Follow signs to the ferry terminal, turning left and then right after the causeway. From the terminal, which is also used by local fishing boats, walk up the hill on the road until a junction at a bend just after a house on the right. Turn right here to head downhill, and when you reach the red post box turn right onto a rougher road which climbs over a rise.
There is soon a good view of the bay at Acairseid Mhor, a deep inlet almost dividing the island and used as a sheltered harbour by the fishing and prawn boats that operate here. Seals often haul themselves out onto the rocks to the left of the road at low tide.
Keep following the road which heads around the far side of the bay, passing a couple of houses. Continue to just before the last house and climb the stile on the left side of the road marked by a yellow marker post.
Follow the faint path across the land in front of the house to go over a second stile and then follow the grassy path above the shore out towards the headland overlooking the narrow entrance to the natural harbour. Immediately before the stone wall turn right to follow a path on the right side of the wall heading towards the sea. Follow the path on the grassy above the rocky shoreline until before a fence you turn right to head uphill on a boggy section of path.
Heading down the other side cross a stile on the left and continue downhill, bearing diagonally left to reach Loch a' Chapuill which is covered in flowering waterlilies in the summer.
Beyond the loch the path heads to the coast to reach the destination of the walk, a small rocky cove, popular with otters and a good place to sit watching wildlife. From here retrace your steps back to the road end. If feeling energetic it is possible to detour to a great viewpoint by climbing directly uphill alongside a rocky spur from the point at the back of Acarsaid Mhòr where there is a clump of pine trees. Otherwise continue back along the road, turning left at the post box and then left again at the top of the climb to return to the ferry terminal.
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