📌 Sanaigmore, Isle of Islay
★★★★
At end-of-the-road Sanaigmore, close to Islay’s northwestern extremity, a memorial commemorates 241 Irish emigrants tragically killed when the Exmouth of Newcastle hit rocks just off the coast in 1847. An elongated circuit from the memorial takes in three perfectly contrasting beaches and the irregular coastline in between them. The easternmost beach is shingle but with exquisitely contorted rock bands and pools. Sanaigmore Bay in the middle is a wide open, sandy beach and the most popular (i.e. there might be a few other people there). Port Ghille Greamhair to the west is a secluded cove, hidden until the last minute by vertical cliffs. Try to catch the latter two (sandy) beaches at low tide. The ground between each beach is a little tougher going than might be expected especially if you follow the coastline religiously: lots of little ups and downs, a few nervous cows and the odd boggy patch.
📷 Chronological photo guide
🌍 Location
📌 Start / finish at Sanaigmore memorial, B8018 road end, 6 mi north of Bruichladdich, Isle of Islay
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NR 236707
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 55.849785,-6.416902
❌ No public transport within 1 mi
🚗 Car park
📝 Key info
▶ 4 km / 2 mi | ▲ 30 m | ⌛ 1.5 hr
Features: ✞ Sanaigmore memorial; 🏖️ beach west of Port Saothair an Daoidh; 🏖️ Sanaigmore Bay; 🏖️ Port Ghille Greamhair
⬤ Easy | Intermittent paths, tracks and pathless sections mostly on short grass, plus shingle and sandy beaches. Short steep, boggy or rough sections.
Download file for GPS➡️ Anticlockwise circuit: start & Sanaigmore memorial – Muireach nan Ceann – beach east of Port Saothair an Daoidh – follow coast via Sanaigmore Bay to Port Ghille Greamhair – start
🥾 On our last visit
Wildlife: Ponies, cows & sheep on inland sections; jellyfish and rock pool life on coastal sections.
Weather: Sunny, temperature in mid teens.
July 2016
