Walk: Sandwood Bay – Britain’s best beach?

📌 Blairmore, Highland
★★★★

It’s an ambitious claim, but many Scots reckon that Sandwood Bay is the UK’s most spectacular beach. A mile of pristine sand, backed by a freshwater loch and overlooked by the lonely, slender sea stack of Am Buachaille. Beautiful, dramatic, unspoiled… but 4 long miles of track (8 miles including the return journey) through barren moorland on foot from the nearest road is enough to put some visitors off. In our opinion, it’s a must-visit for anyone spending a significant amount of time in the Northwest Highlands, if you are able.

📷 Chronological photo guide

🌍 Location

📌 Start / finish on minor road, Blairmore

🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NC 194600

🛰️ GPS coordinates: 58.490887,-5.099994

❌ No public transport within 1 mi

🚗 Car park

📝 Key info

▶ 14 km / 9 mi | ▲ 150 m | ⌛ 3.5-4.5 hr

Features: 🏖️ Sandwood Bay ★★★★★

⬤ Easy | Good track across remote moorland.

➡️ Out-and-back walk: start – Loch na Gainimh – Loch a’ Mhuilinn – Sandwood Bay – return to start by outward route

Download file for GPS

🥾 On our last visit

Wildlife: A few seabirds on the various lochs.

Weather: Mostly sunny, but windy on the exposed moorland.

April 2013

Sandwood Bay ★★★★★