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The Skye Bridge cost £25m to construct. It opened in 1995 and the controversial tolls were abolished in December 2004.

 

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Roadworks in Glen Varragill

Phase 3 of the roadworks in Glen Varragill is under way, right in time for the start of the visitor season. There will be disruption until mid-July.
Allow some extra time when driving between Sligachan and Portree.

Home arrow Walking arrow Strolls arrow Claigan Coral Beach
Claigan Coral Beach | Print |  E-mail
To be frank, I've had to think whether to include this walk in The Skye Guide or not. If you're looking for great beaches, you are on the wrong island - try Harris, or Tiree, or Uist, or Berneray, or Iona..... I could go on. If you are looking for a good short walk on Skye, there are many better than this one. If you want peace and quiet on a summer day, this is not the place.
 
On balance though, the combination of accessibility, an easy walk and some white sand can be very attractive on a warm sunny day - so here is how to find it.
 
Claigan Beach
The Beach
 
Take the road north from Dunvegan, past the castle, and follow it to its end at Claigan. There is a small car park at NG231537 . From there, take the vehicle track that runs north-west to follow the shoreline of Loch Dunvegan. The start is not promising. There are cattle here who leave their mark - and odour - on the track, and by the shore there is often a lot of ugly flotsam washed up by the tides. After about 1km the track reaches a small sandy beach at Camas Ban. There are two errors that can be made here. One is to assume that this is the destination beach, the other is to keep following the track as it turns right and heads upwards and away from the coast. What you should do at this point is to leave the track, heading onwards through a gap in an old wall and then uphill on short grass. As you reach the top of the slope, the coral beach is laid out ahead of you.
 
Despite its name, and all these tales of the Gulf Stream, the beach is not made of coral at all. It is actually composed of pieces of dessicated and sun-bleached algae. If you look carefully it is still possible to find some fairly big bits away from where the crowds gather for beach games and barbecues.
 
Close-up of the 'coral'
The 'Coral'
 
Just offshore is the tidal island of Lampay. If you want to cross and explore it, check the tide times . More rewarding options are to climb the small but prominent hill by the beach, or to continue your walk around the point and into Lovaig Bay. Either of these extensions to the walk will open up wonderful views over the islands in Loch Bay, and beyond.
 
From the same car park, there is easy access to the Claigan Souterrain
 
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