Ardtoe and the Singing sands of Camus an Lighe

Ok..I confess..it was just a little accident and it hurt my pride rather than harm me.

Approaching the first sandy beach on the south of Kentra bay, the water looked calm but there was a little sea swell causing some waves to break on the shore. I tried to judge my landing between the swells, but mis-timed stepping out and a wave caught me off balance. I hopped, skipped then tripped, flat in my face. The next wave rolled in and I was soaked through before I could get up again.



I then grabbed the boat and hauled it up the beach before it filled with water. I was happy to see my camera still safe in its waterproof box. Yup..I learned the hard way a couple of years ago to always put the camera safely away before landing or launching boats. The sea shows no mercy to anything.



I’m glad to say there was not a single soul in site of the singing sands. I stripped off to dry out, leaving only my shirt on to hide my modesty. It was a good drying day and as I ate my dinner sitting on the warm rocks, my clothes dried off nicely.



This is a photograph of the full length of the first singing sand beach at Cul na Croise. Most folks who walk to Camas an Lighe beach don’t know this one exists as it is almost a mile from the path.



I walked the full length of the beach in my shirt tails while that last of my clothes dried. There was not a single foot print in the sand, except for mine.



I then returned to the boat and dressed fully before launching the boat between waves and rowing down to the next small sandy cove in the shelter of Sgeir nam Meann. I had no further drookings while landing as there was hardly any swell in this little natural harbour.



I then walked past the point of Sgeir an Rathaid and started to squeak my way over the singing sands of Camas an Lighe. The sand really does sing if you shuffle the ball of your foot over it as you walk.



It is another beautiful remote beach. There were lots of footprints on this one so it must be a popular walk but I saw no one. Perhaps they were too scared to appear if they had seen me walking semi nekkid on the first beach. The blooming heather even grew in the sand here.



I walked the length of this beach too, until I reached the ford over the Allt nam Frogag. I saw a couple of nice sea trout lying in a pool, waiting for a spate before ascending the burn to spawn. They then saw me and swam off to sea again.



All too soon, it was time to head back to the boat again then head for the tent. I had now covered the coast all the way from Morar Bay to Camus an Lighe



My next adventure was to extend my explorations in a northerly direction and venture into Loch Nevis ... stay tuned for that one :-D