Claddach Loch to Lossit Bay

The Natural Arch near Lossit Bay

At last I have managed to get out and walk! I was beginning to shrivel up from being indoors too long. This was not a huge stretch of coast, perhaps a couple of miles (and a couple of miles back). I went, as planned, on Sunday with the weather looking a little ominous as I set off. It actually started to drizzle, but I have a strategy for that; start donning waterproofs - it frightens the rain off. So that's what I did - and it worked! I enjoyed glorious sunshine for most of the rest of the walk. Fulmars, Kittiwakes and Choughs entertained me en route with their aerial acrobatics. The Chough came quite close, displaying their bright red legs and beaks and the Fulmars came close too; too close for comfort! A peregrine flew off and round the corner before I got a good view of it. I've never figured out these duns (ancient forts), but apparently passed one en route. I didn't miss the natural arch though, quite an impressive specimen! It has to be said that this was one section that was more walker-friendly than a lot of other parts of the walk. There were a couple of stiles and no horrible barbed wire fences to cross (until, that is, I chose to struggle over one in order to avoid cattle!) And Lossit Bay is a beautiful place to end up at. I looked down on some other walkers on the sand before walking back along the road to the car.

Frustration

Oh dear! I'm getting very frustrated as I've not had chance to get out walking for what seems like ages. The weather had not been great (and I'm a bit of a fairweather walker really!) and now that it is I seem to be inundated with work and other commitments. But I intend getting out on Sunday so hope for good weather then. I think I'll aim for the stretch of coast between Claddach Loch and Lossit that still remains undone. So watch this space!

map to show progress

Please click on the image for a closer view. The colours have no other significance than to show the stages in which I have done the walk. The gaps left are between Gortantoid and Traigh na Dha Dhorais (?) (north), Port Ellen and Knock Bay(south), Kilnave and Ardnave(north), Port Askaig and Bunnahabhain (north east), Laggan Point and the Laggan River ('inland' west coast), Cladach and Lossit Bay (Atlantic west coast), Soldier's Rock and Glen Astle and Port an Eas (Oa) and Beinn Mhor (Oa). Please let me know if the map makes any sense or not! It's taken me a while to figure out how to get it onto this site!