Isle of Skye (2): Loch Scavaig coast & the Bad Step, June 2010

One of the best parts of our holiday on Skye in June was exploring the beautiful Loch Scavaig coast around Elgol on the Strathaird peninsula. It offers the sea coast, Camasunary beach, the infamous Bad Step and Loch Coruisk - or as much of this as you desire, depending on how far you want to walk - all with the backdrop of Blaven and the Black Cuillin.

Looking north to Blaven and Camasunary beach on Loch Scavaig

There are a few ways of tackling this area. We split it over two trips: one on foot from Elgol to Camasunary and then up the track north of Beinn Leacach to the B8083 near Kirkibost (if you have two cars you can drop one at the layby here to shorten the route, or walk back along the road to Elgol like we did); and the second was from the layby over the Beinn Leacach track to Camasunary and up to the Bad Step and Loch Coruisk, then back by the same route. However, there are also boats that sail directly from Elgol to Loch Coriusk so you just have to stroll back along the coast - and looking back, I wish we'd done this! The track isn't that enjoyable...although there are some good views:

 

East from the Beinn Leacach track across Loch Slapin

photo by Heather

North from Elgol, the path peters out into a sheep track along this gorgeous stretch of coast. Although mostly easy, there are a few short vertigo-inducing bits! Initially, birds were slow...Meadow Pipits, singing Willow Warbler and flypast gulls and Shags.

One odd shape on the sea caught my attention though...maybe it was a seal? After a while, Jago refound it...it was a rich brown, dove often and had four legs and a tail - Otter! We sat and watched it gradually work its way closer to the shore...and then another...and then another!



The three worked their way slowly up the beach and under a large rock which we guessed was the holt. Wow!

 An otter crunches into a crab whilst a Hooded Crow waits for scraps

With a good idea of where to find the family again, we slipped back on our last night. After an hour with no sign, we were just starting back when Jago spotted a lone otter coming into shore, with a huge crab for dinner! We spent ages watching him take it apart...alive! A Hooded Crow kept close attendance in case of a chance for leftovers. I managed to grab a few shots through the telescope with Heather's Canon Ixus 50.

 

The coast has the best views into the heart of the Black Cuillin

By now, we were getting great views across the loch to the Black Cuillin. A ten second glimpse of a White-tailed Eagle got pulses racing! After lunch at Cladach a' Ghlinne, we pressed on to Camasunary beach (probably took us 3 hours in total) and bathed in the afternoon sunlight. A pair of Shelduck with an amazing 12 chicks swam along the beach and Arctic Terns posed on the rocks offshore.

 

 The author on the Bad Step
(photo by Heather)

From Camasunary beach, it is still another hour and a half to the Bad Step - a rocky slab of gabbro that blocks the path with just a crack to work yourself along - with no way round other than to swim! Its bark is worse than its bite, but you still need a bit of a head for heights...there's a fifteen foot drop to the waves below!

Heather and I ran out of time a little, so Jago was the only one in our group to get all the way to Loch Coriusk...but it gives us yet another reason to go back. This area is absolutely fantastic...but I do recommend doing one-way by boat!

 

The view up Loch Coriusk

Photo by Ylvas, under Creative Commons licence