[Closed] Best Scottish beach.........

Sandwood Bay, Mellon Udrigle, Bettyhill, several around Arisaig, Tentsmuir as some starters but there'll be plenty more I'm sure someone else will suggest in a minute

Dumbarton

Sanna Bay. Like Arisaig/Silversands without the riffraff.

Thanks, keep them coming, shall check them out later when not on phone

how close to civilisation do you need / want to be?

plethora of lovely beaches along the Moray Firth, stretching from Nairn / Culbin, then from mouth of Findhorn you have Findhorn, Roseisle, along to Lossiemouth (two), Kingston & Spey Bey at the mouth of the Spey..

We are heading up to Speyside for the first few days so will check those out, then after that? Where the road takes us

Speyside -- several forum members in that area Houns. Plenty to do within Speyside itself, then head coastwards for variety.

But for scale of beaches, beyond the Moray Firth, would second the Arisaig / Poolewe / Aultbea / Gairloch suggestions..

Just back from a week in Tighnabruaich this was taken last Friday at Ostell bay 5 miles along the coast
lovely clean beach and warm...ish sea
[img]<img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3869/14862523013_2545789463_s.jpg" width="75" height="75" alt="DSC_0447">[/img]

Porty

Shhhh you lot. There aren't any, nope, none at all.

If you can bear to go to Mull on the ferry then Calgary bay is good. Arisaig is nice but the best bits are accessed by sea kayak, there's a stunning location round the headland to the south of there where I've stopped overnight. Sanna is stunning with the right weather. Ardtoe and the beach on the other side of Kentra bay aren't bad either.

Not really a beach but loch Coruisk is about my favourite place in the UK and the beach at the end of Glen brittle are good too.

If you can bear to go to Mull on the ferry then Calgary bay is good.

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indeed it it 🙂

kcal - Member
Speyside -- several forum members in that area Houns.

Aye, he may even make it to the wedding, if he doesn't get teh fakes 😉 😆

*remembering an episode of 'naked video' featuring a company making a film promoting scottish beaches, a group of people in dressing gowns on a beach shivering, being shouted at to get out of dressing gowns and start enjoying themselves, which they do, throwing a beach ball about shouting happily. Then when cameras turn off they run back to their dressing gowns shivering*

Culbin.

And Cornwall, it's nearer.

@swavis -- ah, penny drops. He's here *for* a particular wedding, eh?

naked video, blimey that's going back!! Mason Boyne, Siadwell..

Lots to go on here, great stuff

Ai, I shall be at the wedding of the year

😉

Back on topic, Culbin really is lovely, as is Sandend along the coast although a lot smaller but very picturesque.

oldbloke - Member

Sandwood Bay, Mellon Udrigle, Bettyhill, several around Arisaig, Tentsmuir as some starters but there'll be plenty more I'm sure someone else will suggest in a minute

Some great suggestions here. My all time favourite is East Strathy near Thurso, huge, remote and deserted.

There is a beach near Gairloch which is lovely Red Point I think

Speyside? Then go to Lossie - two beaches...and one looks like this...
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If you want nice area/surroundings and beach, head West coast

Surprised no one has suggested Achmelvich already.

Admittedly, I prefer it in winter when you can have it to yourself.

As above, Sanna is great, but the drive is a pain at this time of year. 68 mile round trip on that singleroad when everything is overgrown is slow progress...it's really difficult to see what's coming. I've got a great wee camp spot at Sanna that isn't immediately obvious but is almost perfect. Email me if you want details.

Speyside? Then go to Lossie - two beaches...and one looks like this...

Lovely...are the Tornados still screaming overhead on approach every 5 mins
or is it all Typhoons now?
😉

Another vote for Arisaig.

gwaelod - Member

Speyside? Then go to Lossie - two beaches...and one looks like this...

Lovely...are the Tornados still screaming overhead on approach every 5 mins

If you tie a visit in with the Lossiemouth armed forces day you will be able to see the a Typhoon do a display that just confounds all laws of physics. The best day you could ever have on a beach.

That beach at Glen Brittle a few weeks ago...

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Lovely...are the Tornados still screaming overhead on approach every 5 mins
or is it all Typhoons now?

matt_outandabout - Member
If you want nice area/surroundings and beach, head West coast

If you find yourself in NW Scotland on a sunny day and aren't filled with joy then you are DEAD INSIDE.

The beaches up between Lochinver and Stoer are ok.

Rua Reidh - proper hard to get to.

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Another vote for Sanna, below, or the one a few miles up from Applecross.

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Nobeerinthefridge - LOL!

Guess I'm the only (semi)local! I'd have to say that Helensburgh shades it over Dumbarton if I'm really going local...

That said, I've had some really nice evenings bouldering at Dumbarton rock, looking out to sea. Just don't look anywhere else!

seilebost beach amazing place

Haven't been to all those mentioned but my favourite's sango bay, up durness way... Beautiful location, beach itself is lovely, it's got tons of interesting rocks and stuff. Slightly cold atlantic coast water mind!

Only thing it lacks is a bunch of streams for me to build dams across.

Lovely...are the Tornados still screaming overhead on approach every 5 mins
or is it all Typhoons now?

The typhoons have been fitted with silencers.... They make less noise than a butterfly

[url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1052/1172358150_24d8e93066_z.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1052/1172358150_24d8e93066_z.jp g"/> ?zz=1[/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2MADey ]Camusdarach Beach[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/15746257@N00/ ]rich_4711[/url], on Flickr

great thread ! subscribed.

Achmelvich was the first one that came to mind for me, doesn't get much better than that.

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All the best ones have been mentioned I think.

Arisaig (along with Camusdarach and Morar), Sanna, Achmelvich and Sandwood are the stand-outs. The latter is made extra special by the wee bit of extra effort required to get there.

For something a bit different, there is also the coral beach on Skye.

Sanna, Calgary (can get a bit busy) or there is a lovely one to the south of Tarbert Loch Fyne, on the way to Cambletown.

I'd forgotten Achnahaird Bay. Great topic for planning a trip down memory lane.

oldbloke - Member
I'd forgotten Achnahaird Bay. Great topic for planning a trip down memory lane.

The campsite was great and £6 a night too

Bugger we are off to Portugal this year . oh well sanna next year .

I mistakenly referred to Rua Reidh when the beach is actually Camas Mor. Still brilliant, still a git to get to, and still near the Rua Reidh lighthouse.

Saltcoats - known for its picturesque harbour and golden, sandy beaches set around Irvine Bay.

Lunan bay near Montrose. Just to provide an alternative to all those to the north and west.

We're just back from Arisaig. The beach in dracs pic is easy to access and not busy. Losds more nearby. Standing in the water in dracs pic, I had 6 different species of fish swim around my knees. Kids spent hours climbing up the dune front and jumping off.

It's not Dracs beach, it's Bens beach 😉

If you go to the Moray Firth, Rosemarkie beach on the north cost line, Chanonry Point. You can watch the dolphins jumping out of the water from the shore. Maybe only 10 metre away. The whole pod come to the point every day at high tides to fish. Hardest part will be getting parked. Small car park and very popular this time of year.

Sandwood Bay for me plus the black sands at Talisker bBay on Skye takes some beating.

Oh - Loch Morlich alternative.

[url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3681/10649807555_80c21d0736_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3681/10649807555_80c21d0736_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/he63KD ]Loch Morlich Beach[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/22384952@N02/ ]ScotRoutes[/url], on Flickr

Probably the best inshore beach in the UK?

Probably the best inshore beach in the UK?

Between that and Laggan, hard to say.

Hmm. I think the view of the Gorms shades it though 🙂

Cape wrath

West sands st Andrews

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Castle Point ain't bad

Surf hunt back in 2010, Strathy on the north coast.[img][url= https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8203/8159517801_1c911e8ac4_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8203/8159517801_1c911e8ac4_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/dr2Enp ]dig surf trip strathy 4[/url]

Get the ferry & go to Islay!

[url= https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2882/9240731375_be080f6cf2.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2882/9240731375_be080f6cf2.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/f5zauK ]Islay 2013 027[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/7904024@N08/ ]jimmyg352[/url], on Flickr

Or Uist!

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I love Arisaig & Sanna though.

Melvich (not Achmelvich) is a nice beach. The sand is very red which stands out over most beaches in Scotland and it's got a nice break. The small beach at Morar is scenic and the kind of place you would want to laze around on but don't expect waves like you would find on the north coast.. It'll be flat calm. Worth a visit though as the sand is very light in colour and it's not too far from Mallaig. Both beaches are visually nice but Durness on a blue sky day, Balnakeil (walk out to the point) and Sangobeg are toppers.

Aye - jump on the ferry and go to Harris

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I love Loch Morlich, just for the crazy clashes of environment you get, walking through snowy trees suddenly onto a beach. But you can't really build a sandcastle there.

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Ice castles? Wow,this pic is poor! (scanned print from years ago)[url=[url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3913/14845425081_a3d40bd842_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3913/14845425081_a3d40bd842_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/oBQFER ]Mail0031[/url]

I do love these threads. It makes me very grateful to live where I do and to be able to appreciate all the fine things that it offers.

I'm also grateful (for completely selfish reasons!) that most of the "best" places are a PITA to get to from the central belt or England 🙂

ok, if we are doing Islands, here's Colonsay

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and one up West Loch Tarbert, Jura

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Sadly, thanks to Bertha, the only beaches we visited were Findhorn (could see the Seals), Spey Bay (no dolphins) Loch Garten (red squirrels, voles and Ospreys eating trout) and Loch Morlich ( wet campers and reindeer)

Ah well, we'll have to go back. Thanks for all your tips

Ok probably not in the league of the west coast but I've never been out there... But we go up to st abbs just over the boarders each year (here at the moment) and go to Coldingham bay which we love. Good surf at times and great rock pools and just under an hour to Edinburgh. Can get busy mind, especially on a nice day.