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Are you heading to Scotland soon and wondering what the best Isle of Skye beaches are? We are here to help!
The Isle of Skye is a stunning place, and its beaches are no exception.
If you’re looking for a beautiful beach to relax on during your visit to the isle, then look no further!
The isle of Skye is home to many beautiful natural landmarks including Neist Point, the Fairy Pools and the Old Man of Storr.
But it’s also a great place to discover some of the most beautiful beaches in Scotland.
Skye is home to a variety of beaches, each with its own unique charm, and on a bright and sunny day, it will make you feel like you’ve just escaped to the Maldives!
In this blog post, we will discuss the best beaches on the Isle of Skye and why they are worth visiting. So if you’re looking for some inspiration, read on!
1. Coral Beach
📍 See location on Google Maps
Located on the east coast of the isle, Coral Beach is a beautiful sandy beach with crystal-clear waters.
This is, hands down, the most beautiful beach on the Isle of Skye and you can be sure of one thing, it will take your breath away!
It’s situated only 20 minutes drive from Dunvegan Castle and you can easily visit both on the same day.
As usual, on Skye, it’s a one-lane road that will lead you there. Once you get to Claigan, you will find a carpark where you can leave your vehicle.
Please note that there are a lot of potholes in this carpark so you need to drive slowly. If you have a motorhome, it will be a struggle so I would advise not to go there with it.
It fits quite a few vehicles but if you are visiting during the peak season, you will need to get there early as it’s your only option parking-wise. Once it’s full, there is not much you can do about it.
At the back of the carpark, you will find a gate. That’s where the walk to the beach is.
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It’s a very easy and flat walk which is perfectly fine for children too.
It takes about 20 to 30 minutes to reach the beach.
Coral Beach is absolutely stunning. The sand is very white and the water crystal-clear. For this reason, the water is beautifully turquoise blue!
If you are visiting on a sunny day, it will take your breath away.
But don’t worry if it’s rainy or cloudy, you still get to see how clear the water is.
As a matter of fact, it’s just as pretty on a rainy day since you can see the contrast even more!
At the back of the beach, you can find Coral Beach Rock. This is a bit of hill / cliff and there is a path that will lead you to the top.
It’s well worth going up there because once you reach the top, you get fantastic views over the beaches!
It’s so pretty and an amazing photo spot!
It can be a bit windy though so make sure to have a coat!
Is it dog-friendly? Yes, it is but dogs must be kept on a lead.
2. Talisker Bay Beach
📍 See location on Google Maps
Talisker Bay is located on the west coast of the Isle of Skye and is one of the most unique beaches in the world!
It’s a very unusual beach since it’s made of both white and black sand. They mix together creating incredible scenery.
You will need a car to get there. You can drive all the way down to Talisker. Once you reach the end of the road, you will see a gate with a sign indicating the beginning of the walk.
There is no carpark here but you can park on the side of the road. Again, it’s better to get there early to secure your spot.
Talisker Bay is a bit of a hidden gem and it’s nowhere as popular as the other attractions which means that it’s not as busy. However, since there is only a handful of parking spots, it doesn’t take much for it to be full.
The walk to the beach is about 2 miles and pretty easy. It’s completely flat so that’s a good walk for kids as well.
You just need to follow the path and it will lead you straight to the beach. Nothing tricky here!
Once you get to the beach, you will discover the true meaning of breath-taking! It almost looks like an optical illusion! It’s so unique.
There is a part with rocks where you can sit and enjoy the views. Behind the beach, you will also find grass which can be a good spot for picnics if you don’t want to stay on the beach itself.
It’s also worth noting that this is one of the best sunset spots on the Isle of Skye so if you are looking for a great place to take photographs in the evening, this will be your paradise!
Is it dog-friendly? Yes but you need to keep your dog on a leash.
3. Rubha Shlèite Beach – Point of Sleat
📍 See location on Google Maps
This is a secluded beach located in the southern part of Skye. It can be a bit difficult to find but it’s definitely worth the effort!
You will need a car and you will have to drive all the way down to Aird of Sleat where you can leave your vehicle in the carpark at the end of the road.
From there, it’s about 2.5 miles to the beach but if you are up for a longer walk, you should definitely go all the way down to the Point of Sleat.
It’s not the easiest of walks, especially since there aren’t any signs indicating the beach (it’s located on your right and is quite small so you will need to keep an eye on it) but it is well worth the effort.
This beach is a prime example of ‘Maldives’ type beaches in Scotland. The sand is so white and the water so blue!
Not a lot of people come all the way down here so it’s a great place to get away from the crowds as well.
4. Camasunary Bay
📍 See location on Google Maps
Tucked away behind the Black Cuillin Mountains, near the small town of Egol, Camasunary Bay is another hidden gem in the area.
This beautiful Isle of Skye beach is the perfect place to visit if you are looking for a bit of a longer walk.
You can easily park at Camasunary Car Park and start your hike there.
There is a gate at the end of the carpark and that’s where the path starts.
It’s a 5.5-mile walk (return) which takes a couple of hours to complete.
Unfortunately, this isn’t a loop so you will just have to take the same path here and back.
It will take about an hour to reach the bay. The walk is classified as medium intensity. It’s not as easy as Coral Beach but it’s still accessible for most people.
The beach itself is made of sand and rocks. It’s not as stunning as the other mentioned in this article in itself however, the surrounding landscapes here are hard to beat.
If you stand on the beach, you can admire the sea in front of you and as you turn around, you get to see the stunning mountains of Skye. It’s so beautiful!
Now that you know everything about the best beaches on the Isle of Skye, the only thing left to do is to go and explore! Have fun!
Map of the most beautiful beaches on Skye
You can find below an interactive map with the locations of all these amazing beaches on Skye.
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