The Singing Sands

Beach / strand

Explorer Tom

The Singing Sands on Islay sit beyond Carraig Fhada lighthouse, across the bay from Port Ellen, and apparently expect visitors to bring their own percussion section. Scuff the pale sand when conditions are right and it can squeak underfoot; if it keeps quiet, blame the moisture rather than your dancing. Either way, the little beach earns its encore. This is the Islay beach near Kilnaughton, not the other Singing Sands on the Ardnamurchan peninsula. Start by Kilnaughton graveyard on the Oa road and follow the shore track towards the square lighthouse. Before reaching Carraig Fhada, take the signed path up the hill behind the houses and then down to the beach. The track's final stretch towards the lighthouse is private, so follow the beach sign rather than treating the houses as a shortcut. The walk follows Kilnaughton Bay, where eider ducks, seals or even an otter may appear; let the wildlife choose whether to perform. Carraig Fhada was commissioned in 1832 by Walter Frederick Campbell in memory of Lady Ellinor Campbell. From the sand, you can watch ferries come and go at Port Ellen while the lighthouse stands guard like a chess piece with better sea views. The local Islay visitor guide describes a roughly one-mile walk from the graveyard, with parking near it. Wear shoes suited to a shore path, allow for weather and tide, and keep to the marked route beside private homes. A dry patch gives the sand its best chance to make a noise, but there is no guaranteed concert. Go for the beach and the bay; treat any singing as a cheeky bonus from Islay itself.

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What is recorded here

Map note: The Singing Sands appears on the map as a beach or strand near Kilnaughton, Argyll and Bute, Scotland. The map knows which stretch of shore is meant.

From OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors) w434914794