41. Palm Tree Beach

After grabbing some lunch at the excellent cafe at the Tayinloan ferry, it was a quick 20-minute sailing to the Island of Gigha (I left the car at Tayinloan and travelled on foot). I wasn’t sure what to expect of Gigha. I had heard about its amazing beaches but being so close to the mainland I wasn’t sure if it would have the same kind of ‘island feel’ as the other Hebridean community islands. How wrong I was. I fell in love with Gigha the moment I left the ferry. I checked into the Gigha Hotel (the only hotel on the island) and immediately set off to walk the four miles up Gigha’s only road. This was a lovely walk, with blue skies, bright sunshine and no midges! The mainland to my right, the mighty Jura to my left, past grazing cattle, verdant pastureland, songbirds overhead until the road was no more. A couple of camper vans were parked up at the end of the road but before I reached them I took a right turn across the headland, around a rocky bay and onto the Caribbean paradise of Palm Tree beach. The single palm tree at the back of the beach looks almost placed, like a prop in a film set, and I wondered how many Instagram photos had been taken here. I couldn’t resist. Actually, there’s a second smaller but equally idyllic bay just past the main beach… but no palm tree. Amazing place, and a great first impression of Gigha!