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3 September 2021

It’s late afternoon on Islay, a little overcast but dry. My next stop is this popular beach close to Port Ellen, the main settlement on Islay. I park at a nearby cemetery and take the easy path down to the beach, known as a haven for families and water sports enthusiasts. Today, it’s empty, and I’m beginning to realise that this is how it is with Scottish beaches. At one end of the beach sits a ruined chapel, with a few homes at the other, behind which is a small road leading to the Carraigh Fhada lighthouse. That’s where I’m headed next.