20. Saligo Bay

Oh wow, where to begin! When I talked to Islay locals about my project the same two words kept coming up – Saligo Bay. This seems to be the beach the locals rate the highest. “You have to go to Saligo Bay”, they would say. A few miles up from the popular sweeping sands of Machir Bay, this stunning beach is a true hidden gem. Not visible from the road, there are few parking spaces and little evidence of the wonders that lie beyond the short walk through a field of sheep and down the high dunes behind the bay. It’s a simply wondrous spot, famous for capturing the light at any time of day (particularly sunset). With rocky coves and a wide sandy shoreline, this was magical. Probably my favourite beach so far.