155. Skerray Bay

Scottish beaches come in all shapes and sizes. Some are blessed with long stretches of white or golden sand with high rolling dunes, while others boast an abundance of rocks and shingle. Skerray Bay on the north Sutherland coast may not even count as a beach but it’s such an interesting wineglass-shaped bay I have decided to include it here. Just north of the tiny crofting village of Skerray sits this beautiful round bay with its tiny harbour still in use today. The beach itself is a mix of patchy sand, dark rocks and gigantic boulders, backed by lush rolling hills and with the imposing Coomb (or Neave) Island sitting directly across the water. Mrs SBP have just spent a wonderful three hours sitting in the kitchen of a local basket maker chatting about life on the north coast. On the way back, we opt for a short walk, so we park at the entrance to the bay and follow the road round to the jetty, where the wind soon forces us into a retreat.