63. Seal Bay

I’m loving this slow trek up the west coast of Barra. It’s a beautiful day and despite being the end of August, it’s largely deserted. Although the coast road runs close to the shore, some beaches require a short tramp across fields to reach. Largely unseen from the coast road, Seal Bay (often referred to as Allasdale or Allathasdal Beach) is an absolute stunner. A wide powder-white sand bay, with deep rolling dunes and rock pools galore, it has all the ingredients of a big hitter but is probably overlooked because it doesn’t have an obvious parking or entry point. When I arrive, after walking across a field and over the dunes, my only company is a violinist standing out in the exposed rocks and playing a haunting tune, which serenades across the bay. It’s a surreal sight, and sound. His wife appears as I approach and I have a small chat before leaving the ‘fiddler on the rocks’ alone to play some more. The song carries in the breeze as I make my across the otherwise deserted bay. A magical experience.