118. Garry Beach

Almost exactly a year after my first visit to the Outer Hebrides I am beyond excited to be back. This time, my sights are set on Lewis and Harris, the two northernmost of the Western Isles. I have four days to explore, but this first day is destined to be a wet one and I have to don the waterproofs immediately after walking into the car park at Stornoway airport. I don’t mind walking in rain, and it’s hardly lashing it down, so I am more than happy to head up the road north of Stornoway to the village of Tolsta, where three beautiful beaches are waiting to get the ball rolling. I park at the beach car park of Tolsta Beach itself (Traigh Mhor) but rather than head onto the sands, I walk out the car park, back up the hill and around the headland to Traigh Ghearadha, commonly known as Garry Beach. This beach does have its own car park but despite the rain, I am happy to walk. I’m glad I did because my first view of this magnificent beach is from high upon the cliff, looking down on the impressive sea stacks at the southern end of the beach. I follow the path down onto the beach, poke around the rocks and onto the far side, where the iconic “bridge to nowhere” remains as a reminder of what might have been. Back up on the cliff, I vow to return here one day in better weather as I imagine this to be a wonderfully photogenic spot under blue skies and sunshine … two elements sadly lacking today.