54. Hosta Beach

It’s the end of August and I am absolutely buzzing for my long-awaited first trip to the Outer Hebrides. Since I began the project, I have researched and planned for this trip, fully aware that my appreciation of Scottish beaches will move to a whole new level when the Outer Hebs come into play. I only have a window of a few days to make my Western Isles debut, so I decide to fly into Benbecula from Glasgow, pick up a hire car and spend a few days touring the beaches of North Uist, Berneray, Eriskay, Barra and Vatersay. I’m expecting to take in around 20 beaches on these islands, leaving out the coast of Benbecula and South Uist completely for another visit. What I didn’t plan for was the weather – three days of perfect blue skies, zero rain and hardly any midges. I land around 5pm, pick up the car and spend far too long working out how to change the dashboard language from German to English.  But now, on a beautiful balmy late summer evening, it’s time to begin what I expect will be a life-changing, multi-year adventure. I head straight for the beaches along the west and south coast of North Uist, starting with one of the most popular in the Western Isles – Hosta Beach, or Traigh Stir. This beach deserves its big billing and it’s an impressive place to start. A short walk from a small car park, through the dunes and there it is, a stunning half-circle of pure white sand, framed by machair at the back and still turquoise water out front. A few families are milling around on this perfect early summer evening, but otherwise the beach is deserted, as I am becoming to expect with every beach I visit in Scotland. I follow what is now becoming an established routine, walking once along the shore and once along the back of the bay. The view from all angles is stunning. On a big trip like this, I get a particular thrill from taking that first excitable step onto the sand of the first beach, especially if it’s been a while since my last trip. I immediately feel calmed and a wave of happiness spills over me. I felt it first at Calgary Bay on Mull and here again at Hosta. It’s probably just the build-up of adrenaline. As I walk back to the car, a few midges make an appearance, but they keep their distance. I consult my map, and set off around the coast for Hougharry. The game is on, and I’m loving it.