70. Traigh Ear

It’s my final day in the Western Islands and the plan is to tour the beaches of North Uist and Berneray before returning to Benbecula airport for the flight home. It’s an early start as I check out of my hotel at the foot of South Uist and make the hour-long drive to the tiny village of Grenitote at the base of the Udal peninsula in North Uist for my first walk of the day. It’s another sunny morning but some heavy clouds are gathering and I wonder how long I can keep my run of good luck going. The short walk traverses up the eastern coast of the peninsula, along the tip and down the west coast, taking in three stunning beaches along the way. This is a rich natural environment and an unspoilt habitat for wild flowers, birds and animals, including otters. On this sunny morning, the tide is out as I make my way along the incredible Traigh Ear, with its low machair dunes to my left and seemingly endless flat sands to my right. Traigh Ear is actually two separate bays, and they are both magnificent.