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Smirisary Walk

  • A first view of the beach with Eilean Shona behind.
  • The 'deserted' village of Smirisary.
  • Silver sands, blue seas, blue skies...
  • A male common blue butterfly sitting pretty on devil's-bit scabious
  • Smirisary, Moidart - the beach and view to the Small Isles
  • Smirisary and the slivery sands, Moidart
  • The walk crosses a small stream in a gorge
  • Kelp beds provide good foraging grounds for otters
  • Shell beach
  • The heather lined paths can be somewhat boggy
  • The silvery beach at low tide
  • Eilean Shona in the distance
  • The village of Smirisary, Moidart
  • We were delighted to see so many of these Northern Colletes solitary mining bees, busy busy busy collecting pollen to store in their burrows on the beach.
  • Northern Colletes solitary mining bees nesting in the sand
  • Common Stork's-bill. This lovely member of the Geranium family can be seen along coasts and dunes around Lochaber.
  • The grass of parnassus - a flower of cold beauty and a symbol of 'wilderness and wet'
  • Ragged robin
  • The sign for the footpath onwards to the beach in Smirisary
  • Looking back towards Smirisary
  • The heather lined paths to the beach can be a little boggy and uneven in places though are an absolute delight on a sunny day.
  • Arriving at the beach after an adventurous walk. Some peope are lucky enough to arrive by boat...
  • Silver sands with some interesting machair behind. We had great fun exploring the delightful flora...
  • Driftwood on the beach

Details

A pleasant walk along a rough/coastal path to the ancient crofting village of Smirisary in Moidart and onto the silvery sands. Good views over the Bay of Arisaig and to the Small Isles. The species-rich coastal grassland, the sandy shell beach and clear blue seas make it an ideal spot for botanising, beachcombing, a picnic, paddle or swim.

Take time to revel in the beauty of the coastal heath, machair grassland and wet meadow.  The coastal grassland is a riot of colour in Spring and early summer, studded with fragrant orchid, heath-spotted orchid, early marsh orchid, thyme, rue, wild carrot and birdsfoot trefoil.  The wet meadows are variously tinged with the yellows of bog asphodel, the pinkish-reds of water avens and the purples of devil's bit scabious, according to season.  The ledges on the surrounding hills support an eclectic mix of species, including aspen, wood sage and English stonecrop.   

Butterflies and moths include meadow brown, common blue, dark green fritillary and six-spot burnet.  Golden-ringed dragonflies patrol suitable breeding waters and four-spotted chaser take up territorial perches on emergent vegetation.  Look out for raptors on the crags.

The route can be very boggy in places and crosses a steep ravine, but it is a great walk on a sunny day for the scenery of, mainly open habitats and the wonderful isolated beach. The Smirisary walk is a ‘there and back’ walk, with the option of an alternative loop around the village to vary the route. The walk can very boggy in places so stout, waterproof footwear is recommended.

The author, Margaret Leigh lived in one of the white-painted croft houses and in her book recalls the trials and tribulations, as well as the enchantment, of a crofting lifestyle during the Second World War.  The Spade Among the Rushes is a great read, and captures the beauty of the Moidart and and life amongst the Highlanders.

Route Details

1. Park at the car park just before the end of the road and walk down towards the houses.  Turn right through a metal gate onto a tarmac path through rough pasture and then on through a wooden gate.  The path ascends with good views afforded of  the Small Isles. 

2. Take the left hand path descending to the village of Smirisary; the village was a formerly deserted crofting community, but many of the houses have since been restored. Head towards the white house in the distance by the coast. 

3. Cross the boardwalk and follow the sign to the White Sands.  The walk climbs through wet heath, with an abundance of ling (Calluna vulgaris), and bell heather (Erica cinerea), with cross leaved heath (Erica tetralix) and Bog myrtle (Myrica gale), and an abundance bryophytes in the wetter areas.  Look out for the extensive patchworks of crustiose lichens on rocks and exposed rocky outcrops.  The path skirts along the hillside with great coastal views. 

4. Cross a small ravine stream and keep left and continue uphill for a short way, before descending to onto a silvery sandy beach.  Look out for a variety of marsh and bog plant specialists, as well as unique machair flora, as you approach the coastline.  Highly folded and fractured metamorphic rocks form an impressive backdrop to the beach.  At low tide, extensive kelp and fucoid beds, interspersed with eel grass are evident; a rich feeding ground for otters at high tide. The coastal rocks also abound with molluscs (barnacles, limpets and whelks).  Look out for a range of coastal birds, raptors and otters. 

5. After exploring the beach and coast, and enjoying the wonderful views of the Small Isles, return by the same route.  Take time to explore the village on your return journey. 

Alternative return route

Alternatively, you can take a slightly different route back by taking a right turn on the board walk, followed by a left when you reach the open grassy area.  Walk along the lower edge of the grassy area and then take a left when you reach the small stream at the end. 

Follow the path, passing by an old derelict croft and behind a white house with a blue shed and walled garden.  At this point, take the right track up the hill, heading towards the fence line and view point.  This route takes you back to the original path from whence you can head right back to the car park.

Location

starting grid ref: 

NM654773

Links to useful information

  • Smirisary Beach
  • Ardnamurchan Day Trips - Glenuig and The Secret Beaches of Moidart

grade: 

  • moderate

terrain: 

rough track, boggy

length: 

6.5km (4 miles)

Type: 

  • there and back

Map: 

OS Explorer Map 390 - Ardnamurchan

OS Map

>>view map in full window

Google Map

Safety

Route details and information are provided in good faith.  All walking is potentially dangerous and it is your responsibility to ensure that you are properly dressed and equipped, have a map and compass, have checked and planned your route in advance and are able to navigate effectively.  Maps displayed on these walking pages are intended as an overview of the walk and are NOT suitable for navigation.  Please follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code and respect landowners and residents' privacy.  Always check the weather forecast and let others know if you are walking in the hills.

Walking

  • Walking Overview
  • Map of All Walks
  • Ardnamurchan and Moidart
  • Arisaig, Mallaig and Glenfinnan
  • Fort William and Glen Nevis
  • Glencoe, Loch Leven & Argyll
Booking.com

Holiday Cottages in Fort William and Lochaber

Ben Nevis Hotel and Leisure Club
Ben Nevis Hotel and Leisure Club

The Ben Nevis Hotel and Leisure Club is conviently situated just off the A82 a mile north of Fort William town Centre.   The Hotel has a restaurant and bar as well as a fitness centre, sauna, steam room, gym and 20m heated indoor swimming-pool.  A great base for relaxing whilst exploring Fort William, Glen Nevis and Lochaber.

Ardnamurchan Walking Pages

  • Alphabet Trail
  • Aoineadh Mor
  • Ardmolich Woodland Walk
  • Ardnastaing and Scotstown
  • Ardtornish Castle
  • Ariundle Oakwoods
  • Bay MacNeil Beach
  • Bay of Flies
  • Ben Hiant
  • Ben Resipole
  • Blain Burn Circular
  • Bourblaige Cleared Settlement
  • Camas nan Geall
  • Castle Tioram Circular
  • Castle Tioram Viewpoint
  • Claish Plantation
  • Corrantee Lead Mines from Ardnastaing
  • Corrantee Lead Mines from Polloch
  • Dalilea Walks
  • Dorlin Low Road
  • Fairy Walk
  • Fascadale and Port Eigin-aig
  • Galmadale Dam
  • Garbh Eilean Wildlife Walk
  • Ghardail Loop
  • Glen Moidart
  • Glenborrodale Nature Trail
  • Glendrian and Port Eigin-aig
  • Greadal Fhinn Chambered Cairn
  • Kentra Bay and The Singing Sands
  • Kentra Moss Circular
  • Kilmory Beach
  • Kinlochaline Low Road
  • Kinlochmoidart Old Road
  • Loch Teacuis Northside
  • Mingary Castle
  • Ockle to The Singing Sands
  • Polloch and Loch Shiel
  • Portuairk and Bay MacNeil
  • Portuairk to Sanna
  • Prince's Walk
  • Rahoy Hills - Black Water
  • Rahoy Hills - Loch Arienas
  • Salen Oakwoods
  • Shielfoot Torr
  • Silver Walk
  • Smirisary Walk
  • Sonachan Wood and Heathland
  • St Columba's Chapel, Drimnin
  • Strontian Community Woodland
  • Tennyson's Waterfall

Glencoe

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Walking

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Fort William

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Wildlife

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Wildlife

Home to Scotland's Big Five, red deer, golden eagle, otter, red squirrel, seals and so much more. A Wildlife Adventure Awaits.

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Ardnamurchan

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Activities

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Road to The Isles

The Road to The Isles

The Road to The Isles

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Day Trips

Day trips

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Take off for the day to see the puffins on The Treshnish Isles, A Day trip to Mull, Skye, The Small Isles, The Most westerly point on the mainland and many more local ideas for a day out

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