November 2006 - Canoeist Magazine

Guide Isle of Skye - Southwest Coast
FACT FILE
Distance
From Ardvasar to Fiskavaig is 82km.
Transport
There is no public transport.
Campsites
There are campsites at Morar, Upper Breakish,
Skulamus, Bualintur and Kilmuir.
Youth Hostels
There are youth hostels at Armadale,
Broadford and Glenbrittle.
OS 1:50,000 Sheets
32 South Skye & Cuillin Hills
39 Rùm, Eigg, Muck & Canna
Admiralty Charts
1795 The Little Minch (1:100,000)
2208 Mallaig to Canna Harbour (1:50,000)
Tidal Constants
Mallaig: Dover - 5 hrs
Bay of Laig: Dover - 5 hrs
Camas nan Gall: HW Dover - 4 hrs 50 mins,
LW Dover - 4 hrs 40 mins
L Harport: HW Dover - 5 hrs, LW, Dover - 4
hrs 50 mins
Forecasts
Marinecall: Ardnamurchan - Cape Wrath,
09014 737 474
Sea Area: Hebrides
Submarine Areas
Sleat, Eigg, Rhum, Canna, Bracadale
Lifeboats
All Weather: Mallaig, Portree
Maritime Rescue Sub Centre
Stornoway, 01851 702013/4
44
Preshal More towers above Talisker Bay.
Further up the coast are more
caves, both the submerged kind
which produce internal gurglings
from deep inside and the kind which
can be explored by kayak. One has
two entrances.
Talisker Bay, backed by 416m
Stockval, is used for surfing but has a
steep boulder beach and a notice
banning vehicles from the last
kilometre of track. This suits naturists
who appreciate the privacy.
The Talisker distillery, the only one
on Skye, was begun by Kenneth
MacAskill of Talisker House but it
was later moved to Fiskavaig and
then, in 1830, to Carbost.
The 90m waterfall on the north
side of the bay is one of the best coastal falls in
Scotland and is to be followed by more of the same.
Lava flows 2 - 12m thick give a stratified appearance.
Around Rubha Cruinn there is a channel inside all
the reefs, so uniform in shape that it could almost
have been cut. Below 253m Beinn nan Dubh-lochan
the cliffs are only about 6m high but then they soar
back to full height from the overhanging Rubha nan
Clach.
Caves might be expected to face the open sea but
one of the ones before Gob na h-Oa faces northwest
with the appearance of a mineshaft entrance.
Fiskavaig Bay offers a fairly reliable sandy landing
beach, facing north northwest with the open sea to
the southwest and, if necessary, the mouth of the
Fiskavaig Burn on the west side of the bay providing
an even more sheltered landing, albeit with a more
difficult walk out.
Fiskavaig Bay offers a sheltered landing. Beyond is Oronsay.
CANOEIST November 2006