Scarista walk - Traigh Scarista - Scarista Beach walk

Route: Traigh Scarista

Area: Outer Hebrides, South Harris

Date of walk: 11th March 2024

Walkers: Andrew and Gilly

Distance: 2.4 miles

Ascent: 50 feet

Weather: Rain and dark skies

On the last full day of our week on the Outer Hebrides it rained all day. We could hardly complain as the weather had been superb up to now. We’d planned a longer walk, but the conditions were against us so we decided on a short walk along Traigh Scarista, or Scarista Beach. We have a good view over the sands from our rented holiday cottage at Blue Reef (which I can highly recommend)

There is access to the beach from Sgarasta Bheag. Look out for a red post box at the side of the road, and there are a few parking spaces close by, opposite the cemetery. We passed through a gate and onto the machair and, after a couple of minutes, reached the sand dunes which line the shore of Traigh Scarista. We descended to the beach and turned left in the direction of Ceapabhal which we’d climbed on our first day on Harris

Further description of the route isn’t necessary, it’s a simple matter of walking along the beach and retracing your footsteps in the sand. The walk can be shortened or extended according to time available

NOTE: the map shown is only a rough guide and the route will vary according to the tide times. Don’t be tempted to stray too far out as there are quicksands and there is also a risk of becoming stranded by the incoming tide

Click on the icon below for the route map (subscribers to OS Maps can view detailed maps of the route, visualise it in aerial 3D, and download the GPX file. Non-subscribers will see a base map)

Scroll down – or click on any photo to enlarge it and you can then view as a slideshow

Traigh Scarista, or Scarista Beach, seen from Blue Reef, our rented holiday cottage

Start of the walk from Sgarasta Bheag, the parking area is a few yards along the road by the local cemetery

We walk across the machair and through another gate

Traigh Scarista, a beautiful beach despite the rain and dark skies

Ceapabhal, Traigh Scarista, Scarista beach

Ceapabhal at the other end of the beach. We have fond memories of our walk to its summit on our first day here

Colours of sea and sand...

The foot of Ceapabhal

Northton at the far end of Traigh Taobh Tuath. This is the far point of our walk, though it would be possible to extend it, tide permitting

We retrace our footsteps in the sand...

Sgeir Liath at the end of Scarista Beach, and the end of a wonderful walking holiday in the Outer Hebrides

Scarista

Route map

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