*caveat - I am neither an athletic nor a brave swimmer so these spots represent only my personal preference and are undoubtedly too tame for the seasoned wild swimmer.Vatersay
Vatersay's twin bays offer just about everything I yearn for in a beach. The calm turquoise waters of the east-facing Bagh Bhatersaigh with shoals of tiny fish and its wilder partner, Bagh Sair facing out into the open Atlantic. A sublime swathe of machair separates the bays. In early August the dunes were studded with tiny white eyebright, pale blue harebells, red clover, magenta self heal, bright yellow trefoils, vetches and ragworth and the hairy brown buds of knapweed.
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| Bagh Bhatersaigh, Vatersay, Outer Hebrides |
We remembered the beach at Bagh Halaman from our previous visit to Barra and headed straight there the evening we arrived. I nearly cried for not bringing my swim gear. We headed back there early the next morning, left our bikes at the telephone box, traipsed over the machair and swam in the just-deep-enough pool by the skerries. It was cold but bearable.
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| Bagh Halaman, Barra |
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| Bagh Halaman, Barra |
Traigh Tuath
Where the brackish water of the Abhuinn Mhor bleeds into the azure Atlantic. The water is deliciously cold and then icy in turn and under the water the sea wriggles and squirms where the two meet and mix.
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| Traigh Tuath, Barra |
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| small watercolour - Traigh Tuath, Barra |
Coming soon - swimming on (or should that be off?) North and South Uist.
