Two kilometres of glorious sandy beach on Scotland’s Atlantic coast, on the beautiful Hebridean island of Islay. The bay faces west, making for wonderful sunsets here.
Inland, the beach is fringed by sand dunes, thickly covered in prickly marram grass – though paths lead through them too, and a short dune walk is well worth it.
One thing to note: cool winds often prevail at Machir Bay, so dress for it. You can wade into the cold water, but the waves are often fairly high, and there are some strong currents, so it’s not really a place for swimming.
Personal note: a lovely walk
We spent a few hours here strolling and taking it all in. Beautiful! Definitely worth the trip.
Tip: a distillery nearby
Beforehand, drop in at the Kilchoman distillery and the Kilchoman graveyard. Both are close by and well worth a visit.
Getting there:
Coming from Port Ellen, take the main A847 towards Bruichladdich, but turn right beforehand towards Sanaigmore and Kilchoman. Follow the B8018, but instead of continuing to Sanaigmore, go straight on to Kilchoman. Keep driving past it – you’ll see the church on your left – but don’t turn down there; carry straight on until you reach a small car park. From there, follow the path on foot through the dunes.