Port na Curaich Walk - Iona

For this walk instead of walking towards the abbey, turned left at the jetty. The road first goes South and then West ending at a gate beyond which is a stretch of machair which doubles as a golf course. After crossing the golf course, the track heads up hill. There are fine views from the path to the white Iona sands and further out to sea, the Treshnish Isles -  the unmistakeable shape of the Dutchman's Cap above and Lunga below.

 

Sheep with lambs grazing on the machair.

The track skirts the left of Loch Staionaig and then heads down to the shore.

Port na Curaich or Harbour of the Coracle is now more often called St Columbas Bay. The shingle shore line - divided in two by a rocky outcrop - is said to be the spot where St Columba landed on Iona.