Category: Moderate-exacting walk
Walking Distance: approx 12km / 7.5 miles
Time: allow five to six hours to complete the full circuit
Map Reference: OS Landranger 18 and Pathfinder 116 (NF88 / 98)
The walk starts and finishes at the community centre at Borve, where there is car parking.
Leave the Community Hall on foot, go through a gate on your right and follow the waymarkers up Beinn a’ Claidh to the standing stone at Cladh Maolrithe. Descend on the other side of the hill, until you reach the main road.
Turn left here and follow the road for 3km as it winds past Borgh Hill, past the harbour and around Loch a Bháigh. Keep to the right at Ruisgearraidh and follow the road to Baile. Then follow the road along the machair for 1.3km, go through the gate (remembering to close it behind you) and follow the waymarkers along the shore, keeping off the slopes of Beinn Ghainche (Sand Hill).
Once past the fenceline, follow the waymarkers up to the summit of Beinn Shleibhe, where you can enjoy spectacular views over the Sound of Pabbay. Descend to the north coast of Berneray and then walk for 3.5km along the most breathtaking beach or on the dune above it, turning the corner slightly at Rubh’ a’ Chorrain. Turn to the left and follow the waymarkers for 1km across the machair to Scalabraig where you can see archaeological remains including the enigmatic Chair Stone. The route returns to the Community Hall.
Click on to the image below to download a leaflet for this walk:
At Beinn a'Chlaidh - Hill of the Graveyard - there is a standing stone.
Berneray and the nearby island of Pabbay lie in the Sound of Harris between North Uist…
Berneray West beach is easily accessible throught the village of Borve.
A large seal with a forehead and less spots than the Harbour Seal. Males can be up to 3.3…
Common seals are brown, tan, or grey, with distinctive V-shaped nostrils.
Close to the ferry terminal lie the slight remains of a burial cairn, probably dating to…
Giant Mackaskill Monument is located ti the South of Berneray.
Loch Bhurigh is easily accessible from the machair to the south of the island.
These two converted blackhouses now form the Berneray hostel site of the Gatliff Trust…
This is a large, heavy-billed diver can resemble a goose, especially in flight.
Ben Ghainche is a small hill situated at the north end of the beach at Bearsdaire
The remains of a stronghold occupy the whole of a tiny islet in the middle of the tidal…
The Sound of Harris ferry runs between Berneray and Leverburgh. The route meanders round…
Clachan Sands beach is a stunning white sandy beach which is accessible via the village…