2021

NF6704 : Barra - Sandy beach northeast of Cleat (Cleit)

taken 3 years ago, near to Cleat, Barra, Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scotland

Barra - Sandy beach northeast of Cleat (Cleit)
Barra - Sandy beach northeast of Cleat (Cleit)
This extensive sandy beach is to be found to the NE of the little location of Cleat in northern Barra. Quite unusually for Barra, the beach faces northwards.
The hill in the background is the 206m (676') Beinn Chliaid.
Barra (Barraigh) :: NL6698

The Isle of Barra (Barraigh) is towards the southern end of the long chain of islands that constitutes the Outer Hebrides. Since 1991 it has been joined by a 200m long causeway to its southern neighbour, Vatersay (Bhatarsaigh) the latter being the southernmost populated island of the archipelago. Beyond Vatersay to the south lie some uninhabited (but mostly formerly inhabited) islands, principal among which are (in order from N to S): Sandray (Sanndraigh), Pabbay (Pabaigh), Mingulay (Miùghlaigh) and finally Berneray (Beàrnaraigh) also known as Barra Head.
Barra is quite a bustling island for its size, having amongst the highest population densities of the outer islands (viz. 20/km² roughly twice that of Lewis with Harris for example). The entirety of this population is situated around the coast or a little way inland along valleys, the centre of the island being mountainous and uninhabited.
One circular road (the A888) forms a circuit around the bulk of the island with a branching minor road heading into the Eoligarry peninsula (where the airport is located, see below) and another spur running south around the perimeter of Beinn Tangabhal to the causeway to Vatersay.
The chief settlement of Castlebay is clearly the hub of the island with schools, shops, hotels, a particularly excellent café ( LinkExternal link ) and the port as well as Kisimul Castle on its own little islet in the bay, from which the town gets its name.
Barra airport is one of the World's most remarkable - it is situated on the Eoligarry peninsula towards the northern extremity of the island ... and it doesn't have a runway as such. Instead planes land and take off from the expansive beach of Tràigh Mhòr ("Big Beach"). Flight times are therefore dependent on the tide!
Statistics:
Area: 5,875ha (22⅔ miles²)
Population: 1,174 (2011 census)
Highest Point: Heaval (Heabhal), 384m (1,259')
Principal settlement: Castlebay (with perhaps a third of the island's population)


Creative Commons Licence [Some Rights Reserved]   © Copyright Rob Farrow and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Geographical Context: Coastal Estuary, Marine Island: Barra other tags: Coastal Scenery Click a tag, to view other nearby images.
This photo is linked from: Automatic Clusters: · Beach [6] · Beinn Chliaid [6] · Cleat [5] · Cleat Cleit [3] · Northern Barra [3] ·
1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
+
+
1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
TIP: Click the map for more Large scale mapping
Grid Square
NF6704, 27 images   (more nearby 🔍)
Photographer
Rob Farrow   (more nearby)
Date Taken
Sunday, 27 June, 2021   (more nearby)
Submitted
Thursday, 15 July, 2021
Subject Location
OSGB36: geotagged! NF 6716 0483 [10m precision]
WGS84: 57:0.8472N 7:29.1600W
Camera Location
OSGB36: geotagged! NF 6681 0488
View Direction
EAST (about 90 degrees)
Clickable map
+
NW N NE
W Go E
SW S SE
Image Type (about): cross grid 
This page has been viewed about 53 times
You are not logged in login | register