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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
National
Katie Collier

Scottish beach with 'powder-white sand' dubbed 'the Maldives of the Hebrides'

Coral Beach on the Isle of Skye has been described as "the Maldives of the Hebrides" and one of the UK's most beautiful (Image: Tripadvisor)

A beach in Scotland has been described as "the Maldives of the Hebrides" and one of the UK's most beautiful.

Coral Beach on the Isle of Skye is the place to be if it’s “powder-white sand and unbelievably turquoise water” that you’re looking for, according to Holiday Cottages.

Holidaycottages.co.uk says: "Located near the village of Claigan in Scotland, the beach gets its name and it’s sugar-white sand, from centuries of bleached maerl, a coral-like seaweed that has washed ashore and broken down over time.

"On a clear day, the shallow bay shifts through blue and green shades of aquamarine and emerald that wouldn't look out of place in the Indian Ocean, particularly when the sun is shining, all set against a backdrop of rolling green hills and the distant Cuillin mountains."

Jess McMonagle, regional expert for Scotland, shares: "It's one of the most beautiful spots on the Isle of Skye and in my opinion, one of the UK’s best beaches.

"A scenic 20-30 minute coastal walk from the car park at Claigan is the only way to reach the beach, rewarding visitors with sweeping views over Loch Dunvegan along the way.

"The car park fills up quickly in peak season, though, so it pays to start out early.

"Look out for grazing Highland cattle en-route to the bay, and keep an eye on the water for the seals and otters that call this stretch of coastline home."

What do visitors say about Coral Beach?

Joy seeker and content creator, Nate McFall, who has been touring the UK to document the country's happiest places, recently visited Coral Beach.

McFall said: "I've walked into a lot of beautiful places on this trip, but Coral Beach genuinely stopped me in my tracks.

Have you been to Coral Beach? (Image: Tripadvisor)

"You come over that last rise and the water just doesn't look real.

"It's the kind of spot that truly makes you feel like you’re not in the UK.

"It's easily one of the happiest stretches of coastline I’ve found during this adventure."

People have shared their experiences at the beach on Tripadvisor, where it has a 4.4/5 rating from 810 reviews, at the time of writing.

This visitor said: “Free parking. Walk about 1.5Km to the beach.


Best beaches in the UK


“Spend all day soaking in the ambience, the views and the smells of the sea.

“Swim in the clear blue water. Cross to the island of the tide is out.

“We spent two full days here … never get tired of the raw, natural beauty.”


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Someone else warned people who want to walk across to the island: “Stunning beach with great walks.

“Be careful of the island as it had a strip of land you could walk across but after about 10 minutes it was covered in sea water.

“Really stunning beach!”

Have you been to Coral Beach? Let us know in the comments below.

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