Vallay - North Uist

About trip

There and back walk: 4.04 miles what3words address for parking: ///regret.corner.sharpen The what3words address leads to a small car  parking space off the A865. Vallay is a tidal island. This walk is only possible at low tide and so we sat with a coffee from 'The Wee Cottage Kitchen' food hut (highly recommended!) at Malacleit and watched the tide fall before driving to the car parking space to begin our crossing. The tide was not fully out and there were areas of shallow standing water but that was OK - we had rubber boots. A few minutes into our walk across the sand and we both  discovered that our boots had reached the end of their useful life - both has small splits - and so we continued with wet feet... It was a lovely day and the light was amazing. It takes longer than you might imagine to cross to the island. There is a vague track left by occasional motor vehicles crossing onto the island but the island is now uninhabited. Its last inhabitant was George Beveridge, a linen manufacturer, keen historian and photographer. He built Vallay House in  1904; now an impressive ruin that's easily visible from the mainland. It was effectively abandoned in 1945 when Beveridge was killed in a boating accident. Once we reached the island we considered crossing it to the far side but instead decided to walk east along the beach to near where there are some chapel ruins. We stayed on the coast and drank in the views before heading back the way we had come. A beautiful walk on a great day.