The Ord Coral beaches are a hidden gem on the Sleat Peninsula of Skye. You can truly appreciate the coral beaches at low tide so check the tide times before you go. The lower the tide the more exploring you can do. It is a short walk of approximately 3km or 1.8 miles but you can explore further if you wish. Not suitable for wheelchair users but a gentle walk for folks who don’t want to over exert themselves.
Getting to Ord
Take the Ord turning off the A851 Armadale – Broadford road. Follow this single track road for about 4 miles until you come to the bay just after the Ord sign. The views across Loch Eishort to Blaven and the Cuillin Ridge here are breathtaking. Take some time at the start or end of the walk to explore this beach and it’s skerries There is a little coral mixed in with the sand here so you get an idea of what lies ahead.
The path to the Ord Coral Beaches
The walk starts at the bay and follows the track along side the white garden wall of An-Acarsaid. This path crosses the jetty part way along. Before you get this far make sure you have spotted the water horse skeleton in the garden to your right. When you have looked at the skeleton carry on along the track towards two cottages on the left where the bay ends. The rough track becomes a concrete, and then tarmac surface. The tracks turns sharply right and up a steep hill, follow the track upwards. At the top turn left onto the Ord township road. Ahead of you there is Ord House. The road swings round to the right and continues up hill. There are signs here saying private road, no vehicles. Continue up this road, past the old hay rake on your left. When you reach the first white cottage on the left at the top of the hill you will see a 5 bar metal gate on the right.
Go around the edge of this gate and start to follow the Landrover track across the moorland. It is a fairly good track with a few deep ruts but easy to follow. The track gently rises and falls and you are rewarded with magnificent views across Loch Eishort. All this area is sheep grazing land so please keep your dogs on a lead. Often there are sheep on the beach too.
After a while the track becomes grassier as it starts to descend. It is still fairly easy to follow. Firstly it swings to the left and then back around to the right before it starts a sharp gravelly descent. This is the only hill between you and the coral beaches now. This downhill section is a bit loose underfoot as you get towards the bottom but nothing to have concerns over. After heavy rain the track becomes a small stream so a few bits of small rock and gravel remain loose.
Ord Coral Beaches
As you round the final corner you come to a meadow covered in reeds and there is a lone white house at the far end. Cross the meadow on a sheep track through the centre and head towards the shore. You need to keep to the far right corner of the meadow to cross the burn. When we haven’t had too much rain you can probably stride across the burn but if it is wetter there are some stepping stones. Once across the burn you are on the beach. You will be able to see the white and golden corals beyond the cobbles. Make your way across the cobbles and onto the coral sands. Here the sand is mainly made up of crushed coral and shells, not really sand at all.
Explore here for as long as you like. There are lots of rocks pools, shells, corals and rocks to keep you busy. When you have explored enough simply retrace your steps back to the bay. Remember there is the burn to cross before you get to the meadow. Now you need to aim left of the house to the meadow corner to find the stepping stones.
Further adventure
If you have some energy left you can extend this walk a bit further. When the tide is out it is safe to walk along the coastline heading east away from Ord and the white house. Keep Loch Eishort on your left and follow the coast around a small headland. Follow this round so your back is now to Loch Eishort and you are heading to a small inlet. Just before you reach the burn running into this inlet take one of the sheep tracks up the hill on your right. There is no footpath here, it is an adventure! This headland is Rubha Dubh-Aird, the Black Peninsula. Climb to the top and you are now on top of the cliffs you just walked along below. There are some good tracks up here to follow and the views are stunning.
There is a faint track running back towards the white house in the bay. If you follow this you find yourself being led off the headland and arriving on the cobbles not far from the stepping stones. The ground up here is much rougher and harder going but if you are up for an adventure and a scramble along the shoreline…why not? Take your time and explore, the white house is your beacon for the track to the car.
Spring Tides
When there is a Spring Tide you can walk to the Ord Coral Beaches and then cross the sand bar across to the large coral island in Loch Eishort. You need to be very confident with tide levels and tide times but it needs to be an exceptionally low Spring Tide. There is no mobile phone coverage so there is no calling for help! I have managed to time it once and it was a fabulous experience. The coral island was teeming with bird and sea life. Vividly coloured starfish and clams were stranded on the sand bar. If you do make it across there, leave no trace of your presence. The wildlife here is usually cut off from humans so leave the habitat as you found it. Leave nothing but footprints.
