Churchton Bay and Raasay woodlands
ISLE OF RAASAY
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1. Starting from the pier, turn left along the road for about two kilometres to Inverarish village. If you are staying on Raasay, you can begin the walk here which shortens it considerably. Turn left past the phone box onto another minor road signed for 'The North', and left again at the next T-junction. After about half a kilometre, you'll pass the Raasay Hotel on the right; take the next left turn just before the steading, following the road which heads down towards the sea (if you fancy a visit to a cafe at this point, instead keep straight on to Raasay House Outdoor centre which has good home-baking – but closed 2008).
2. The road swings right as it reaches the coast by some cottages. It then leads round the bay to Clachan pier. There are good views of Raasay House over to the right; Johnson and Boswell stayed here during their tour of the Hebrides. On the hillock just above the pier are two huge but eroded stone sculptures of mermaids. Macleod of Raasay who built the house had grand ideas and spent his fortune; these mermaid sculptures were the final straw for his finances and he was forced to sell up. This was bad news for the islanders as the new owner, Rainy, evicted many of them to make way for sheep farms.
3. From the pier, where there is a picnic table, continue round the next bay which forms a harbour for Raasay's boats. Follow the waymarker posts on the grass round the back of the bay, which soon give access to a beautiful old grassy path leading out left towards the headland. When this old path forks, take the right fork uphill (waymarker post). The path now head back to the right along the top of the headland - follow the arrows on the marker posts. When it reaches the woods do not cross over the stile but again follow the waymarkers to the left, through masses of rhododendrons. The path soon emerges above the beautiful North Bay, which is sandy at low tide and has a wonderful outlook towards Ben Tianavaig and the Trotternish coastline.
4. Follow the path along the grass above the beach. At the far end the path heads left downhill and then hugs the coastline below the forest; this is a wonderful walk. When the woods end, the path heads uphill to the right (waymarker), and then takes another sharp right turn (waymarker) before emerging on a minor road. Turn left along the road, and at a footpath sign for 'Orchard walk' turn right on a wide grassy path uphill through a lovely pinewood.
5. This path goes uphill before winding to the right and passing through some forestry before reaching a gigantic stone wall. This was the wall of the old orchard of Raasay House, though today the fruit trees are gone and the wall encloses the grounds of a house. The walk does not go through the gate, but heads around the wall to the left. Beyond the orchard it is possible to make a detour to the top of Temptation Hill off to the right (the route is waymarked); this offers a beautiful view across towards the Red Hills. Back on the main walk, continue on the track ahead.
6. Loch a Mhuillinn can be seen partly hidden by the trees on the left. At the foot of the loch, there is a choice of routes. The main track ahead is the quickest way back and leads to the minor road near the Raasay Hotel passed earlier. From there, the outward route can be reversed along the roads back through Inverarish to the ferry pier at East Suisnish. If you want a longer walk, you can follow the trail off to the left, then forking left again at the end of the lochan. If you keep right at the next junction the path leads back to Inverarish passing close to the broch of Dun Borrofiach and then in front of the old Manse. Alternatively if you fork left a path leads through the woods and crosses the minor road before joining up with the Burma Road route, giving yet more longer options.
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