Links to pages in the Place Guide

Machir Beach

A fine winters day and JJ and family, Wolfgang and my family walked along this wonderful beach. This beach is not well signposted. You need to know it is there before you will find it. The secret is to follow the road as if you are going to the churchyard at Kilchoman and then, when you would turn 90° left at a row of houses, instead travel straight on along what appears to be a dirt track past the rusting corpses of tractors and cars to the end of the track. Here you will have to walk to the beach – it is wise to cross the small stream as soon as you come to it since it widens when it reaches the beach and is a shoes off event to cross there.

The beach is gently curving and has some wonderful rocks at the southern end. The East is dominated by high dunes and watch out for choughs. The se itself is the wild and raw North Atlantic. At low tide the remains of a wrecked puffer stick their ribs above the sand.

It is important to know that there are many unpredictable currents off this beach and it is not suitable for swimming though one of these pictures shows a bold and confident surfer.

Walking to the southern end of the beach is a popular weekend pastime, there you can find the local slate used on many houses around the island and some deep gullies and pools. If you are feeling energetic you can extend your walk further along the track but be prepared for mud!

pictures on this page by JJ and Wolfgang

The slate rocks at the south end of the beach

A small stream runs down to the beach-

and widens out into a wade.

A bold surfer – view looking south


Me looking in a pool at the south