The sea on the west coast of Scotland is always going to be chilly but with all summer to warm up, August and September are the best months to go wild swimming. In the local area of the Bunkrooms there are no less than 16 stunning beaches on Iona and the Ross of Mull to choose from for a dip in the ocean. Find out more here> There is a group of us locally who go wild swimming on a regular basis, some in wetsuits, some not, and here are our recommendations for the best places to go.
Uisken Beach is very pretty, sheltered and shallow with numerous offshore islands to explore and deeper channels in places. The underwater landscape is fascinating - a wonderful array of seaweeds varied in texture and colours of red, green and brown. Sand eels, flatfish, crabs and many other species are spotted as you swim by. Uisken Beach is easily accessible with a small car park right on the edge of the sand.
Fidden Beach has an outstanding setting of pink granite outcrops and turquoise bays fringed with white shell sand. It has car parking at the beach and a very shallow walk in. There is lots of marine life to view, in particular there is a colony of common seals which are often seen basking on the outlying rocks. They are very curious so if you are lucky they may join you on your swim.
Torr Mor Beach requires a walk in of around a mile through the fascinating remains of a derelict pink granite quarry. There are stunning views out over the Sound of Iona and Iona Abbey can be easily seen. It is a sheltered deep anchorage although it is safest to swim around the old pier at slack water. Shoals of juvenile pollock are often seen in the shallows.
Port Ban Beach on Iona is very sheltered with cliffs on either side. On an incoming tide the long gentle slope releases heat from the sun-warmed sand into the water and because of this it’s a very popular location for wild swimmers and families. It requires a walk of around a mile and a half from the ferry to reach the beach.
We are very happy to provide our guests with additional information on the best places to have a dip on our outstanding coastline.
