Sunny Sanna

We're enjoying a break in the weather - Dominic Cooper reported 28mm of rain on the north coast between midnight and 2.00pm yesterday - so, with the hills sopping, we opted for a walk along the beaches at Sanna. This view looks north along the main beach at Sanna with Muck and Rum in the distance.

The most southerly of Sanna's beaches, the one beyond Sanna Bheag, has had much of its sand removed in the last couple of weeks, and the little burn that usually runs down beside the low cliff on the far side of this picture has been diverted to the opposite side of the beach. In due course the sand will reappear and the burn will resume its course.

There are always interesting things washed up along Sanna's beaches after gales. Today's finds included this fishing float with a mass of goose barnacles, all attached to the polystyrene by long, fleshy peduncles.

Even though the storms have abated, heavy waves were still coming in to the beach, driven on by a force 4 to 5. Evidence of the power of recent winds....

....could be seen from the way that sand had been plastered against the rocks along the main beach.

There's a wonderful tranquility about this beach, with its contrasts between the dark gabbroic rocks of the Tertiary volcanics and the pale sands sculpted by the water from the burns that empty across the beaches.

We walked to the northern end of the beaches, crossed the Sanna Burn by the bridge, and walked towards Sanna Point, looking back at the township. Most of the houses in this picture are in Lower Sanna. Not only were they picked out by the low winter sun, but one could also see a thin mist of spray from the breakers moving across the landscape.

We had planned a short, brisk walk, fully expecting more rain, but the sun stayed out so we headed for the north coast. From the ridge that runs east-west we looked down onto the dark lump of Rubha an Duibn Bhain, surrounded by a boiling mass of breaking waves, with Rubha Carrach in sunshine across the bay.

We walked down to the beach by Rubha an Duibn Bhain before re-crossing the ridge and....

....walking back towards the bridge across the Sanna Burn. This picture shows a few of the houses in Lower Sanna and the old water tower.

We had Sanna to ourselves for almost three hours and saw no-one until we returned to the car park, where we handed over the empty beaches to a couple who had just arrived for a walk.