On the way east from Tongue to Skerray, you pass Coldbackie sands, another superb beach which lies by the looming Watch Hill where Jeremy Clarkson famously test-drove a 4x4 all the way to the top. Skerray lies off the main A836 which has entries to either end of Skerray’s own horseshoe-shaped road.
The beautiful Eilean Neave, the site of an early, possibly late 7th century, Celtic monastery, now vanished apart from vague outlines in the turf, lies just off the coast. The nearby Eilean nan Roan has a more recent history. The families who lived there having moved to the mainland in December 1938 because their island was deemed too isolated and dependant on weather conditions for travel to and from the mainland. Moreover, too many of its younger people had emigrated. Winter storms have left most of the abandoned houses in ruins.
Boat trips will take you to the island where you may imagine a once flourishing community living and working. Although none of the original inhabitants of the island are still surviving locally, many of their descendants live in the area and have a wealth of stories about life there.
SKERRAY
At the hub of the village, Skerray Historical Association is based in Taigh Hughag, a small museum of local life. The nearby high-quality craft shop cum post office also sells a good variety of shrubs, sapling trees and flowering plants – all of it being an interesting and unexpected delight which is very much recommended to locals and visitors alike.
Borgie Forest lies at the easterly Skerray road-end. It was first planted in the 1920s and is now part of Forest Enterprise’s Forest Recreation Scheme, with its Scots pines and spruce being the tallest in Sutherland. There are opportunities for trail and mountain biking, walks, a picnic area and even a totem pole.
The River Borgie starts at Loch Loyal and runs north for seven miles until it reaches the sea at Torrisdale bay. It is famous for its salmon and, although anglers are now recommended to return caught fish to the water, this is not mandatory. There is also trout fishing and permits are available from the local hotel where there is a good selection of food and drink. Again, there is plentiful accommodation within the area.
At Torrisdale, Skerray has one of the loveliest beaches in Scotland.. It lies within the Invernaver Nature reserve, is easy to get to and a variety of activities, including pony-trekking.
The Free Church of Scotland is housed in an unusual looking tin building on the east side of Skerray and welcomes visitors
