Top Beaches Day Trips from Portree
Written by UK Hidden Gems Editorial
Updated 5 August 2026
The top Beaches Day Trips from Portree include Talisker Bay Beach, Coral Beach, Elgol Beach, Redpoint North Beach, Big Sand Beach, Rubha Shleite, Camusdarach Beach and Arisaig Beach.
Portree, the lively little capital of the Isle of Skye, makes a fine base for beach-hunting across the island and the mainland coast beyond. West of the town, Talisker Bay hides its black-and-white sand below a waterfall cliff, while to the north-west the maerl shingle of Coral Beach glows white near Dunvegan.
Head south for Elgol, where the shore looks across to the Black Cuillin, and further still to Rubha Shleite at the tip of the Sleat peninsula. Some of the best sands lie off the island altogether: cross to the mainland and Wester Ross rewards you with the red sand of Redpoint and the open sweep of Big Sand near Gairloch, while the silver-sand bays of Camusdarach and Arisaig shine along the road to Mallaig.
Several of these mean long single-track drives or a ferry, so set off early and let the scenery be part of the day. Here are eight beaches for a day trip from Portree.
Talisker Bay Beach
Photo: Hilmar Ilgenfritz via Geograph.org.uk
Talisker Bay Beach About 21km west of Portree, Talisker Bay is a remote west-facing bay near the village of Talisker, reached on a walk of roughly a mile along a track from the road end. Its sand is an unusual mix of black and white grains, often swirled into patterns by the burns that cross the beach, with more sand appearing at low tide and stones higher up.
A tall sea stack rises off the southern end, and a high cliff on the north side carries a waterfall that spills toward the shore. There is no car park, only limited verge parking, so arrive early; the bay itself is wild and gloriously quiet.
Coral Beach
Photo: John Allan via Geograph.org.uk
Coral Beach Some 28km north-west of Portree, Coral Beach lies at Claigan just north of Dunvegan, its bright white shore giving it the look of a tropical bay. The white is not true coral but maerl, the bleached, broken remains of a hard red seaweed that washes up and dries pale in the sun.
Set against it, the shallow water turns a clear turquoise on a bright day. A mostly level walk of a couple of miles from the Claigan car park leads out to the shore, making this an easy and rewarding outing when the weather plays along.
Elgol Beach
Photo: Carol Walker via Geograph.org.uk
Elgol Beach Around 30km south of Portree at the end of a long, steep road across the Strathaird peninsula, Elgol has a shore of large pebbles and rock rather than sand. The real draw is the view across Loch Scavaig to the jagged wall of the Black Cuillin, counted among the finest mountain views in Scotland.
Boat trips run from the jetty across the loch to the hidden inland waters of Loch Coruisk, and fishing boats and a scatter of houses cluster on the hillside above. Come for the outlook and the boat ride as much as the beach itself.
Redpoint North Beach
Photo: Richard Dorrell via Geograph.org.uk
Redpoint North Beach The next few beaches lie on the mainland, so factor in the Skye crossing and a longer drive. Redpoint North Beach, about 35km from Portree as the crow flies but a good deal more by road, is a broad beach of red-pink sand backed by grassy dunes at the end of a single-track road south of Gairloch in Wester Ross.
The unusual colour comes from crushed shells and local red sandstone, and a short path threads through the dunes from a free car park. It is a wild, remote spot with no facilities but rock pools, wildlife and views toward Skye and Raasay, marking the start of a coastal walk to Lower Diabaig.
Big Sand Beach
Photo: Ian Webster via Geograph.org.uk
Big Sand Beach A few miles north-west of Gairloch on the Wester Ross coast, roughly 44km from Portree though a fair drive by road, Big Sand is a broad sandy beach. As the name promises, it is a large open sweep of pale, firm sand backed by grass and low dunes, looking across a sound to the green island of Longa and, beyond, toward the hills of Skye and the Outer Hebrides.
It is good for a long walk at any state of the tide, with rocky outcrops at the edges and clear water offshore. A campsite sits behind the beach, and though it draws crowds on fine summer days, it stays big enough to feel spacious.
Rubha Shleite
Photo: John Allan via Geograph.org.uk
Rubha Shleite Back on Skye but at its far southern tip, about 45km from Portree, Rubha Shleite is the point at the end of the Sleat peninsula, its Gaelic name meaning the point of Sleat. A white-sand beach lies beside it, and the headland carries a small automatic lighthouse looking out to the Small Isles of Rum, Eigg and Canna.
It is reached only on foot, a walk of several miles from the road end at Aird of Sleat along a rough track and grassy path, passing the sandy cove of Camas Daraich on the way. This is a remote, quiet spot for those willing to make the long walk out.
Camusdarach Beach
Photo: Peter Moore via Geograph.org.uk
Camusdarach Beach Over on the mainland near Arisaig, some 55km from Portree by way of a ferry or the road round, Camusdarach is among the finest of the silver-sand beaches on this coast, a pale crescent of shell-white sand tucked among low rocky headlands and backed by tall dunes. The soft, light sand runs out to clear turquoise shallows, with a little burn winding across to the sea.
From the dune tops the view opens west to the islands of Rum and Eigg, and on a clear day the peaks of Skye beyond. Much of the 1983 film Local Hero was shot here, standing in for its fictional village.
Arisaig Beach
Photo: Lynn M Reid via Geograph.org.uk
Arisaig Beach Just north of Arisaig village on the road toward Morar, about 56km from Portree, Arisaig Beach is one of the pale, silvery bays scattered along this shore. The soft, light sand runs out to shallow water that turns clear turquoise in the sun, with low rocky reefs and skerries breaking the surface offshore.
Grass-topped dunes and machair back the beach, and a neighbouring bay, Traigh, lies only a couple of hundred metres along. The prize is the view west, out to the islands of Rum, Eigg and Muck with the hills of Skye beyond on a clear day.
It is reached by a short walk from the coast road.
FAQs
How far are these beaches from Portree?
On Skye, Talisker Bay is about 21km from Portree and Elgol around 30km. The mainland beaches, such as Big Sand near Gairloch and Camusdarach near Arisaig, sit 44 to 56km away as the crow flies and take longer by road or ferry.
Which beaches near Portree are reached on foot?
Talisker Bay and Coral Beach on Skye involve walks of a mile or two, while Rubha Shleite at the southern tip of the Sleat peninsula needs a walk of several miles from Aird of Sleat, so wear proper footwear.
Are the mainland beaches worth the drive from Portree?
Many think so. The red sand of Redpoint, the sweep of Big Sand and the silver-sand bays of Camusdarach and Arisaig are among Scotland's loveliest, though they mean long single-track roads or a ferry from Skye, so allow a full day.
Conclusion
Skye and its neighbouring coast hold some of the most beautiful beaches in Scotland, and Portree puts them all within a day's reach. On the island you can chase the swirled sands of Talisker, the tropical-looking white of Coral Beach, the Cuillin views at Elgol and the lonely point of Rubha Shleite.
Cross to the mainland and Wester Ross offers the red sand of Redpoint and the wide sweep of Big Sand, while the silver bays of Camusdarach and Arisaig glitter along the Mallaig road. Many involve long single-track roads, ferry crossings or a walk in, so plan your route, fill the tank and start early.
Take care on remote shores with few facilities and keep an eye on the tides. From easy strolls to wild wanders, these are the beaches for a day trip from Portree.
