“One of the few Islay beaches you can genuinely swim at: sheltered, sandy, and a short drive from Port Ellen, with a medieval chapel ruin in the dunes and a quietly moving wartime history.”
Sheltered and sandy, one of the few Islay beaches genuinely safe for swimming. A short drive from Port Ellen.
- A rare swimmable beach on Islay's often-wild coast
- A medieval chapel ruin in the dunes above
- Close to Port Ellen for food and facilities
St Nechtan's Chapel stands roofless in the dunes above the bay, likely built in the 1400s. Its burial ground wasn't formally enclosed until June 1852, funded by public subscription — the inscription recording it still survives on the wall. Inside, a worn effigy of a knight in armour, known locally as the Warrior's Grave, is said in local tradition (though nowhere confirmed) to cure warts if you touch water pooled in its carved arm.
The dunes here also carry a heavier history. When the troopship SS Tuscania was torpedoed off the Oa in February 1918, islanders recovered many of the dead and buried them at Kilnaughton; a military cemetery was created that same year for the task. Most of the American graves were later repatriated, but Commonwealth and American burials remain here today, including Roy Muncaster of the 20th Engineers; a further handful of service graves from both World Wars lie in the adjacent old churchyard, by the chapel. The same tragedy, together with the sinking of HMS Otranto eight months later, is remembered at the American Monument & Mull of Oa Circular on the far side of the peninsula.
Dolphins are sometimes spotted offshore in summer, and sea pinks flower along the dunes from late spring, peaking in June and July. The bay is also recognised as a local birdwatching spot, with waders and other coastal birds regularly working the shoreline.
One of the calmer, more sheltered beaches on Islay and generally considered safe for swimming, but the water is cold year-round (roughly 10-14°C). Check tide times before a longer swim, and a wetsuit is recommended beyond a quick dip. Check live tide times →