The Summer Isles

Tanera Mor is the largest of the Summer Isles, spans approximately some 800 acres (300 ha) and is the only one of the islands permanently inhabited. At low tide, it's possible to walk to the closest, Isle Ristol, with its long white sandy beach. The furthest, Eilean a Chleirich (Priest Island), lies some 6 miles from shore and is a RSPB reserve. It is home to seals, otters and seabirds, including over 2000 breeding pairs of storm petrels. Other smaller islands Bottle Island, Horse Island, Isle Martin, Eilean Dubh, Glas-leac Beag, Glas-leac Mòr, Tanera Beag, Càrn nan Sgeir and Eilean Mullagrach.

The waters around the Summer Isles are sheltered to some extent by the Outer Hebrides across the Minch. The predominant South West and Westerly winds can result in considerable seas that crash onto the exposed shores of these rocky isles.

I have spent two seperate weeks day cruising here and is just superb. Our base was both times at Ardmair Point. The dinghy was safely left on the shore in front of our hire chalet. This was a good place to cruise. The weather did let us down a bit but we used the wet days to to hill-walk and explore. This area (mountains/ water) can only be described as 'an adventurous day-cruisers dream!

 

Looking over onto Ardmair Point. We had chalet accomodation. There was a good slipway next to the pier. I kept my GP14 on its trolley on the shingle beach in from of the chalet.

This is NOT a Photoshopped image - it's real!

 

 

The views over the islands are superb,