Camas Sgiotaig, Blar Mor, Guala Mhor and Howlin Loop

This easy loop on the Isle of Eigg packs a surprising amount into roughly 5 km / 3.1 miles, with about 100 m / 330 ft of ascent. It links the crofting landscape around Cleadale and Howlin with the quartz sands of Camas Sgiotaig, better known as the Singing Sands, and gives wide views across to Rum and the Small Isles. The terrain is never especially high or mountainous, but it feels wild and exposed in places, especially once the route reaches the clifftop and beach. The nearest clear starting point for this walk is Cleadale, near the war memorial cairn at the road fork in the north of Eigg, which is the usual access point for the Singing Sands route. (walkhighlands.co.uk)

The route is generally suitable for walkers looking for a short outing rather than a strenuous hill day. Expect a mix of minor road, stony track, grassy grazing land, muddy sections, and a short descent to the beach. Although the elevation gain is modest, the ground can be uneven and wet, so waterproof footwear is more useful than the distance alone might suggest. Walkhighlands describes the standard Cleadale–Singing Sands circuit as 3.7 km / 2.25 miles with 106 m / 348 ft of ascent; a loop incorporating Howlin and the higher ground around Blar Mòr and Guala Mhòr fits well with your stated “around 5 km” and “around 100 metres” figures. (walkhighlands.co.uk)

What the route feels like

From Cleadale, the walk begins gently on a minor road and track through settled crofting ground. This opening section is a good warm-up, with open views toward Bay of Laig, the ridge of An Sgùrr, and the dramatic volcanic and sedimentary landscape that makes Eigg so distinctive. The gradients are easy at first, and the route feels pastoral rather than rugged. As you leave the road and cross grazing land, the path becomes fainter and can be boggy or muddy after rain, with blue waymarkers used on the established Singing Sands route. (walkhighlands.co.uk)

As the loop trends toward the coast, the character changes quickly. The beach at Camas Sgiotaig is the standout landmark: a pale quartz beach where the sand can produce a rasping or “singing” sound in dry conditions when scuffed underfoot or stirred by wind. This is one of Eigg’s best-known natural features and one of the most memorable short coastal stops in the Small Isles. The approach also gives fine sea views toward Rum, whose mountains dominate the horizon on clear days. (walkhighlands.co.uk)

Beyond the beach, the loop’s return via Howlin adds variety. Instead of simply retracing your steps, the route climbs back through rough pasture and muddier ground toward the whitewashed house at Howlin before rejoining the road. This section can feel more remote than the outward leg because paths are less obvious in places and the ground is often churned or wet. If visibility drops, this is the point where careful route-finding matters most; for navigation, it is best to check the route in HiiKER before setting out. (walkhighlands.co.uk)

Landmarks, scenery, and natural interest

The most significant natural landmark is unquestionably Camas Sgiotaig / the Singing Sands, but the surrounding headlands and low rises such as Blar Mòr and Guala Mhòr help create the broader coastal panorama. Even without major climbing, these slightly raised sections give a sense of the island’s layered topography: croft land above, cliffs and coves below, and the sea framed by Rum beyond. A geograph record specifically identifies cliffs below Blar Mòr on Eigg, reinforcing that this part of the island is defined by broken coastal edges rather than a flat beach walk. (commons.wikimedia.org)

Wildlife can be one of the pleasures of this short circuit. Seabirds are a constant presence along the coast, and the wider island is well known for birdlife. Around the shore and croft margins, walkers may see gulls, o