Wild Swimming
Camusdarach Beach
Camusdarach ("bay of oaks") is one of the Road to the Isles' finest beaches — white coral-sand, views to Eigg, Muck, and Rùm across the Sound of Sleat, and the gentle Atlantic-facing exposure that makes western Highland beaches feel almost tropical on a sunny August day. This was the filming location for the 1983 film Local Hero. The water is cold but the setting is perfect. A short walk through coastal woodland from the car park makes arrival feel like a discovery.
Quick facts
- Type
- Beach
- Region
- Lochaber
- Grid ref
- NM 658 923
- Entry
- Sandy shore
- Depth
- Shallow (wading depth)
- Summer water temp
- 9–15°C
- Midges
- Very high
- Dogs
- Off-lead OK
Key hazards
- cold water shock
- midges
- tidal rip off the headland
Getting there
Car park off the A830 near Arisaig (PH38 4NT). Short coastal path through woodland to the beach (5 minutes). Rùm is accessible by CalMac ferry from Mallaig (15km north). SOAC rights apply.
Parking postcode: PH38 4NT
Safety
Tidal rip off the northern headland in peak ebb and flow — swim in the central beach area. Midges are fierce on calm summer evenings.
Best for
- Local Hero film location
- Small Isles view photography
- Road to the Isles tour
Current conditions
Daylight Today
- Sunrise
- 05:18
- Sunset
- 21:22
- Civil dawn
- 04:28
- Civil dusk
- 22:11
NOAA Solar Calculator · 9 May 2026
Common questions
- Is Camusdarach the Local Hero beach?
- Yes — the 1983 Bill Forsyth film Local Hero was largely filmed here and at nearby Pennan in Aberdeenshire. The beach looks much the same today as it did in the film.
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