White sands earn Berneray its place among ‘cream of Europe’
WITH its white sands and gently lapping turquoise sea, it was once used by Thai tourism authorities to market one of its own beaches.
But now a three-mile stretch of sand on little Berneray in the Outer Hebrides has been touted as having one of best beaches in Europe by influential travel guide Lonely Planet.
The island, with a population of around 130, has won the accolade from the travel bible.
It named the “divine” West Beach on Berneray in a list of Europe’s top 20.
It claimed third place as it was rated ahead of beaches in Greece, Cyprus, Portugal, Croatia, Montenegro, Sicily and Corsica.
Lonely Planet said the chosen beaches were “the cream of the European coast.”
The guide writes: “Out on a limb in the wild North Atlantic, the Outer Hebrides stash away some of Europe’s remotest beaches. Singling one out is tough, but West Beach on the wee isle of Berneray is divine.
“Through dunes and wind-bent machair grasses, you reach this ravishing three-mile expanse of white sand, sliding gently into a turquoise sea.
“It’s often empty but for seabirds trilling overhead and the occasional porpoise or otter.”
Lonely Planet rated Haukland Beach in Norway as number one and Cala Goloritze in Sardinia as number two.
West Beach first hit global fame when it was used by the Thailand tourist industry as one of their own destinations, Kai Bae beach.
The image was thought to have been lifted off the internet to save someone the effort of travelling to Kai Bae beach to take a picture of it. The sleight of hand was first spotted by British writer Ian Mcnamara, who runs a small guest house on Koh Chang island where Kai Bae Beach is located and who mentioned it on his tourist guide blog.
He spotted the photo on a signboard displayed in the tourist centre at Koh Chang Marine National Park and realised he couldn’t see the distant mountains that were shown in the shot.
The picture shows azure seas, brilliant, almost white, sands and distant mountains that may be similar to Thailand.
It was originally taken by John Kirriemuir in 2005 and he was astounded to learn it had travelled to the other side of the world.
Berneray is said to be Prince Charles’s favourite Scottish island and it is thought to have been inhabited since the Bronze Age.
A popular stop-off for walkers and cyclists on the Hebridean Way route through the Outer Hebrides, the island is around two miles wide and three miles long.
As well as tourism, it also relies on fishing and crofting to sustain the local economy.
Prince Charles was so enamoured with the way of life on Berneray that he worked as a crofter in two five-day stays – the last in 1991 with TV presenter Selina Scott for the programme A Prince Among Islands.
Charles stayed both times with Gloria Mackillop and her late husband, the renowned crofter Donald Alick – known as Splash – and returned to open Berneray’s causeway to North Uist in 1999.
He still receives an annual letter from islanders updating him on life on Berneray. The Mackillops became friends of the prince and islanders still send Charles a newsletter.
When Mr Mackillop died in 2009, aged 78, the prince said: “I shall never forget the time I spent with him and his wife on Berneray and the important role he played in the isles. People like him are very hard to replace.”
Charles first worked as a crofter on Splash’s land in 1987 in a secret visit and told islanders that he found crofting very inspirational and he loved it because it was so close to his philosophy.
He took many of the things he learned on Berneray and used them on his organic farm at Highgrove in Gloucestershire.
Charles is said to have been so enchanted by the Mackillops’ croft life he sung happily in their kitchen and even brought them vegetables dripping with dew from Highgrove.
West Beach on the wee isle of Berneray is divine