SINGING SANDS, EIGG

Set at the foot of the Isle of Eigg’s moor-carpeted plateau, this large expanse of pure white sand reaches down to a clear, turquoise sea, the outline of the nearby Isle of Rum floating over the waters like a dark mirage. The views at Singing Sands are breathtaking – but they are nothing, really, compared to the music. As the name implies, this Scottish beach sings. The local sand grains are made of shards of shimmering quartz and are unusually regular in shape – and, in dry weather, they squeak as you walk on them.

This beautiful beach has another marvel: when the tide is low, you can walk from Singing Sands to nearby Laig Bay along a path strewn with outcrops, dykes and arches – testament to Eigg’s interesting geology. If you watch carefully, you may even spot a family of otters frolicking in the water.