It’s one of the most popular short walks on Skye – to a beach of white coral-like material (not true coral but calcified algae, it would appear – does it matter?), eye-catching on any day and brilliant in sunshine. We joined the throng for the mile or so to the coral (it’s the second white beach – there’s a very small imitation part-way which could fool the uninformed), admiring once again the floral variety beside the path and on the rocks. As well as being peak orchid season, there are also great clumps of thrift catching the breeze. It’s very pleasant despite the crowds (there must have been a dozen or more…), and beyond the beach, a path threads the shore to the end of the promontory, a much quieter place from which to gaze on the view to Isay and the outer isles.

An afternoon which began with mist on the hills, clearing to bright warm sunshine later. There’s a long-established path at Staffin, running from the Columba 1400 car park over the hill to the sea. Descending towards the shore, the age of the path is evident in the well-laid stone blocks forming the surface. It leads to the slipway; our route deviates across slightly marshy ground (pick the way fairly carefully and feet will remain dry) to the saltings and, beyond, some comfortable rocks – a great spot for watching the waves. It’s a scenic route too – super views back to the Trotternish hills as we ascend, with the sea and the mainland ahead once we’ve topped the ridge. As ever at this time of year on Skye, orchids and other wild flowers abound.

We’ve been here before – it’s a wonderfully quiet walk through some superb coastal scenery to what is not quite the most northerly tip of Skye (the northernmost point, by about 200 yards, is Rubha Hunish, a mile or two to the west). There’s space for a few cars at Port Gobhlaig, and a way across grass to low cliffs above rocky inlets, an arch and a stack, home to numerous seabirds. An old way then descends to the rocky shore, backed by sheep-grazed grassland. It was busy today – we saw (briefly) two other walkers and (even more briefly) an angler. About a mile offshore is the uninhabited Eilean Trodday. In the distance are the hills of Lewis. In the sea, there’s a small yacht (motoring – there’s barely a breeze), a distant tanker, and a fishing boat which struggles against the strong tidal flow. It’s a great place – must return again