After covid killed my plans for a 12 island Outer Hebrides trip in May 2020 I decided to do the mainland part of a plan I’d made several years ago to drive round the Highlands and Islands properly but there were always reasons (having to work gets in the way of a lot…) not to do it all in one go so it kept getting put off. September was a great time to do this with the heather blooming. We stopped off at the Grey Mare’s Tail on our way north and popped over to Skye briefly so Trixie could say she had put her paws on an island. We should have spent more time in the west and north enjoying the beaches – there were plenty we didn’t go to – but time was limited and the weather was a little changeable. Our favourite beach was Ceannabeinne – it is pretty near perfect with a pool to paddle in, one to swim in, the sea for either, a shallow sloping beach of lovely sand, and rocks to scramble on 
.