The view from this spot, especially on a sunny day, is simply stunning. The huge strand looks like a great body of water at high tide, but empties out at low tide to a large stretch of sand over which you can walk across to Vallay island itself (though, if you decide to do this, you must check with tourist information or search online for tides). A local farmer grazes his cattle on the island and sometimes can be seen driving them over the strand.
It could have looked a lot different, however. Back in the early 1970s there was a trial in growing daffodils on North Uist on the west side of the island. The former foreman of the project recalled in 2021 that "They didn’t have enough land because, as the trials expanded, it was encroaching on crofting. The only way of getting the land was to create it, but that didn’t happen”. The full scheme would have involved reclaiming and irrigating a large area of Vallay Strand, for rotational growing of bulbs.
Vallay Island itself has on it a very visible and magnificent house which was occupied until 1945 when its owner, George Beveridge, was killed in a boating accident while crossing the strand (consider yourself warned). There is a monument to him on the island. George was the son of Erskine Beveridge who was the very successful owner of the linen manufacturer Erskine Beveridge & Co. Ltd.
Erskine Beveridge was also a devoted student of Scottish antiquarian studies and undertook a number of archealogical excavations around Vallay and across the Hebrides. He excavated many sites in the area, dating from the first millennium BC to the first millennium AD. These excavations, together with his studies of other parts of North Uist, led to the publication of North Uist: Its Archaeology and Topography in 1911. It is still in print and a really fascinating read if you like this kind of material. Today, Erskine is regarded as one of the most significant archaeological excavators in the Outer Hebrides.
This cache was set on a lovely day and can best be described as opportunistic - an ideal spot was seen and soon placed. It has a pencil, pen and a log book. It is a small container so can hold one small TB.
Please ensure you replace the cache as you found it taking particular care to keep it safe from the water.
Note that this area is overlooked by houses and the particular spot can get busy with muggles at times. Please be very aware of this to ensure that the curious don't spoil the fun of the others to follow you.
Hope you enjoy the cache!