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Lower Diabaig Wall

Alternative Names:  None

Type of Dive: Lower Diabaig Wall is a good shore dive in Loch Torridon

Suggested experience:  Any

Distance from: From Fort William follow the A82 north to Invergarry. Turn onto the A87 and follow this all the way the way through Glen Sheil and past Loch Duich. Turn right onto the A890 towards  Loch Carron. Follow this around the head of the loch and then turn left onto the A896. Go through the village of Lochcarron and then keep on this road up towards Kishorn, Sheildaig and then Torridon. When you reach the junction with the Country Side Centre turn left and follow this road all the way to Lower Diabaig. It is very scenic the closer you get to Diabaig but there are also some steep parts to the road as you go down the hill to the village. Google

Parking directions: There is a large parking area just before the pier.

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Lat & Long: 57.574459,-5.686425  NG7959  Google map

Tides:  Tide tables

Depth: 30-40m

Site entry/exit:   Walk past the pier and along the road that leads around the loch. Where the road ends there is a stream and a white house. Go over the rocks to enter the water here just before the stream.  Utube

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Underwater directions:   Swim out over the large blades of kelp looking out for all the long-legged spider crabs that are here. The kelp is growing on a rocky bed so there is plenty of small life around. It slopes very gradually and at around 8-9m almost levels out. Turn and swim up towards the end of the loch and down. The seabed starts to slope more sharply and eventually becomes very steep. This goes down to nearly 40m towards the centre of the loch. There are a few small rocks and bits of debris on the seabed and even some old mooring blocks but basically, it is just a very steep silt slope. There are a considerable number of different types of sea stars, spiny, common, sand, and the red cushion sea star There are also numerous long-spined scorpion fish, they seem to be everywhere carefully disguised as rocks or bits of weed in many different colour combinations. Some of the scallops here are huge and there are also many large edible crabs along with lots of swimming crabs madly dashing around when the light picks them out.

Air & Nitrox:   5 Bells diving   based in Loch Carron -Dave 07812605771

Site Hazards: Silt

Nearest Public phone: Public phone box near the pier

Mobile Network service: None but I could get both phone and mobile broadband signals up on the road before you go down to the bay.

Accommodation: Lots of wild camping around. There is a basic camping area that has appeared since I was last here, this is in Lower Diabaig itself, not sure of the amenities, it just looked like a small field.

Other comments:  Contact me

Pub:   None

Cafe:   There is now a small cafe opposite the pier but no other shops of any sort. How long the cafe will last, I don't know. There is not a lot of tourist traffic despite this being an incredibly beautiful area.

Created By: Jane Wilkinson

Date:   August 2014

Revision:  1    

Thanks To:  

Links:     Contact me

Surface Photos:  By Jane Wilkinson

Underwater Photos: By Jane Wilkinson

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Dive Map:  Not needed here.

Dive Report:Comment in the box below.