Distance/height: 12km/312m (one way) We’d resigned ourselves to only getting as far as Sandwood Bay, just short of the firing range, and had worked out the logistics for this. There’s a relatively new bus service (FarNorth Bus) that starts in Durness and comes via Kinlochbervie on the way to Inverness. This only runs on certain … Continue reading Cape Wrath Trail Day 15: Kinlochbervie to Sandwood Bay and back
Distance/Height: 40km/961m There was definitely a feeling we were getting close to our final destination. Our schedule had us at Rhiconich today (about 30km away) and then 2 shortish days to Sandwood Bay and finally Cape Wrath. The likelihood of us managing to get right to the Cape Wrath lighthouse was looking poor. The last … Continue reading Cape Wrath Trail Day 14: Glendhu bothy to Kinlochbervie
Distance/height: 18.5km / 461m It was quite a short day today but it really didn’t feel it. You know it’s bad when you have to claim the half kilometre. Strava says we were on the go today for 7:50 but our ‘moving time’ was 5 hours. That 2:50 wasn’t spent picnicking on the beach but … Continue reading Cape Wrath Trail Day 13: Back of Ben More Assynt to Glendhu bothy
Distance/height: 31.4km/1082m Midge score: Nada/zilch/ничего The overnight stay at Oykel Bridge Hotel had been a massive morale booster. On our Sierra trip we’d had a rest day (‘zero day’ as the Americans call it) about once a week but for some reason we hadn’t factored any in to this trip and after 12 days’ walking … Continue reading Cape Wrath Trail Day 12: Oykel Bridge to back of Ben More Assynt
Distance/height: 30.5km/559m Weather: Middling to Grim Quite a long stretch today heading north east. And oh - the wind decided to blow strongly from the north east all day with a bit (ok, a lot) of driving rain thrown in. Part of the idea of doing the trail northwards was to take advantage of the … Continue reading Cape Wrath Trail Day 11: Above Inverlael to Oykel Bridge
Distance/height: 24km/946m Sometimes from a bothy you get an earlier start without the tent faffing to do but there’s always some other faffing to be found and we got away at 8:15 - about average. It was a much better day today and the stunning location of Shenavall was evident now. We could even see … Continue reading Cape Wrath Trail Day 10: Shenavall to above Inverlael
Distance/height: 25km/565m A pretty relentlessly wet and cold day. We headed north from the Heights of Kinlochewe to the southern tip of Lochan Fada and then climbed up over the Bealach na Croise, dropping into the long glen leading north towards Loch na Sealga. This is the Fisherfield Forest which I’d always wanted to visit … Continue reading Cape Wrath Trail Day 9: Heights of Kinlochewe to Shenavall bothy
Distance/Height: 29km/696m Midge factor: 1 (did actually seem some half-heartedly getting airborne but nae worries from them) Our decision to avoid the long way round the back of Beinn Eighe seemed justified (to us at least) in the morning which brought a covering of snow outside Gerry’s and low cloud over the hills. We got … Continue reading Cape Wrath Trail Day 8: Craig to Heights of Kinlochewe
Overnight we decided to take the route via Craig rather than Strathcarron. This was a more direct line to Kinlochewe. The weather was still pretty dire and although we’d fancied the longer route round the north of Beinn Eighe, there didn’t seem much point with the low cloud and rain/snow. About 10 minutes after leaving … Continue reading Cape Wrath Trail Day 7: Maol Bhuidhe to Craig
Distance/Height: 21km/919m Midge factor: 0 A fairly short but tough day with the weather getting steadily worse all day. A steady climb up from our campsite before dropping down towards Glen Elchaig via the Falls of Glomach. There seem to be many scare stories about the path by the falls - along the lines of … Continue reading Cape Wrath Trail Day 6: Morvich to Maol Bhuidhe
The route today was essentially a climb over the south Glen Shiel hills from Loch Hourn to Loch Duich at Shiel Bridge. Weather was cold but fine. Looking back down Loch Hourn It was quite a long pull up to the pass between the Saddle and Sgurr na Sgine. We caught up with a couple … Continue reading Cape Wrath Trail Day 5: Kinloch Hourn to Morvich
Distance/Height: 26.8km/919m Midge factor: 0 (far too cold for the blighters) Off just before 8 and sauntered along the beach. It was pretty much high tide and we’d read you could only get all way round on the beach at low tide so we climbed a small headland to return to the salt marsh on … Continue reading Cape Wrath Trail Day 4: Sourlies bothy to Kinloch Hourn
Distance/height: 26.5k/847m Midge factor 0/10 - no sign 😃 Quicker off from the bothy than the tent and we were moving by 7:40. It’s easy to leave stuff behind though so triple checks in order. Very cold overnight and in the morning but turned out to be a great weather day. Over an early pass … Continue reading Cape Wrath Trail Day 3 – Corryhully bothy to Sourlies bothy, Loch Nevis
Distance/height: 26km, 530m Up at 6:30 but took us nearly two hours to get off as out of practice. 8:17 start. Cona Glen is pretty and deserted with a stream crossed by several wire bridges. The horseshoe looks like it would be a great day hike (perhaps via the Corran ferry). The climb over the … Continue reading Cape Wrath Trail Day 2 – Cona Glen to Corryhully bothy
It would have been nice to get a train from Settle but the connections to Fort William didn’t quite work so we got a lift from Sam to Oxenholme and then the Malaig train via Glasgow. You have to be careful to sit in the right end of the train or you end up in … Continue reading Cape Wrath Trail Day 1 (Settle to Cona Glen)
Boxers’ bumblings 