SCOTLAND
Cape Wrath Trail
The Cape Wrath Trail, Britain’s toughest long distance walk, stretches 230 miles through the West Highlands from Fort William to the remote lighthouse of Cape Wrath, it is an unmarked and sometimes trail-less route.
the adventure continues – Cape Wrath Trail, Sept and October, 2021
Tomorrow, I’ll begin a walk in Scotland’s West Highlands on the hardest route in the British Isles.
Cape Wrath: the start
Travel clicked in place perfectly for the drive north through brooding mountains to Fort William.
CWT: Day 1, Carnas nan Gall to Corrlarach, 11 miles
After a ferry across the loch, it’s easy on track past crashing falls to a locked bothy in wind and rain.
CWT: Day 2, Corrlarach to Corryhully Bothy, 14 miles
The first climb is easy if wet to the bealach as the rain comes and goes to the first bothy.
CWT: Day 3, Corryhully to Sourlies, 15 miles
It’s tough and wet walking to one of the most spectacular bothies on Loch Nevis.
CWT: Day 4, Sourlies to Barisdale, 10 miles
Knoydart is wild with steep climbs, rushing waterfalls, rock and bog. I slip and hit my head.
CWT, Day 5, Barisdale to Kinloch Hourn, 7 miles
It’s only seven miles, but muddy and slow with many fords, the rain spitting down.
CWT: Day 6, Side-trip: Ben Nevis summit, 11 miles
Torrential rain pauses the hike, but a side trip up the UK’s highest mountain makes up for it.
CWT: Day 7, Strathcarron to Maol Bhuide, 22 miles
Testing the ‘Cape Wrath Sampler’ we walk in sunshine to Scotland’s remotest bothy.
CWT: Day 8, Strathcarron to Coire Fionnaraich Bothy, 7 miles
Continuing the ‘sampler,’ we walk to a lovely bothy but are kept awake by obnoxious hikers after midnight.
CWT: Day 9, Inverlael to Glen Douchary, 11 miles
It’s an out and back to a high boggy plateau in gale-force wind, spitting rain and utter beauty.
CWT: Day 10, Oykel bridge to Knockdamph and Duag Bridge (Schoolhouse) Bothy, 15 miles
It’s dead easy walking on track with fall colors to the loch, then back to a gorgeously restored bothy.
CWT: Day 11, Oykel Bridge to past Salachy, 12 miles
It’s an easy day on farm road along a beautiful fishing river in fall colors and horrendous rain.
CWT: Day 12, Kylestrome to Glencoul, 20 miles
A bothy stay of mussel harvesting and seal watching ends in spectacular weather.
CWT: Day 13, Blairmore to Cape Wrath, 24 miles
It’s a long, tough slog to the lonely Cape on trackless moorland, but our favorite days by far.
CWT: in review
I didn’t walk every step of the Cape Wrath Trail, but got in the best parts before a whirlwind tour of Scotland.