Ardintoul Circuit, near Glenelg
GLENELG PENINSULA
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1. Park at the car park on the right hand side just before the Glenelg Ferry road completes its final zigzag down to the slipway. This is a great place to sit and stare on a fine day, as the quaint hand-operated turntable ferry, the 'Glenachulish' crosses the narrows with its cargo of upto six cars at a time. The walk can be done in either direction; we prefer to start with the tougher moorland section first, so as to save the most beautiful section of the walk for last. Start by walking back along the road towards Glenelg.
2. You'll soon have good views across the sandy beach if the tide is out. Continue on the road for several kilometres. There's a footbridge to the right at the start of a path which leads to the extensive ruins Bernera barracks, a garrison from the time following the Jacobite rebellion. The ruins can be clearly seen from the road. Continue along the road, ignoring the track left for 'Burnside', but taking the next track on the left just after the road crosses a bridge over a minor burn. There is a footpath sign on the gate though it is a little obscured. Continue along the track, turning left onto a footpath in the grass before the track reaches the barn. Continue along the path which leads towards a white cottage. The 1:25 000 OS map shows a bridge across the burn here, but there's no sign of it today - luckily you should still be able to cross easily without getting your feet wet. From the cottage on the far bank, slope uphill to find a grassy path which heads just left of the rocky outcrop above the burn.
3. The path is fairly easy to follow once found, though perhaps little walked today. It keeps just above the native woodland which borders the stream, climbing uphill onto the moor - never straying more than a hundred metres or so from a line of telegraph poles, first to the right of them, then the left, then right again. The main overhead power lines to Skye cross the path at right angles. Continue up and across the moor - some sections of the path are a little boggy. You should reach a gate in the deer fence just before the start of the forestry plantations. Go through the gate; the path doesn't descend into the trees but continues to slope slightly uphill to the left along a wide ride. After another half a kilometre, the path emerges on a forestry road. Turn right along it.
4. Follow the track (which is partially tarmac-surfaced) downhill, rounding several bends. Just as the enclosing conifers begin to make the walk tedious, there is a great view of Loch Duich ahead. Continue to descend the track towards the houses by the shore. The track bends left towards Ardintoul House (the largest of the buildings). Turn left onto the track immediately before the house, passing by the side of the buildings. Keep on this track as it heads towards the old stable block, turning right just as the track goes left through a gate to access the block. Follow a grassy track/path on the near side of the dry stone wall, which runs down to the very shore of Loch Duich. Turn left here along the pebbly shore, with views of the opposite shore stretching from Kyle of Lochalsh to Ardelve.
5. Where a fence runs across the beach, go onto the grassy shore ground where you can pick up a path running parallel to the shore. Keep along this grassy coastal path, between the beach and the tall conifers. There is a pleasant wider grassy section of coast as you round Camas nan Gall; continue on the path, which climbs left into the trees just as the conifer forestry gives way to fine native beech woodland.
6. The rest of the walk is an absolute delight. The now excellent path runs through the beechwood, high above Loch Duich but giving superb views of the Loch and Skye through the trees. At a couple of points the path descends slightly to cross burns, but the going and scenery are superb. After a couple of kilometres the path runs between the feet of a giant electricity pylon; this is Skye's main electricity supply, which is strung across the narrows at this point. Keep on the path, which soon climbs a little joins up with a forest track; keep right onto this track. After a short distance, pass through the deer fence at the gate and enjoy a wonderful open view of Kylerhea and the Otter Haven across the water. Continue on the track though another gate to return to the car park.
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