last 6 stages of the Cape Wrath Trail

[Sjiep]

hello, new fella here, so hope this is not placed in the wrong place or terribly over-asked

i am planning doing the last 6 stages of the Cape Wrath trail solo in early June this year, the part between Ullapool and Cape Wrath. have some questions about the entire ordeal

-i am planning on camping, staying in bothies and hostels/guesthouses. when do i need to start making bookings for the ho(s)tels/guesthouses? would the bothies get full fast around this time of year?
-for the first stretch, i have the option to start in Ullapool or near/in Inverlael. any opinions on which of these would make a nicer walk?
-are midges this time of year (very) troublesome?
-for maps & literature, are Harvey's map and Cicerone's walking guide good options?
-seems getting back out from Cape Wrath can be a bit iffy. do you need to have a seat in the minibus reserved beforehand and do they leave CW at strict times? i tried emailing the minibus company but no reply so far


any other tips and advice is of course also well-appreciated. TIA!

[IanEzzi]

1) Only stayed in one guesthouse (in Kinlochbervie) and it was just me and one other couple, I just walked up and knocked on the door after deciding I couldn't be bothered with the tent that night. Couldn't stay at Inchnadamph as they had been booked out by a school group, so phone ahead for that one if it's on your route. I have only once found a bothy too full to stay in and that was much closer to civilisation than the North end of the Cape Wrath Trail Worst case is you pitch up outside then sit indoors during the evening to socialise and get out of the midgies, then retire to your tent at night. Probably the best option full stop actually, no one else keeping you awake snoring!

2) I don't know the 'official' route but starting at Inverlael just looks like a lot of extra tarmac to Ullapool? Wouldn't be worth it I don't think.

3) The midgies will be out, how troublesome they are depends on how much you can tolerate them, the wind, your choice of repellant (if any) and how smokey your campfire is! A good reason to aim for bothies etc. so you can at least sit inside if they're bad, or camp high up or in exposed spots.

4) Harvey's are good maps in my experience, don't know if they cover that area though? OS would be ideal too.

5) I wasn't aware getting back out was a problem, the minibus was running when I was there however I was on my bike so just pedalled out. Think the ferry man just went back and forth depending on the queues but worth checking nearer the time. Also worth finding the freephone number for the firing range as you don't want to be crossing the Parph when they're bombing it!

Enjoy.

[Guinessman]

Hi did the CWT in early May last year. I went from Ullapool having hitched from Inverleal. The track from Ullapool is tarmaced for about 3 miles up Glen Achall after its an easy land rover track all the way to Oykell bridge. It could be a decent introduction for your first day.To give you an idea of times scales I left Ullapool at 08.30 and was at Knockdamph bothy by 13.30. It was only a further 2 hours to the schoolhouse bothy where I stayed in company with one other person. I haven't done the section over from Inverleal to Knockdamph but it has a boggy trackless reputation. As regards the bothies on this section I also stayed in Glencoul which was empty and Strathchaillich which had one other person. Kinlochbervie I stayed in a B and B just turning up on the door. It wouldn't do harm to book or phone ahead. If you are stuck there is an information board at Rhicoconnich with information. There are phone numbers available for the ferryman , and mini bus. John the cafe owner also has a mini bus for emergencies. Harvey's and the cicicerone guide are better than the OS maps as with the OS you will need a few maps. Lastly there will possibly be midgies , you will be coastal for part of the route but if it still and muggy you better take a headnet. Enjoy it , it a fantastic walk , I think I will repeat it in 2017. Anything else please feel free to ask.

[Andy J]

I walked this part of the CWT in June 2015.

1. Bookings.
- In general, book as early as you can! Not because northern end the CWT sees a lot of walkers but because there is so little accommodation.
- The only accommodation I used was in Inchnadamph, the half-way point. I tried to book into Inchnadamph Lodge in March and it was already full with a large group from Aberdeen University. I ended-up booking at the Inchnadamph Hotel (booking made in March), and got the last room. The hotel is about B&B standard: so not exceptional but comfortable. It closes over the winter but I found that the owners answered emails. They were happy for me to send a resupply parcel to the hotel, and were used to dealing with dirty, smelly backpackers arriving on their doorstep.
- I also stayed at the Broomfield campsite at Ullapool. They said there was no need to book and they would always find room for a backpacker.
- I slept at the Schoolroom bothy south of Oykel Bridge and it was empty except for me. I camped outside the bothy at Glendu and there were three people sleeping in it, so plenty of room. My recollection is that other bothies that I passed during the day didn't seem to have many names in the log books. I think you'd be unlikely to find a full bothy that far north.

2. Ullapool vs Inverlael.
- I started at Ullapool and walked to Oykel Bridge via Loch Achall and Loch an Daimh. The route is in the Cicerone guide. I found this to be a less strenuous first day than starting at Inverlael would have been, but not as remote. I'm glad I did it that way.

3. Midges.
- Usually they will be at about peak biting power in June. Last year, though, they were very little bother due to an unusually dry (or was it wet?) spring. Go prepared.

4. Maps.
- I used OS landranger maps on the trail. I used the paperback Cicerone guide for planning, but didn't take it with me. I took the ebook version of the guide with me on my kindle but use it.
- I don't have any experience with Harvey maps, but they should be fine. At the risk of stating the obvious, don't try using the trail guide on its own!

5. Minibus.
- I found the minibus people to be very hard to contact, and only managed to speak to them once.
- They don't take bookings, but told me to phone them from Kinlochbervie and let them know when I'd be arriving at the cape. They said they try to make sure nobody gets stranded there.
- The minibus times vary with the tides, and I'd advise phoning the ferryman at Keoldale for details nearer the date.
- In general, the minibus arrives at the lighthouse late morning and departs early afternoon.
- If there is a lot of demand then they do two runs from West Keoldale to the lighthouse and back - but that is driven by demand from people wanting to go _to_ the lighthouse, not getting away from it. If there is no demand at Keoldale (ie due to bad weather) then the minibus doesn't run. They told me that, in this circumstance, they would still make a trip to the lighthouse to pick-up walkers if they had arranged to be collected.
- I got to Sandwood bay and, due to very poor weather, decided that I couldn't guarantee to get to CW in time to meet the minibus even if I knew that it was running (which I didn't). I had to travel home the next day and didn't have the option to wait, so I walked back to Rhiconich to meet the Inverness bus.
- My advice would be to accept that the getaway from CW can't be tightly planned. Allow yourself time and supplies for a flexible schedule.

Hope the above is useful. I'm happy to answer other questions here or via PM. I've also walked the earlier sections for the trail in two parts, but that was a few years ago.

Andy

[IanEzzi]

My advice would be to accept that the getaway from CW can't be tightly planned. Allow yourself time and supplies for a flexible schedule

Very sound advice! I gave myself loads of extra time which meant I could spend an extra day at Kearvaig Bothy helping a work party I met there (although they might have differing opinions about how much I 'helped', I seem to remember spending the afternoon asleep on a rock down by the shore...)

This also meant I had time to kill in Durness which was quite pleasant, wandered down to the craft village, picked up some second hand books, spent the afternoon in the pub drinking An Teallach and reading 'Day of the Jackal'. Excellent way to spend a day

[Sjiep]

wow, thanks guys. these replies are abundant in info and then some. this pretty much answers all the questions i asked

just noticed i forgot one though: because i prefer to travel light and will only have a tent, minimum amount of clothes and food and drink for max 2 days, in which places after Ukllapool do i get the opportunity again to stock up?

[Senja]

Harvey's publish a couple of maps covering most of the normal routes. (There is no, and I hope never will be, an official route.) They look very useful - and a lighter option to the OS sheets. Only one will be needed for north of Ullapool.

Enjoy!

[Andy J]

> in which places after Ullapool do i get the opportunity again to stock up?

You'll probably need to carry more than two days food.

If you follow the route in the Cicerone guide (and, as Senja says, that is just one route) then the next shop after Ullapool is Kinlochbervie. Its a moderately large Spar grocery shop down near the port. There is also a small shop on the road between Richnoich and Kinlochbervie, but it is very small and opens odd hours.

There is a smallish Spar (and post office, campsite and pub) at Scourie, but that is off the normal routes.

Most accommodation providers will be willing to hold a resupply parcel for you, provided you are staying with them.

Andy

[IanEzzi]

You can buy some limited supplies at the Inchnadamph hostel, although don't expect too much, I spent a couple of days eating tinned macaroni until I got to Kinlochbervie

[Sjiep]

alright, guess i'll stock up on a bit more foodies then in Ullapool. I think i'll make a stop in Kylestrome as well though

> 2) I don't know the 'official' route but starting at Inverlael just looks like a lot of extra tarmac to Ullapool? Wouldn't be worth it I don't think.

as a new user, i cannot post a link, but if you check the harveymaps site they show the route and when zoomed in to near Ullapool you see two different routes, one starting in Ullapool, the other in Inverlael, joining near the East Rhidorroch Lodge.


how often does the MOD start with carpet-bombing this area? and how much in advance is this made public?

for the Sandwood Bay area, is camping pretty much the only option? doesn't seem there are any bothies nearby, at least

[Sjiep]

> how often does the MOD start with carpet-bombing this area? and how much in advance is this made public?

ok, the stage description here already answers my question
"This route crosses the Cape Wrath MoD training range which is closed for live firing at times, sometimes only giving 24 hours notice. Check before setting out by phoning the recorded message on 0800 833300 or for more details 01971 511242. There is no access to Cape Wrath on foot or by vehicle when the range is closed."

wuh, only 24 hours notice
how would they close the area off anyway? patrolling soldiers in the area?

[Andy J]

Hi Sjiep,

> I think i'll make a stop in Kylestrome as well though

Not sure if you mean for resupply. As far as I know there are no shops in Kylestrome, and the post office in Kylesku closed a few years ago when the postmistress retired.

> for the Sandwood Bay area, is camping pretty much the only option?

Yes. The bay itself is a wonderful place to camp, although the only readily available water is from the loch. There is a fresh water tap at the JMT shelter in the car park at Blairmore if you'd prefer to carry-in. I don't remember any other water sources.

Strathchailleach bothy is a few miles north of Sandwood Bay, near the boundary of the MOD range. It has an interesting history.

Andy

[Andy J]

> how would they close the area off anyway? patrolling soldiers in the area?

Just warning flags at the entry points. That and the noise of aerial and naval bombardment...

[Sjiep]

thanks Andy, much appreciated. i had slightly expected there to be a shop in Kylestrome yeah. Ullapool & Inchnadamph it'll be then.

any idea if the Oykel Bridge Hotel is still open for business btw? their website has been down for a good time now already.

[Andy J]

The Oykel Bridge Hotel was open when I was there last year. Nice cakes! Their web site looks to be up at the moment and their twitter feed (@oykelbridge) was updated last week.

That far north, some hotels close over the winter - so they might not notice a problem with their site right away.

(Just to be absolutely clear: no shop in Inchnadamph.)

Andy