A beautiful and varied walk with stunning views

[daleswalker]

This looked like an ideal walk for a couple of oldies now retired from Munros and big challenges, and what a splendid springtime walk it turned out to be.
We walked it in an anti clockwise direction following the little road that climbs out of the southern end of Lochinver and which becomes a good vehicle track heading to Glencanisp Lodge with superb views across Loch Druim Suardalain towards Suilven and Canisp. At the lodge there's a 'help yourself' small shop with ice creams and various goodies such as chocolate bars. I duly put my money into the payment box and enjoyed my choccy bar later in the day. The initial climb over a low ridge from the lodge is not obvious, but there is a clear path up through bright yellow gorse to a viewpoint, the ground ahead opening up with views across to Quinag. An eagle soared past us with hardly a flap of its wings, whilst a few minutes later a huge double skein of geese flew over heading north west, presumably to nesting grounds in Iceland.
The path drops into what looks like soggy ground, but which proved to be generally dry. A ruined sheiling is passed before the path reaches the River Inver which proved to be a good lunch spot.
The final section of the route follows the river downstream past numerous small 'piers' used by salmon fishers. There are wide open sections where the river runs dark and smooth and other areas where there is white water and rapids. Eventually one pops out on to the main road close by the bridge at one end of Lochinver's main street with a cafe in prospect to finish a superb short walk.