The Cape Wrath Trail
The Cape Wrath Trail is a long distance walk from Fort William to the northwesternmost point of mainland Britain, Cape Wrath. The route is unmarked and there is no official line. It is a superb route for very experienced long-distance backpackers, passing through magnificent wild landscapes for most of the route, with the freedom to choose your own exact route; we cover both the common variations starting via Glenfinnan and via the Great Glen.
Welcome to the Walkhighlands' guide to the Cape Wrath Trail; we have a detailed description and mapping covering every stage of the route, accessed via clicking on the stages below. You can also check out the excellent trip reports below for further photos and personal experiences from the trail.
| Route via Glenfinnan | Length | Time | Done |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort William to Glenfinnan | 35km | 8-10 hours |  |
| Glenfinnan to A'Chuil | 19km | 5-6½ hours | |
| A'Chuil - Barrisdale Bay | 25km | 8-11 hours | |
| Barrisdale Bay - Morvich | 33km | 9-11 hours | |
| Inverie Variant | Length | Time | Done |
| A'Chuil - Inverie | 25km | 8-11 hours | |
| Inverie to Barrisdale Bay | 14km | 4.5-5 hours | |
| Route via Great Glen | Length | Time | Done |
| Fort William to Gairlochy | 17km | 4-4½ hours | |
| Gairlochy to Mandally | 25km | 6-7 hours | |
| Mandally to Poulary | 19.5km | 4-4½ hours | |
| Poulary to Cluanie | 17.5km | 5-6 hours | |
| Cluanie to Morvich | 26km | 6½-7 hours | |
| Combined onward route | Length | Time | |
| Morvich to Maol Bhuidhe | 22.5km | 6½-7 hours | |
| Maol Bhuidhe to Craig | 24.25km | 6½-7 hours | |
| Craig to Kinlochewe | 16.5km | 4-5 hours | |
| Kinlochewe to Shenavall | 26.25km | 7-8 hours | |
| Shenavall to Inverlael | 18.75km | 4-5 hours | |
| Inverlael to Oykel Bridge | 34.5km | 8-11 hours | |
| Oykel Bridge to Inchnadamph | 30.75km | 8-11 hours | |
| Inchnadamph to Kylestrome | 27.5km | 10-11 hours | |
| Kylestrome to Rhiconich | 29km | 9-10 hours | |
| Rhiconich to Sandwood Bay | 19km | 4½-5 hours | |
| Sandwood Bay to Cape Wrath | 12.5km | 3½-4½ hours | |
BAGGAGE TRANSFERS AND WALKING PACKAGES
Click to find organised Cape Wrath Trail packages and baggage transfer providers
.THE CHALLENGE
The trail is completely unmarked and passes through extremely wild and rugged terrain, far from services and facilities for much of the distance. Although many sections follow paths and tracks, there are also some sections which are pathless and a high degree of navigational skill is required. Walkers need to be self-sufficient and to carry food needed between resupply points. There are also several unbridged river crossings which can become dangerous or even impossible in spate conditions.
The route has the reputation of being Britain's toughest long distance walk. Much of the route is shared with the new Scottish National Trail which starts at Kirk Yetholm near the English Border.
ACCOMMODATION AND SERVICES
Details of accommodation and services along the way is included in the description of each stage.
BOOKS AND MAPS
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
The start of the trail is in Fort William, which is easily reached either by train or city link bus. The end of the trail is remote Cape Wrath, linked by a seasonal tourist bus and ferry to near Durness. The Durness bus can provide onward transport.
Users' walk reports for the Cape Wrath Trail
There are 510 Walkhighlanders who have completed the Cape Wrath Trail. To record if you have completed the route, you must register and be logged in. Our users have contributed 74 public walk reports for the route. These are ordered below with the most popular ones first.
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