Rubha Hunish

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Beautiful Rubha Hunish, the northernmost point of the island, is a magical place; this is the best walk on Skye for seabird and marine mammal watching.

Terrain

Well made path on outward route, some slightly boggy ground elsewhere; a steep scrambly descent down rocks leads to the headland, though this section can be omitted if it is too daunting.

Public Transport

Bus from Portree ask to get off at Kilmaluag phone box/Shulista road end - the bus can be caught at Duntulm for the return.

Start

Car park just off A855; take the minor road from the phone box near Kilmaluag signed for Shulista. Open start point in Google Maps for directions.

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Walk Description

Stage 1

Turn off the A855 at the phone box near Kilmaluag. There is a car park on the right just before the road crosses the cattle grid. Start the walk by crossing the cattle grid and then turning immediately left on a good path. Follow this path along the edge of the low escarpment, heading NNW. The path continues mostly along the top of the low escarpment. The ruins of the abandoned village of Erisco come into view below to the left, whilst the ruins of Duntulm Castle are prominent on its crag above the sea. The path eventually reaches a kissing gate in a fence.

Stage 2

Go through the gate and keep left to follow the path as it leads towards the gap between two hills - Meall Tuath and Meall Deas. Ignore an eroded path heading up to the right and stay on the constructed path. Once in the gap, 600m after the gate, turn right on an initially steep and rough path up onto Meall Tuath to make a detour to the Lookout Bothy. The path passes the top of a gully in the cliffs which has great views down onto the headland. Soon you'll spot this white former coastguard hut - follow the path up to this, passing a bench. The lookout was used for overseeing the Little Minch, an important shipping channel. The hut was once manned around the clock, and offers excellent shelter on a wild day; it is now maintained by volunteers from the Mountain Bothy Association; please help by carrying out any rubbish you find here, and always follow the bothy code when visiting.

Stage 3

The location is spectacular, with great vertical cliffs plunging down a hundred metres just to the north, and magnificent views across the sea to the mountains on the Isle of Harris, with Toddun the most prominent. Retrace your steps back down into the gap between Meall Tuath and Meall Deas where several fences meet. Once down in the gap, head over both of the stiles and turn right towards the sea.

Stage 4

Go through the metal walker's gate near the cliff edge near a large boulder. From here the steep descent to the Hunish headland begins. This rocky staircase looks alarming from the top but you should be able to see a clear path further down below, and even the first rocky section looks worse than it is. Scramble carefully down the rocks and follow the route which turns towards the right about 50m down. Soon you're off the rocks and following a well made path below the cliffs. If it all looks too much, skip the descent to the Hunish headland and continue at Stage 7. A flatter grassy area is reached near the sea, below the spectacular basalt columns of the cliffs.

Stage 5

Cross straight over the headland to the east coast, crossing prominent lazybeds - the area was once cultivated by residents of Erisco. The lower lying area here has some beautiful twisting geos (rocky inlets), and is a great place for spotting otters - the small green humps with white specks on top are their excrement piles marking the territories. Ascend northwards above the cliffs and follow the coastline northwest. It's worth making a circuit round the whole headland before returning back up the scramble descent. There are two great sea stacks on the east side and then an impressive natural arch. The cliffs are home to countless shags and razorbills, whilst visiting gannets regularly harpoon the sea in the summer months.

Stage 6

The northernmost tip of the headland is the best place on Skye for spotting dolphins, porpoise and whales, especially in July and August. Listen for the sound of them blowing when they surface.

Stage 7

Head back along the less spectacular western side of the peninsula before reascending the cliffs by the same route you came down. Back at the top of the cliff, go back through the gate and bear right to follow a path uphill onto Meal Deas, with great views back over the Hunish peninsula.

Stage 8

Continue round on the path which eventually turns south and descends to a gate, now with views over Tulm Bay ahead. Go through a gate, continue south above the shores of the bay; there is only a vague path and the ground is wet in places. The island just offshore is Tulm Island. This section along the coast is another favourite haunt of otters.

Stage 9

There are good views to the dramatically situated ruins of Duntulm Castle. 1.5km further along the shore is a dry stone wall. Follow this to the left uphill until, round a corner, you reach a gate in a fence. Cross this and continue following the wall until there is a gate in it on your right - pass through and follow the track beyond to a group of houses. Head along this track, passing the white coastguard cottages. These are now holiday homes but originally were the homes of the guards who manned the lookout passed earlier. Follow the track up to the main road, and turn left along this to reach the start point in 1km.

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Rubha Hunish

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