John o'Groats Trail: Dunbeath to Lybster

Dramatic coastal clifftop walking links the attractive harbours of Dunbeath, Latheronwheel and Lybster; along the way you'll find sea stacks, a natural arch and a ruined castle. It's a challenge too, with three ravines to cross and other obstacles.

Terrain

Challenging walking; volunteers have built some stiles and marked the route with white paint daubs where landownwers have permitted, but there are still some fences to cross, three ravines to negotiate (none too difficult) and some rough, overgrown and tussocky going on the clifftop. Care needed with navigation.

Public Transport

Dunbeath and Lybster are connected by bus.

Start

Dunbeath. Open start point in Google Maps for directions.

Hillwalking in Winter

Please note that hillwalking when there is snow lying requires an ice-axe, crampons and the knowledge, experience and skill to use them correctly. All route descriptions and difficulties given here are for summer conditions. See our Winter Essentials page for basic information on the skills, techniques and knowledge needed for winter hillwalking.

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Walk Statistics

Distance: 14.25km / 9 miles
Time (summer conditions): 5 - 6 hours
Ascent: 549m (Profile)
Start Grid Ref: ND162295

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Accommodation

Walk Description

Stage 1

Starting from the footbridge over the river near Dunbeath Harbour, head along the road towards the harbour. The road leads round the coastline and then ends at a picnic area. Head through the picnic area to the far end; from here a very faint grassy path makes a zig-zagging ascent up the easiest ground to gain the clifftops. Now atop the cliffs continue on the rough tussocky ground on the outside of the fences.

Stage 2

Soon the route passes above a deep geo with a natural arch. Further on there are views to a pair of very fine sea stacks; shortly after these, at another geo, a stile indicates where it is necessary to keep on the inland side of the fence. Pass round the back of the geo, crossing a shallow ravine at the back - there's a marker post and stile up the other side. Cross the stile, turn right to pass through a gate. Pass round either side of a rectangular field to reach the opposite corner, above the coast once more. Briefly follow a grassy track, then fork right to head past another marker post; the route then gains height to pass a boulder daubed with a white marker. Continue across a heathery slope to near the corner of a deer fence; the walk crosses a stile over a smaller fence and continues along the left side of the deer fence.

Stage 3

After the highest part of the deer fence a very faint path cuts half left across the heather towards another fence - there is a white paint daub on one of the posts (and no more markings for a while). Cross this fence with care, then continue ahead to reach another fence enclosing a steep ravine. It's best to turn left alongside the fence uphill to round the top of the ravine. On the far side, head diagonally left across the field to reach a gate letting into the next field. Keeping parallel to the coast, find another gate beyond it into a larger open field at the bottom of the valley; cross this, keeping left and slowly gaining height as you cross the slope, as the clifftop fence will rise steeply to meet you. Finally walk on a level just inside the clifftop fence. At the next fence corner cross a fence and drystone dyke before turning right to keep along the right hand side of a high deer fence for the next km or so - the going can be overgrown with bracken in high summer.

Stage 4

Keep outside the deer fence, eventually with views of some more sea stacks. At the corner of the deer fence enclosure turn left to follow the fence inland until an old iron turning gate in the wall on the right. Pass through this to follow a grassy path down towards the beautiful Latheronwheel harbour. Cross an old stone bridge to reach the road, and then turn left up it. Go up the hill and then - after a bench on the right but before reaching the houses - leave the road as it bends left, picking up a coastal path above the cliffs once more on the outside of the fenceline. There are wicket gates to pass through the next two fences, and then a pair of stiles at a fence corner to enable you to continue the walk now on the landward side of the cliff fence.

Stage 5

Pass through another wicket gate to reach more open grassland above the cliffs - with another fine sea stack. When a stone wall is reached there is a stile to cross, then the path veers left slightly to pass above the dense broom along the coastal fenceline. Continue to another fence corner very slightly inland, then look out for the marker post that indicates a diagonal line across to reach the far coastal corner of the next field. Just before reaching this a stile takes you back onto the coastal side of the clifftop fence. There is more boggy ground before passing through a gate above a deep ravine. Turn left to keep above the ravine until the route leads through another gate - on the far side it is straightforward to descend muddy ground to cross the bottom of the ravine and keep right up the far side. The walk runs along the stone wall above the ravine back towards the cliffs, then passes through a gate to keep on the field side, with more boggy ground.

Stage 6

A fence stile is immediately followed by one over a drystone wall; pass to the right of a curious old stone building and then reach a stile of sorts directly above a slab-like sea stack. Continue along the coastal side of what is now a clifftop wall. The route passes round the bay of Port an Muic and there are great views back along the coast towards Scaraben and Morven, Caithness' highest hill. Cross a stile and then head slightly left down into a shallow ravine to reach and cross a small footbridge. Head uphill from here, following a couple of marker posts.

Stage 7

There are now views across the next bay to the ruins of Forse Castle above the cliffs. Cross a stile to pass round above the bay. Continue just outside the clifftop fence until you reach a very steep slope down - perhaps 10 metres. Carefully descend this to an old grassy track. The track will then slowly take you back up left, reaching the clifftop level at the ruins of Forse Castle. Bear right (marker post) when back at the clifftop level near the castle. The castle dates back to 1200 and was abandoned around 1660; the ruins are in a dangerous state. Bear left to continue the clifftop walk, crossing another stile.

Stage 8

Cross another stile and continue the clifftop walk until the deep ravine at Achastle Shore, with the stone ruins of the old herring fishing station far below. Carefully head down the very steep grassy ridge to reach the shore, and cross the burn to reach the ruins. Head left alongside the massive nearside wall of the second of the buildings to pass round the back and up into a natural grassy cutting. Pass through this and then leave the main route to bear right to pass over a stile. The route now continues on the outside of the fences across rough, coarse grassland; there is only a faint, tussocky path, passing over another stile. Continue until a massive ladder stile is reached; cross this and continue across the smoother grassy field, with the fence on your right.

Stage 9

Another ladder stile gives access to the seat and information board at the Swiney Hill viewpoint. From here you get your first glimpse of Lybster harbour. Continue along outside the fence over occasionally boggy ground. Continue with a fence on your left, ignoring another ladder stile and keeping ahead onto a surfaced path. This passes a bench and heads downhill to reach the approach road to the harbour, which is well worth visiting with a detour to the right (it is also the site of the Waterlines Heritage Centre). Otherwise the route follows the road to the left, climbing uphill towards Lybster; you can fork left off Shore Road to short-cut on a path to the centre, or simply follow the road up to the junction with the main road in the village, in which case the shop and hotels are to the left.

Next stage: Lybster to Whaligoe

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