Explore this experimental forest on a waymarked circular that includes sculptures, a log cabin and a giant wooden xylophone. The forest has recently planted native species and is a good place to spot birdlife.
Woodland paths waymarked but muddy in places. There is a shorter all abilities path here as well.
Bus from Thurso and John o'Groats.
Dunnet Forest car park .
From the car park go past the information board and go straight on following the yellow waymarker post. This walk follows the yellow markers for most of the route. The forest was planted in the 1950s by the Forestry Commission with a number of different commercial species many of which failed. The survivors include lodgepole pine, corsican pine, sitka spruce and sycamore. The forest is now managed by the Dunnet Forestry Trust, a local body which is seeking to increase the habitats within the wood and develop different recreational uses.
Keep left past a picnic bench, and then at the next fork turn right (yellow marker). Keep following the yellow marker posts as the trail meanders through a denser part of the forest. Keep following the yellow markers - other paths off to the sides are used by people orienteering, horse riders and local walkers. At a broader path the route turns left and then almost immediately right. Further on it turns right and then left near the edge of the wood - all these junctions are waymarked.
Ignore a small trail heading off right, keeping on the main path. At a cross-roads turn right onto a track. This leads past a bench; beyond this, go left at a fork (still following yellow markers). Keep straight on on a grassy track through an area of younger trees. The route then almost reaches the edge of the forest; turn left just before this on a path that then narrows and follows a twisting course through denser trees. When a t-junction is reached turn right.
The route nears the edge of the forest once more before cutting back into the trees. Keep straight on at a crosspaths, then bear left, still following yellow markers. Cross a wooden boardwalk, and keep straight on when the path joins a track. Go straight across a cross-roads, passing some blue metal sculptures. Go straight across at another junction, passing more wooden sculptures.
Just before a bridge turn left onto a path signed for the Log Cabin - now leaving the yellow route. The path soon leads to a beautifully constructed log cabin, offering welcome shelter on a wet day. Pass the cabin and follow the path that turns right, passing more sculptures. When it meets a main path at a t-junction turn right, and then take the next left (signed 'Original All-abilities Trail').
A large wooden xylophone is soon reached and then a sculpture. Keep left at a fork and keep following the red marker posts until the edge of the forest is reached where you turn left. This final section passes a number of sculptures and eventually returns to the car park at the start of the walk.
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