John o'Groats Trail: Wick to Keiss

Summary

The thirteenth stage of the trail leaves Wick to resume clifftop walking - though the cliffs are now lower than further south. It passes Noss Head lighthouse, the dramatic ruins of Castle Girnigoe and the impressive Ackergill Tower before crossing the spectacular sweep of sand at Sinclair's Bay. The walk is rough on some sections and involves fording the River of Wester - an impassable obstacle if the water is high.

Grade (key)

Bog Factor (key)

Rating

Terrain

Fairly rough clifftop going, can be overgrown after Castle Girnigoe. Dunetop path or sandy beach across Sinclair's Bay. The River of Wester requires fording and is a major obstacle if the water is high (affected by tide as well as spate) - if it cannot be waded, rough and slow detour to verge of A99 to use bridge.

Public Transport

Wick has a railway station and good bus links; Keiss is also served by bus.

Start

Wick High Street. Open in Google Maps.

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 Skills page for basic information on the essential skills, techniques and knowledge needed for winter hillwalking.

Walk Statistics

Distance: 17km / 10.5 miles
Time (summer conditions): 5 - 6 hours
Ascent: 200m (Profile)
Start Grid Ref: ND364510

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Accommodation

Walk Description

User reports (2)

Stage 1

Begin by walking east along the short pedestrianised section of Wick High Street. Turn left uphill up Shore Lane, and then take the second right onto Willowbank - signed for Papigoe, Staxigoe and Noss at each junction. Keep straight ahead, passing the school and reaching the edge of Wick; keep left on the main road when it forks. The road now leads into Papigoe, keep straight ahead and round a bend to the left until the road reaches a t-junction in Staxigoe. Turn right here, passing the harbour; and keep along the lane towards Field of Noss farm.

Stage 2

At the farm keep on the track passing left of the farmhouse and into the farmyard. Fork right across this onto a track that reaches the coast. Now simply keep heading along by the coast, generally walking between two fences, where the walking is easier than on the outside right above the cliffs. The route continues along the more open, rugged coastline. There are several geos (inlets) to round and some small sea stacks; the lighthouse on Noss Head is visible in the distance ahead.

Stage 3

When you can see a large wall barring the route, follow the path that cross the field - aiming a little left of the lighthouse - to reach a gate in the wall. Pass through this and then continue across the next field to reach a gate in the fence around 100m south of the lighthouse complex. Go through this and straight across the tarred access road to pass through a gate on the other side. Aim for the far side of the lochan - with the best view of Noss Head lighthouse - to reach a stile / makeshift gate in the next stone wall.

Stage 4

The route is now along the coastal cliffs once more, passing the back of two deep geos before reaching a track, and turning right along this to reach the ruins of Castle Sinclair Girnigoe. The first castle here was started in the 1300s but today's ruins date mostly from the 17th century. Access is across a spectacular footbridge but the castle itself is currently closed pending restoration. Head up opposite the drawbridge to continue the coastal walk on the seaward side of the fence.

Stage 5

There is a stile where the route crosses a fence, and then continues now between a stone wall and the clifftops, with some fine sea stacks below. The going is often overgrown with long, tussocky grasses on this section. There are great views along the coast around Sinclair's Bay with Ackergill Tower prominent, whereas looking down there is a natural arch at one point. At a collapsed section of cliff the walk crosses to the inland side of the wall, before again continuing on the seaward side just beyond. Then, at the next geo, the route goes through two gates to head into a now open field usually with grazing livestock. This section can be muddy in places; you can either keep above or below the now low grassy cliffs, topped with a WW2 gun emplacement.

Stage 6

Eventually the route reaches a jetty at Ackergill Shore. Turn left up the road here, passing the houses, and then turn right on the nearside of a massive stone wall. Pass through the playground and through the gate opposite, continuing through a field to reach and pass through another gate onto a track. Turn right along the grassy track - with whalebones built into the wall - to pass to the right of a house. The massive wall beyond encloses Ackergill Tower, which is passed on the seaward side. The tower was built in the 15th century; it was formerly a hotel but is now a private residence.

Stage 7

The route crosses to the inland side of the wall at a massive stile, before crossing back again further on. Soon you reach a lane: turn right on a path outside the fence and along the low dunes through grasses. Alternatively you can walk along the vast sands of Sinclair's Bay (not possible at high tide). If walking the dunes, when you reach the corner of the fence, turn inland to a car park but then keep right and right again to resume walking the dunes. Extending north of the car park is Wick Golf Course. If walking the dunes, the path descends to a bridge. Please do not walk onto the golf course to use the bridge as there is the danger of being injured by golf play from the nearby tee. From the burn, climb up to the right of a tee to rejoin the path along top of the dunes - which then climb so high as to give a slight feeling of exposure! Eventually the single dune ridge becomes more complex but there is a waymarked path. The alternative is to walk on the beach from here except at the highest tide conditions.

Stage 8

Whether you are walking the dunes or the beach, the potentially serious obstacle of the River of Wester is eventually reached. At low tide and in a dry spell it can be easily paddled at a little above ankle depth, but at high tide and in spate it can become completely impassable (reportedly chest-deep on occasion). If it is impassable, it will be necessary to make an awkward detour, doubling back on the other side of the dunes and then crossing the golf course with care, aiming for a gate at ND334573; (if you aim towards the farm, the gate is a little to the right). Another gate leads out of the field into a grassy lane which leads via another gate to the busy A99, the verge of which can be followed northwards for over 1km to cross the bridge. You can then turn right at 'Sub Sea 7', going left at the security gates to eventually return to the beach. If you do cross the river, you can simply walk along the beach, crossing the two piers where deep sea pipelines are moved out to sea. If you arrive on a rare day when this is in progress, make a worker on the beach aware of your presence and they will help you to pass safely.

Stage 9

Continue along the beach until rows of old concrete tank traps are reached; bear left to pick up a path alongside a row of these to reach a parking area. From here follow the grassy track beside the coastline, passing some houses. Follow the track when it turns left just before a bungalow, then turn right through a pedestrian gate just beyond the garden to follow a path up to the village of Keiss. The hotel is along the road to the left; the old harbour is to the right.

Next stage: Keiss to John o' Groats

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