This is part of the wild coastal walk between Diabaig in Torridon and Red Point. Times given are for the return walk from Red Point to Craig.
Bog Factor
There is a path throughout; some sections are good but others are boggy and rough.
Car park at the end of the public road to Red Point.
No public transport.
NG732688
Park at the car park at the very end of the Red Point public road (before the road becomes private to Red Point farm). Walk through the farm gate and continue along the track, keeping left at a fork to reach the farm. Pass the farm and go through another gate beyond. Follow the next section of grassy track to a second gate. If you wish to include beach (no extra effort), bear right once through the gate, across the fertile machair (shell-based grassland, rich in flowers where not grazed) to reach the beach.
The wide sandy beach has great views across to Trotternish on Skye and to the Applecross peninsula. Turn left along the beach to reach the ruins - once a salmon fishing station. Pass in front of these and ford the burn beyond. This is usually possible with dry feet, but could be difficult or dangerous in high spate. Once across the stream there is a stile in the fence.
The path now runs along the moor about a hundred metres back from the sea. The surface is mostly good at first though there are one or two boggy sections. It contours inland around the stream valley that cuts across the path. There are great views ahead to the Torridon mountains throughout the walk; Craig is situated in the wooded valley that can be seen further down the coast.
There are several small streams to cross. At one of these that flows down from Coire na h-Uamha to reach the path at NG765645, a short diversion uphill of about 400 metres each way is worthwhile. If you have reached the right stream, there should be an escarpment of crags uphill on the far side of the stream. Head up the east bank of the stream to reach the moorland below the crags, dotted with fallen rocks. Continue a little further uphill to reach one particularly massive block of stone at NG 768649 with heather growing on the top. This is a neolithic rock-shelter, providing a home for man for thousands of years. The grassy mound in front of it (complete with nettles) is a shell midden, built up from all the discarded sea-shells eaten by the shelter's residents. Return back down to the path.
Continue east, soon arriving on the slope above the Craig River. The path turns left here, following the impassable river upstream for some distance; the going becomes somewhat overgrown and bouldery, but at length a bridge is reached. Cross the bridge to reach Craig.
Craig was for many years one of Britain's most remote Youth Hostels. It closed a few years back and has now been adopted as a bothy and 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.. Unless continuing through to Diabaig - on an excellent path but a very long way by road from your starting point - return the way you came.
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