Cape Wrath Trail
A challenging walk of 222 miles (357 kilometres) with nearly 10,000 metres of ascent — climbing more than the height of Mount Everest in 18 days.
The Cape Wrath Trail is generally regarded as the hardest walking challenge in Great Britain. There is no official route, nor any defined path, but the overriding premise is to walk through the remote and wild north-west of Scotland from Cape Wrath to Fort William. I planned the walk in the winter of 2010/2011 as part of my Great British Walk. It was the part of the long walk which I anticipated more than any other, the romantic thoughts of walking in wilderness and solitude thrilling me before I embarked on the journey.
One of the challenges of the walk is getting to Cape Wrath in the first place, as walking the Cape Wrath Trail from north to south means reaching the cape by means of the Durness Ferry. Unfortunately for me, the weather was bad on my arrival, so I had to make my start from Faraid Head on the northern tip of the Scottish coast near Durness. Despite the setback, I enjoyed the first stage alternative with the annual Cape Wrath marathon runners!
There were many highlights on my version of the Cape Wrath Trail. Amongst them were views of Foinaven and Arkle between Rhiconich and Loch Stack, the west side of Ben Stack, and the thrilling sights of bays, inlets, and lochs near Kylesku. Then came the majestic mountain of Quinag, Eas a Chual Aluinn waterfall, Inchanadamph and the Bone Caves, Knockan Crag, Suilven from Stac Pollaidh, and the wondrous Inverpolly. After an interlude in Ullapool, I enjoyed mountain majesty beside An Teallach, a remote pass to Loch an Nid, Kinlochewe, and marvellous views of the white mountains of Beinn Eighe and Slioch. Further south lay Strathcarron, Loch Carron, Killilan, Loch na Leitreach, and the spectacular Falls of Glomach. After descending to Invershiel and Shiel Bridge, I took the road pass to Loch Cluanie and Invergarry before joining the Great Glen Way for the final two days into Fort William — a breathtaking journey.