CWT Day 12 - Kinlochbervie to Cape Wrath 21 April 2010.

Cape Wrath Trail - Day 12
Kinlochbervie to Cape Wrath
Distance 28km
Wednesday 21 April 2010

I felt quite smug with myself as I packed my kit and walked back up the road towards the Kinlochbervie Hotel for breakfast.  Today was the day I was going to reach my goal.

I had a full Scottish breakfast and even ate the black pudding which I don’t like, for I knew I would need all the energy I could get to not only finish the Trail but to get back to Kinlochbervie for transport to Inverness.

From the hotel I walked the minor road North through Oldshoremore to Blairmore.  

At Blairmore I turned right onto the track towards Sandwood Bay.  The sky was clear and beautiful.  

The route was well marked for people who must just come up to see the sands.  This was a little disappointing as I had expected it to be a little more remote.  On my way up the road the John Muir warden passed me with a trailer on the back of his van with what could have been a deer.  I remembered that he had told me the previous night that I may not get to Cape Wrath as the military were firing.  I told him that I had checked this out before leaving home and they had said there would be no firing on the two day window I had given myself to reach Cape Wrath.  He had looked doubtful.  Anyway I was committed now, this was the second day and therefore the last day I could reach Cape Wrath.  He gave me a wave and a smile as he drove passed.

   

The walking was pleasant  and I started thinking this was not too bad.  On the path I got my first glimpse of the Cape Wrath lighthouse.  

I found an ideal sheltered place to pitch my tent in the sand dunes behind the beach of Sandwood Bay.  I left my big bag, took my phone to ring home, map and compass, some water a few sweets and some money for the Ozone cafe, travelling light I set off.  Must not forget I also took my trusty stick.  It was really cold and the sand of Sandwood Bay felt cold and hard as stone.  I made a mental note of one of the rocks as a marker to my tent.  The sands of Sandwood Bay were beautiful and it deserved its credit as one of the top beaches in the world.  I walked to the North Easterly part of the beach and crossed the stream over into MOD land. 

For some reason which I cannot explain, I did not follow the route along the coast.  I set off across country, in a very haphazard route on the Eastern side of the coastal hills.  Which turned out to be a mistake as it was up and down, crossing streams, walking round, jumping and climbing in and out of bogs.  To eventually end up on the northerly road a good few km from the Cape Wrath lighthouse.  I was really annoyed with myself.  When I eventually arrived at the lighthouse I calculated it had taken over 5 hours from Sandwood Bay, now there was only approx 3 hours of day light left.  If I had followed the route along the coast I would have been well on my way back to my tent now.  Why I did it I cannot explain, anyway too late now, no time to hang around.  I had arrived with no sense of achievement or elation, this was the end.  The Ozone Cafe was shut and looked as if had been for some time, even though it was shown on a few web sites.  On top of that I could not get a signal to ring home.  

  


I had walked 28km, the total distance I had covered was 355km.

More to Follow


Boz North
Details correct at time of walking.

If you have enjoyed reading my walk or found it useful you may also like to read other walks I have done on The Cape Wrath Trail or other areas. Please check out the links on the right hand side.

Follow link to previous - Day 11 Kylesku to Kinlochbervie
Follow link to Cape Wrath to Sandwood Bay