NW Highlands
15.6km/9½ miles 5 hours
1
NC194601 From Sandwood Bay car park, cross the road before passing through a kissing gate adjacent to a derelict stone cottage, signed ‘Sandwood 4½ miles’. Follow the path north-east on a gentle ascent, keeping Loch Aisir on your right.
2
NC206611 With Loch na Gainimh on your left, the path forks. Keep left, now following a northerly direction. From here the path crests the hill to reveal a clear view of the winding route ahead of you and a sight of the cliff tops of Carn an Righ and Druim na Buainn away in the distance.
3
NC207624 Just above a tiny lochan, you’ll see a pair of bicycle racks where the path narrows and becomes a bit more rugged. The path gently undulates and you can see the highest points of the clifftop hills ahead.
4
NC211638 Passing to the left of Loch Meadhonach you approach Loch Clais nan Coinneal. As you approach the southerly edge of Loch Clais nan Coinneal, look for the faintest trace of a path on your left at a north-westerly angle from the main path and perpendicular with the edge of loch. The grassy, heathery bealach heads uphill between Carn an Righ and Druim na Buainn, keeping to the right of a small burn.
5
NC206645 From the ridge you gain more height by heading to a rocky outcrop away to your right to reveal your first view of the white sands and crystal waters of Sandwood Bay, and the small islands of Am Baig with the white Cape Wrath lighthouse visible away in the distance (on a clear day). There are superb views and a photo opportunity among the cotton grass. To gain your first view of Am Buachaille sea stack (The Shepherd), you’ll need to drop down across the grassy, heathery moorland in a northwesterly direction.
6
NC204650 Here a coast path appears with the famous sea stack visible below from up on the cliff top. From here follow the cliff path, heading east towards Sandwood Bay.
7
NC208651 Take care in places where the path is very narrow with steep drops to your left-hand side. Gradually you descend before arriving among the huge dunes at the rear and southerly edge of the mile-long beach.
8
NC217650 If your arrival coincides with low tide you can make optimum use of your time on the bay by exploring the unique geological features, machair dunes and (freshwater) Sandwood Loch. It’s a great place to wild camp overnight too – if you ensure you pitch your tent away from the mean high water mark on your map. Behind the dunes is best, away from the prevailing and frequent onshore winds.
At the rear of the beach you will see the return grassy path between patches of gorse, with the ruins of Sandwood House to your left. In due course this meets up with the path where we turned left at Loch Clais nan Coinneal.