Jegs Blog : Scourie, Sandwood Beach, Cape Wrath and back 18-21/05/17

After almost a year since we had heard of the existence of Sandwood Beach, the subsequent plan to visit, and then the more adventurous extension of the plan to walk the 14 miles from Blairmore to Cape Wrath lighthouse. Taking the difficult route overland using a map and a compass to find our way, which we did and then back the next day following in our footprints.

Sitka going over our route

We headed up to Inverness with a stop off to buy spare Fuji camera batteries then onto Dingwall for tea and pieces in the Courtyard Cafe. We headed past Ullapool then through Inchnadamph and on to Scourie campsite for the night. The scenery was stunning, made all the better with the sun shining all the way.

The River Ness, Inverness

St Andrews Cathedral

Ardvreck Castle, Loch Assynt

Kylesku Bridge

Sitka happy in the sunshine

Lesley posing in the sunshine

Scourie Bay

Blairmore path to Sandwood Beach

The start of our long awaited journey to Cape Wrath in sunshine

Lesley & Sitka raring to go at Blairmore carpark

Loch Aisir

Loch Aisir & Loch na Lerig

Lesley & Sitka leading the way

First glimpse of Sandwood Beach

The name Sandwood Bay probably derives from the Viking name 'Sandvatn' ("sand water") and it is believed longboats were dragged across the sands into Sandwood Loch. There are also remains of Pictish settlement in the area.The area has been largely uninhabited since 1847 when the land was cleared for sheep farming as part of the Highland Clearances. A number of shepherds huts remained and were occasionally occupied until around 1940. On 30 September 1941, Sergeant Michael Kilburn from 124 Squadron at RAF Castletown was flying a Spitfire south west of Cape Wrath when the engine failed. He crash-landed the plane on the beach at Sandwood, and managed to escape uninjured. The wreck remained on the beach and over time the entire bodywork was eroded away by the sea but its engine, a Rolls Royce Merlin, remains largely intact and occasionally emerges into full view whenever tidal and weather conditions permit.

Sandwood Loch

Well worth the walk to this beautiful beach

Am Buachaille sea stack

Lesley & Sitka happy to be on the beach

Great to feel the sand under our feet especially in the glorious sunshine

Hopefully not about to get swamped by the Atlantic rollers

Unfortunately we had to leave Sandwood to walk the remaining 10 miles to Cape Wrath

This is where the map & compass navigation really started, such a strange feeling walking off into the wilderness leaving the beach and all the people behind

Lesley & Sitka picking up the pace

Strathchailleach Bothy

Handy bog roll on the shelf

The legend that was Sandy Macrory Smith

Lochan nan Sac

View back to Sandwood

First view of the Cape headland

First view of the Cape Wrath lighthouse

Stunning sunset

The lighthouse at work

Old fog horn thankfully no longer works, it's a bit close to our tent

The Ozone Café owned by John Ure and family, such a generous and friendly guy, hot soup sandwiches and a free dram when we arrived, couldn't do enough for us, a good blether was had with the mountain rescue folk who were up to marshalling for the marathon runners the next day