Cape Wrath Trail (Kinlochewe → Inchnadamph)

Le lieu

hiking trail in Highland, Scotland, UK

L’intérêt

Knoydart Peninsula (only accessible on foot or by ferry — no road). Sandwood Bay (one of Scotland's most beautiful and remote beaches). Quinag and Suilven (spectacular Torridonian sandstone peaks). Cape Wrath lighthouse at Britain's NW tip. Red deer, golden eagles, otters.

Un peu d'histoire

Popularised by David Paterson's 1996 guidebook, the Cape Wrath Trail has no official status and no single definitive route — it is a concept, a general line from south to north, with numerous variants. Its allure lies precisely in this freedom and the sheer remoteness of the country it crosses.

Y arriver

Fort William: train from Glasgow (2h15) or Inverness (1h30). Cape Wrath: minibus ferry across the Kyle of Durness then minibus to the lighthouse. No public transport to Cape Wrath — must arrange return.

Matériel recommandé

Tent (mandatory). Waterproof sleeping bag. Navigation by OS 1:25 000 maps and compass (no phone signal in many areas). Emergency PLB or satellite communicator. Trekking poles. River sandals for crossings. Full waterproofs.

La saison

May to September. June–August: best weather, long days, severe midges. May and September: fewer midges, potentially colder. Avoid October–April.