Today was to have been a day off driving with the focus on ticking-off the big one, Suilvan, from my hill-walking bucket list, sadly the weather had other plans. High winds and heavy rain, combined with low cloud made made a 9 hour hike through unfamiliar terrain, a climb up and down a steep, wet gulley, to a cloud shrouded summit with sheer drops on three sides less than appealing. So it was with some reluctance I returned to the road.
NC500 Day 4 – Lochinver to Durness
So with Suilvan off the agenda it was time for a quick rejig of my plans and a 76 mile drive up the final section of the Scotland's west coast to where its meets the north coast, with a visit to its most north-westerly point, Cape Wrath, along the way.
There were of course ample opportunities to stop and admire the many deserted beaches and viewpoints dotted along the route. Such as Clashnessie beach and the Drumbeg viewpoint to name but two.
Kylesku Bridge
Another highlight of this section of the route is the Kylesku Bridge, opened in 1984. This distinctively curved boxed concrete bridge features predominately on the North Coast 500 website. Although to be fair there can't be many concrete bridges in the world that can be considered a thing of beauty.
Prior to the bridge opening a ferry service that had operated since the 1800's in one form or another was the only alternative to a 100 mile detour via Lairg. When the Bridge opened the Maid of Kylesk, built in the 1950's to ferry cars across, was unceremoniously beached and abandoned. If you venture into Kylesku itself you can still see it slowly rusting away on the far side of the bay.
You'll also find a cairn on the northern side of the bridge next to the plaque celebrating its official opening. This memorial overlooking Quinag and the still deep waters of Loch a' Chairn Bhain was erected in 1993 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the formation of the XIIth Submarine Flotilla. A unit of "X-craft" and "Chariot" miniature submarines who trained in "these wild and beautiful waters" many of whom did not return from active service.
Cape Wrath
The military connection continues when you reach the Cape, much of which is owned by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and used for military training and live firing. On the day I arrived they'd just dropped three live 1,000lb bombs. The dummy versions are usually filled with concrete. It was here that British troops trained for the 1982 Falklands War.
This unique wilderness, is quite unlike anywhere else in the UK mainland. 107 square miles (280 km2) of moorland wilderness known as the Parph, home to a rich variety of flora and fauna with areas listed variously as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, a Special Protection Area, a Special Area of Conservation and a Special Landscape Area.
Originally home to small crofting communities, by 1845 only shepherds remained. Today, while sheep continue to roam the Cape, along with a heard of 300 wild deer, shepherds visit only seasonally with the Cape's sole permanent resident being the proprietor of the Ozone cafe. A small cafe situated next to the Cape Wrath lighthouse, perched on the UK's north westerly tip. Alongside the automated lighthouse can also be found the decaying remains of the lighthouse keepers cottages and a Lloyd's of London signalling station.
The lighthouse and the 10 mile road that serves it were built in 1828. In all that time the road has been resurfaced once, in the 1950's. The official designation of the single track road which is 'maintained' by the Highlands Council is the U70 with a permissible speed limit of 60mph. Although the minibuses that carry tourists along this road seldom makes it into 3rd gear, with the journey taking about an hour each way leaving an hour to explore the Cape itself.
Although part of the mainland the only way to access the road to the Cape is via a short passenger ferry journey over the Kyle of Durness. The ferrymen, drivers and guides on the ferry and bus are very friendly and informative and you're guaranteed an entertaining and informative trip.
The weather had cleared by the time I arrived for the last trip of the day and the views were simply stunning. Standing next to the lighthouse watching the sea crash on the cliffs below with nothing but the Atlantic between you and the America's is an unforgettable experience. Along the way you'll encounter shell craters from live fire uncomfortably close to the road, haunted houses and camping pods that you can hire to really get away from it all, plus a host of wildlife. On the trip I took we spotted orchids, carnivorous insect eating sundew plants, wild deer and Arctic Skuas mobbing hooded crows to protect their nests.
Cape Wrath is without doubt one of the high-points of the North Coast 500 and no circuit of the NC500 is complete without a visit to it.
Durness and Sango Sands Campsite
Having been blow away by Cape Wrath it was time to find shelter for the night and Sango Sands Campsite at Durness was my next stop. Perched on the clifftops above an award winning beach with stunning views, complete with adjacent bar and restaurant, it was the perfect end to the day.
Walking along the beach I found several jellyfish washed up on the shore. I also discovered later that evening that parking on an exposed cliff-top with a stiff north wind blowing down from the Arctic probably isn't the best place to pitch. As it was I lowered to vans roof to reduce the wind noise and let it rock me gently to sleep.
So that's day 4 of the NC500, a missed summit, a beautifully engineered bridge, an unforgettable trip to one of the four cornerstones of the UK and a stunning windswept beach. And the question I've asked myself at the end of everyday of this trip, can it get any better than this?
Skippy goes to Scotland Index
Part 1 Getting there
Part 2 North Coast 500 Inverness to Applecross
Part 3 North Coast 500 Applecross to Ullapool
Part 4 North Coast 500 Ullapool to Lochinver
Part 5 North Coast 500 Lochinver to Durness
Part 6 North Coast 500 Durness to John O'Groats
Part 7 North Coast 500 John O'Groats to Inverness
Part 8 The Jounrey Home (Samye Ling Monastery)
Postscript