Wow, ANUJ. What a country. Excellent TR.

Thank you memejs and stokebailey, I'm enjoying your ongoing trip reports as well!

As we had shifted our bookings to Northlink Ferries, we had to drive back that morning to Stromness from Kirkwall, for the sailing to Scrabster. We landed back on Scottish mainland and started drivng the A836 westwards in the direction of Durness.

We stopped to stretch our legs at the gorgeous Melvich beach, there was absolutely nobody around and we had the beach to ourselves.

Views from near parking lot at Melvich

At the Melvich Beach


As we passed Bettyhill, the scenery got more interesting till a heart-stoppingly beautiful moment on the high road above Coldbackie, with turqoise water and silvery sands glittering as the sunlight intermittently permeated the clouds.

Views from Coldbackie

We stopped by the Tongue Causeway to absorb the wonderful views out to the Kyle of Tongue.

Views

The Tongue causeway

At the crossing

Views


The gorgeous views continued as the road winded past Heilam and around Loch Eriboll.

Ard Neakie Lime Kilns at Heilam

Along the road circling Loch Eriboll, fascinating how the light kept changing every few miles

We stopped to visit the Smoo Cave, a large natural sea cave east of Durness. There’s a car park near the route to the cave entrance. Inside the cave, a wooden pathway leads to a cascade. We were late for the boat tour that ventures deeper within the cave (operates utnil 4pm only).


Smoo Cave mouth

Inside, with the footbridge

Deeper inside, towards cascade

Exiting the cave

Outside the cave, views out to the sea


We made our way quickly to Cocoa Mountain, conscious of their 5pm closing time. Cocoa Mountain is a gourmet chocolate shop that claims to make the world’s best hot chocolate. It's located in the Balnakeil Craft Village, a mile west of Durness, and is home to several eclectic art and craft shops.
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Cocoa Mountain

Ceramics Shop at Balnakeil Village

Art Gallery at Balnakeil Village


Energized with our hot chocolates, we drove up to the stunning Balnakeil Beach nearby.


At the Balnakeil beach

Walking along

View of house and church from beach


We finally checked into our B&B in Durness. Durness is the northernmost habitation on the British mainland, but is really just a tiny collection of houses, two stores and a fuel pump! After settling in, we walked past the Sango Sands campsite (an enviable location) to Durness Beach, an absolutely beautiful spot to linger that evening.


Durness Beach

Durness Beach

Amidst the rocks

The oldest grocery store in Durness

Back at our B&B

So was it the world's best hot chocolate?!

Durness beach looks beautiful!

Stunning, atmospheric views. Fun adventurous trip. I'd especially love to visit those prehistoric sites

I'm also really enjoying this TR through some of my favorite parts of Scotland. I hope the sun came out at some point, particularly along the west coast.

One of the (IMO) premier prehistoric sites on mainland Scotland was just south of the OP's route, on a tiny un-numbered road that runs south from Loch Eriboll toward Altnaharra and Lairg. It's not suitable for inclusion in the "NC500" route - way too small a road - but Broch Dun Dornaigil, a broch (or prehistoric fort) going back to 1000 - 2000 BCE sits there at the side of the road, with nothing but sheep and dragonflies for company. Map - https://goo.gl/maps/rCTCCqkhqdRdRdG2A

Enjoying your report and love that photo of Brora harbour...probably because the sun was out

Curious about that hot chocolate too.

Enjoying your report and photos. Looks like you visited some very remote places. Just beautiful!

Sheep and dragonflies! Love it.

Just came upon this report and want to say thank you for sharing. Appreciate your whetting my appetite of Scotland. The settings look bucolic and end-of-the-earth at the same time.

Thanks all, for your continued interest in my TR.

memejs and Melnq8, hot chocolate after a long drive and 6°C temperatures was very welcome regardless! Candidly, “World’s Best Hot Chocolate” conjures up the likes of Angleina (Paris) or San Gines (Madrid).

Stokebailey, it’s this mix of pre-history and the unspoilt rugged natural beauty that makes Scotland special.

Gardyloo, we got really lucky with weather along the West Coast (bright and sunny days), as you’ll see later in the TR. Very evocative picture of the broch.

KarenWoo, you’ll be itching to return to Scotland after your ongoing trip – it is a truly remarkable place. I’m surprised I held off a return trip for as long (notwithstanding my aborted attempt in in 2020 courtesy covid).

tripplanner001, that’s a very apt description of the Northern Highlands.

After breakfast, we embarked on a long day of driving down the A838 to Lochinver, a fishing village and port set amidst the spectacular scenery of the Assynt region. It was a slow, stunningly beautiful drive along largely single track roads.

We pulled over at the Millenium Stone viewpoint, with sweeping views over the Kyle of Durness and Keoldale Sheep farm.


By the stone

Keoldale Sheepfarm in the distance


At Rhiconich, we took a minor detour up the B801 beyond Kinlochbervie, to visit the beautiful Oldshoremore beach. Not a soul in sight except another couple with their playful dogs.


The road to Olshoremore

At the beach


At Laxford Bridge, we made another detour to Loch Stack enjoying the stunning Assynt landscapes. It’s easy to see why this region is believed to have inspired Tolkein’s mythical Middle Earth!


Stunning drive

ByLoch Stack

By Loch Stack


We then retraced back to the A894, stopping at multiple points to enjoy the glorious scenery, until we reached the highly-photographed Kylesku Bridge.


Badcall Bay

Assynt landscapes

Kylesku Bridge

Views, near Kylesku Hotel

As we crossed Unapool, we opted for the narrow coastal road B869 to Lochinver (rather than the main roads A894 and A837), enjoying some more of the fabulous Assynt scenery. We made a stop at the quaint village of Drumbeg. As we passed Clashnessie beach, we parked further down the road, to eventually find a boggy path leading to the very impressive Clashnessie Falls. It’s easy to miss this - no signposting at all!


Along the B869

Along the B869

Drumbeg

Clashnessie Beach

The path to the falls

Clashnessie Falls


A brief stop at Clachtoll beach followed....


Clachtoll Beach

Whale jaw and fin bone exhibit by the parking


And our final stop - the glorious Achmelvich Beach. You wouldn’t associate Scotland as a beach destination, but ironically it boasts some of the very best in the world. I wonder if its ever warm enough to swim – I’d probably need a wetsuit even at the peak of summer.


Path over dunes to the hidden beach

Achmelvich Beach


Hungry from our adventures, we pulled up at the famous Lochinver Larder, widely acknowledged as the best pie shop in Scotland (they even send pies by post!). Lots of vegetarian choices, savoury and sweet - delicious food in a beautiful setting.


Lochinver Larder

Inside the pieshop

Outside the pieshop, benches by the river


We finally checked into our B&B. After a short rest, we headed out for a leisurely walk (suggested by our hosts) in the nearby Culag Woods (offers a great viewpoint for Mount Suilven) until the rain forced us to head back.


Lochinver Harbour

Culag Woods

The White Shore

What is terrible about the scenery that we all love in the Highlands is that much of it is man-made. Scottish deforestation (long before Scotland as a nation existed) is an awful thing and shows you just how dangerous mankind can be. For example Orkney is virtually completely empty of trees (a friend is working to replant a tiny woodland at the moment) but the various tombs and ancient dead-houses would have been surrounded by trees when actually being used. This is true of many of the rest of the spaces visited.

Bilbo, that history is - in part - more recent than prehistoric in the parts of Sutherland than the OP visited. One of the purposes behind the Highland Clearances, of which Sutherland was the epicenter, thanks to the occupants of Dunrobin Castle among others, was the introduction of sheep farming as the principal agricultural activity in the region, replacing mixed farming (we'd call it crofting now) and cattle as the main products. Because farming sheep requires far less work than cattle, there was an instant surplus of workers in the Highlands, so it was easier for the landowners (many of them absentee English or Scots who'd been on the winning side in the 1745 rising) to evict the locals - the Clearances - than to find things for them to do to survive.

Unlike cattle, sheep graze right down to the roots and below, uprooting the plant life rather than biting off the tops. Sapling trees and other more robust and land-covering plant life don't stand a chance, especially given the short growing season at these latitudes, hence grass, gorse and heather (which the sheep don't like) become the prominent land cover. It makes for dramatic scenery but in many respects much of it is indeed "artificial," or man-made, or more specifically, sheep-made.

ANUJ, I'm really enjoying your images of the northwest coast, and I'm so glad the sun made an appearance. It brings back a lot of memories. Well done.

Speaking of which, when I saw the picture below, I had to stop and search my photo collection. This house overlooking the amazing view is a real show-stopper.



... and it was fifty years ago, too. Here's a picture I took from the same spot in 1973 or 1974 when I was working in that part of Sutherland. Note the house has been expanded somewhat, the tree on the right side of the house is bigger, and it looks like they've replaced the thatched roof with modern roofing. But it's still the same gorgeous place. Weird, eh?


Small world.

bilboburgler, I share your concerns about deforestation in general. I'm reminded of the ugly spat between Brazil and the EU not long ago, and the tragic irony of possibly the worst two offenders on the planet schooling each over the Amazon depletion.

Gardyloo, thanks for that input, some of which I didnt know about. Also, what a remarkable co-incidence - its the same stunning spot en route to Oldshoremore!

Beautiful photos.
Funny, we visited Scotland nearly 40 years ago, had zero plans and no idea how stunning that landscape is.
I still remember the shock and awe.

You're so right about the beautiful beaches! I know a lot of people are drawn to Scotland to see castles and the highlands, but one of the reasons it went to the top of my priority list is because I watched some YouTube videos that showed white sand beaches with crystal clear water.

Also, you've got to love all of the bakeshops around Scotland!

Adelaidean, enjoying your TR too. This "shock and awe" factor kept going up a notch every passing day along the west coast as we headed to Torridon.

memejs,if beaches are your thing, stay tuned for the Outer Hebrides portion of this TR (to follow).

Our second day in Lochinver was even more eventful. After a sumptuous breakfast, we set off in the direction of Loch Assynt towards Quinag for a hike. The Quinag is a mountain range with 3 peaks, and one of the most popular hikes in the region. Despite arriving early, the car park was already full, so we parked in a layby some distance away. It’s a stony, but well-maintained path, and we didn’t venture further than the ridge leading to the first peak Spidean Coinich. The sweeping views out to Mount Suilven and Loch Assynt were breath-taking, and we just sat there soaking it all in.


Near the parking

Start of the path, after entry gate

The climb up the stony path

Views from first peak, Loch Assynt

Views of second peak from first summit

Sweeping views from first summit

Walking back to the parking

Looking back after descent, we made it to the first "nose" at the end of the long ridge

We then drove further up the A894 towards Loch na Gainmhich to trek to the bottom of the Wailing Widow Falls. The falls are set deep inside a ravine strewn with rocks, and tricky to navigate in parts, but very rewarding in the end.


Near the parking

Getting deeper in the ravine, looking back

Many stones to climb over

The falls


We headed back towards Loch Assynt to visit the ruins of the 15th century Ardvreck Castle sitting on a promontory, in a picture-perfect setting.


At the Ardvreck Casle

Views from Castle grounds

Castle sitting on the promontory

Ardvreck Castle from a distance


We then made our way beyond Inchnadamph towards the Bone Caves. These are a set of natural pre-Ice Age caves set high in a limestone cliff, where a large number of animal bones were discovered during excavation (hence the name). It’s a beautiful trail through a deep, secluded valley with a steep climb up to the caves followed by a sharp descent right along the edge of the cliff back to the valley. We were greeted by a deer at the end of our walk!


Start of the path

Deeper in the valley

Inside the cave (1)

Inside the cave (2)

View of valley from caves

Descending along the cliffside path

The return route

A deer comes out to greet us

Looking back at how far we had climbed to get to the caves, they appear like little holes in the sheer rock face


We returned to Lochinver, ate a hearty dinner and called it an early night after a supremely active and tiring day.


Returning to Lochinver, along Loch Assynt shores

Returning to Lochinver, short stop at Little Assynt

Back in Lochinver


PS – Ironically, Lochinver was the primary filming location for a movie called Edie we had seen in 2017. It’s the story of a 80 year old woman pursuing her unfulfilled dream of climbing Mount Suilven. The movie certainly inspired us to travel here, but hiking formidable Suilven – no thank you!

After breakfast, we set off for Ullapool, our base for the next 2 nights. We took the Wee Mad Road or B869 – a narrow, winding road through stunning landscapes and coastal scenery. As the designated driver, it was impossible for me to keep my eyes glued on the road, with such staggering beauty competing for attention.


Heading south of Lochinver, Suilven raises its head in the distance

Along the Wee Mad Road

Views


Sheep by the loch


We made a small detour via Coigach. This is a really remote, sparsely populated peninsula scattered with some fishing and crofting communities. We made brief stops by the totally desolate Achanhaird Bay and at the village of Achiltibuie.


Driving by Achnahaird Bay

The desolate beach at Achanhaird

Views from Achiltibuie

Achiltibuie church


Our next stop was Stac Pollaidh, the iconic mountain with a distinctive rocky crest. We had no intention of scaling it to the summit, but we got almost as far up as the ridge, and the views were good enough for us without taking undue risks. We descended via the same path back to our car parking near Loch Lurgainn.


View of Stac Pollaidh from parking

At the base

The ascent

View of Cul Mor and Suilven

Near the Stac Pollaidh ridge, we didn't attempt the summit

View of Stac Pollaidh summit


Our next planned hike was Knockan Crag, an interesting site where the exposed multi-layered rock in the mountainside tells the story of continents crashing together millions of years ago (the Moine Thrust). It’s a well-maintained trail, slightly steep in parts but well worth a visit for the geology and views.


Start of the trail at the Visitor Centre

Jo Smith globe structure

The path through the rock

View from top


We finally reached Ullapool, our base for the next 2 nights. With its distinctive whitewashed cottages lining the harbour and glorious views across Loch Broom and its flanking hills, this fishing village enjoys a picturesque setting.


White washed houses of Ullapool

Walking by the harbour

The Calmac Stornoway ferry arrives

Views of Loch Broom from Ullapool shore