Cape Wrath Trail - the final bit!

The Final Stage from Kylesku to Cape Wrath

Met up with Steve Brailey, Richard Scothorne and Rick Galusha at Kylesku in a developing storm on the 2nd October 2009. The Hotel sits overlooking the Loch and is in a fine position to watch the wind breaking white caps over the Fjord. In the summer I sat here watching Seals play - today its even too wet and wild for Seals!
Started at 9.00 crossing the new bridge to follow a path along the Loch to the Hydro Plant where an uphill path leads to a ruined Steading. Our original plan was to summit Ben something or another route finding away to the B666. However the wind was so wild blowing cold rain horizontally that we took the easier option to join the B666. at the Duke of Westminster' posh hunting lodge.
Stopped for lunch using the shelter of the porch of the Community Hall to get out of the weather
We pressed on along the road. Temptation arrived in the form of an offer of a lift...but being tuff we declined. Turning inland toward Foinaven on a good Stalkers path we made steady progress in the lee of the wind. As we turned into the Rhicconich valley we shook hands because we knew it would be hard going over rough ground with a dodgy river crossing.
It proved to be what we expected. The river crossing was just possible after a couple of failed attempts a novel approach and a celebration of lateral thinking won the day. As the photo shows a old bit of metal gave us the weight and stability to manage a crossing. Even Meg the Dog knew this was dodgy and didn't move an inch! I'm sure this method of spate river crossing is not in 'the book'
We were all very wet but happy to reach Rhiconich and to crack open the Whisky - out of relief and satisfaction.
Stayed at the Kinlochbervie Hotel where we were joined by John & Elizabeth Young and Alan & Sue Kimber for a celebration dinner. Excellent good company/food and just too much drink!!
Much better weather the next and final day of the Trail
Starting on the John Muir Path to Sandewood Bay a good pace is possible. The beach in my opinion is one of the best in the world. It was a fantastic empty wild place that blew all our minds with its raw beauty. The lighthouse at Cape Wrath is visible someway off. To exit the beach another river had to be crossed. At high tide in spate this could be really impassable.
The next stage proved to be very tough indeed - a real sting in the tail after such a long walk. There is no path across this Sutherland wilderness. Its bog and undulating and we averaged only 1.5 mile per hour. Another problem is that this is a military firing range. If the range is in use you cannot access the Cape - so if your planning to do this route - check that NATO is not at play!
Eventually much later than planned we reached the Cape and by pure fluke a minibus was about and was available to give us a lift to the ferry at Durness. Divine salvation from a return hike that would have been a killer!
Great celebration that night to mark the conclusion of a magnificent walk from Fort William which took us a total of 16 days walking - a bloody good pace