Although you may be moving too fast to dedicate much time to it. You could go stoveless on this trip if you wanted to. Ill explain this further under Logistics below. Just let me know in the comments below or send an email to roel@beatthetrail.com. Plot a course thatll have you visit the many small towns hugging the western coastline. Good to know. The Cape Wrath Trail is an unofficial, unmarked 350km hiking route from Fort William in Scotland to Cape Wrath, the most north westerly point in mainland Britain. Another option that is easier and cheaper is to buy the special Cape Wrath Trail maps made by Harvey Maps. Which brings us to another important part of your preparation: stamina. Input your search keywords and press Enter. For the planning of Cape Wrath Trail, I use a similar approach to Te Araroa. Deserts, jungles, mountains or coast; Ive never had a preference. On the seventh day of my CWT hike the weather was mostly clear. Ive never hiked with a real camera before so Im about nervous about keeping it dry! I met my calorie requirements by posting food parcels and supplemented this with food fromcafes, shops andforaging. Ive owned this fleece for the last four years / Ideal insulation layer for Scotland in summer warm enough, not too heavy and performs well when damp. Cape Wrath Trail Overview Map (Cicerone Press). Thecalorie content should be well above your normal daily intake. And they might be right. Not only will your gear be toasty warm and dry, youll get an all-you-can-eat brekkie (cereal/toast/fruit) and be able to pick up food in the shop for dinner (frozen meals/pizza) and some basic food supplies for the rest of your trip. The scenery can be spectacular even when its veiled in mist. Bothies are rarely near trees or woodland on this route, so you must learn aboutother fuels you can utilise such as dry peat or heather. I was wondering how you went about protecting your camera from the rain? Approaching the Cape Wrath Lighthouse at hikes end. The Cape Wrath Trail is a long distance hike through some of the most remote areas in Scotland, the trail is around 250 miles long and it takes the average backpacker around 2-3 weeks to complete. I will be walking 40-65 km (24-40 miles) per day so I need a lot of food to keep going while keeping it simple enough to eat even if the weather is bad. Top end wrapped in orange tape so I wont lose it. Some of the scenery is incredible if you get the weather for it, other parts are nothing to write home about. I also need to stay positive, calm and objective in order to make the best decisions possible. Want to rough it out in solitude for a few days? And we heeded the same advice going in the opposite direction. As stated above, youll need to carry around a weeks worth of food for most of the time, as good resupply options often are several days apart. Other resources online make it sound incredibly hard, but I think it is manageable for any prepared hiker. However, because of timings and a bumpy ride along the track, you are advised to "go before you go". : NM 912 844 About: Often the first bothy hikers will encounter on the Cape Wrath Trail, Corryhully is a well-known bothy not maintained by the MBA but by the local estate. Your email address will not be published. Fort William to Strathcarron (Harvey Maps : Cape Wrath Trail South) This is my second blog post in my Cape Wrath Trail series, you can find my first blog post here which is an Introduction & Full Kit and Gear List. A few tips? Unfortunately, plans changed with the pandemic, the various lockdowns . Theres an Estate Office in Archfary where you might be able to pop in and enquire about the river conditions up to Rhiconich (walking south to north). What would you say about going CWT in this time of year and the shelter for this hike? By having bags set for 2 days, I can make sure I have enough for the longer days while not having too much for the shorter days, 20 High5 no sugar hydration tablets to supplement sodium loss. In both versions the trail begins in Fort William and ends at Cape Wrath lighthouse on the northwest tip of the Scottish mainland. Overall I was happy with my gear selections on the Cape Wrath Trail. Car hire from Arnold Clark in Inverness from 26 per day. One solution to this logistical problem is to send ahead parcels with food and supplies to locations along your route. Which Direction? They became my best friend on the trail! About the Trail We then had a wonderful camp near by and had a tasty breakfast the next morning. Dates With all that and a comfortable bed for the night, it was the perfect pit stop for us. Stakes Mix of sizes & styles (8) / Mostly. It takes place annually in I live in Alaska and its often damp, breezy, cloudy, foggy. Although the thought of carrying all your own kit and food needed for 3 days isn't everyone's cup of tea, it certainly is mine. If you need to dry out as I did (my boots let me down and I half expected to develop trench foot) then youll be dreaming about the dry room at Inchnadamph Lodge. Its a challenge and people do it to test themselves. Hard ice en route to Sandwood Bay. Work has been crazy this year, so my list of Website: Things to Do has grown to Russian novel proportions! Interesting too that you went stoveless in that damp weather. Due to the unpredictable weather and challenging terrain, it is a hike that is best suited to experienced ramblers who possess a good level of fitness, navigation skill, and a stoic disregard of having wet feet. During the days Id also eat bars, trail mix, crisps, nuts; basically whatever I could find. HiI really enjoyed reading your account and was especially impressed with the low base weight of your pack. Thanks for the kind words. (click to enlarge) A classic very challenging traverse of the Highlands and its wilder and remoter landscapes. And for good reason. BUT it isnt always open during term time as geology students book the whole place out to study the nearby Lewisian gneiss. Ive always enjoyed hiking in crappy weather. Cape Wrath Trail 0: Approach to Fort William. Breakfast while breaking camp with a cup of coffee After 2 hours of walking, 2 crackers with 2 slices of cured meat (usually salami) After another 2 hours of walking, 2 crackers with 2 slices of cured meat (usually salami), a coffee and a chocolate biscuit 2 more hours of walking, 2 crackers with 2 slices of cured meat (usually salami) I meandered around the rolling hills North from the bothy and it was not a tiresome walk at all. Obviously the former is a lot more of a sociable hike. Maybe if I wimped out and stayed in the B&Bs. Plot a route that works best for you. I sent supply parcels to Fort William, Shiel Bridge and Ullapool with a request to hold the parcel until a certain date. Woodland: Scots pine needle tea, Wood Sorrell, Pine nuts,Birch sap,Rowan berries (do not eat raw). Cape Wrath lighthouse; finish of the CWT. Add weight to your squats after a while! I cannot recommend sending parcels poste restante (to hold) to post offices, as Britains Royal Mail officially only allows for envelopes to be held, not packages. Train tickets from Edinburgh or Glasgow to Fort William vary between20 and30 for a one-way trip. This trail is great for backpacking, birding, and camping, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other . The Cape Wrath Trail (lets call it the CWT from now on) is known as Scotlands most challenging long-distance trail. Like a straight up shower cap? As always, Im always available for any questions you might still have! April/May 2018. Hey Rob, The nearby stream offers a good water . Unless you are in a rush or looking to ease your way into the trip, go for the Knoydart route. Top report, really enjoyed reading all the detail. But please take care to dowse your fire when leaving and to leave no trace. No matter how low-budget your travel plans may be, I will always recommend you get proper travel insurance. A comprehensive guide to the Cape Wrath Trail, one of the most challenging long distance walks in the UK, published by Cicerone and now in a fully updated Second Edition. This looks amazing! Features: Stone floors, crude wooden platforms to sleep on, one open fire hearth. Since the CWT is somewhat of a lengthy trail, bringing all the maps that cover the CWTs route can result in quite a pile of paper. From south to north there are stores at Shiel Bridge, Strathcarron, Kinlochewe and Kinlochbervie. Ive hiked the Skye during August but had no time for the highlands. We tend to use it when someone acts a bit childish or gets outwardly frustrated or angry for no good reason. Did you use it much on the CWT?? This is all about learning from my own mistakes. Also just to let you know my wife and I did the Wilson Prom Circuit in March and your post was the major resource we used. Peat and forest fires can be devastating to the ecology, wildlife and estates. As with my other Katabatic quilts, the workmanship is top notch. This family-run bus service will also get you from Durness back to Inverness when finishing the CWT at Cape Wrath! Good photos & Video / Have used an unlocked phone in recent years, to avoid heavy roaming charges when overseas. I just get too chilly. I seemed to be very much in the minority! The reason the mileage is approximate is because there is not an actual trail. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Not an appealing prospect for a 17-day hike. I pick up a different SIM in each country and pay local rates. The downside, of course, is that mist means drizzle or rain up here. Peanut M&Ms. Quick release sugar - Haribo/Jelly Sweets. Leave enough for others and the ecology. Big decisions about smallest details, which I embrace. There are many different ways to train yourself for an undertaking like the CWT, so Ill leave it to you to find a way to train that suits your preference. We didn't start walking until almost 2pm, and it had started raining. Food and Drink Along with the demands of the trail itself, your food supplies will be your main concern along the CWT. I know from personal experience having endured days of agony on long treks. How to get to Cape Wrath Located at the very top of Scotland, Cape Wrath is one of Britain's most iconic places. Bad luck/good luck. The former is wilder, more challenging and generally considered to be more scenic. One of the goals for this trip is to produce a big comparative review of dehydrated expedition meals for The Great Outdoors magazine. Noticed you in good old Ozzie shorts-What was your poison on the little feckers? I didn't book any accommodation and wild camped every night. 6 thoughts on " Cape Wrath Trail 6 day hike Part 1 - COMPLETED! Join me and another Andrew as we meet the midges and moody Scottish weather and find ourselves in the beautiful Knoydart wilderness. But probably not, itll mess up her lawn! For a general overview of the gear I recommend for cold and wet environments such as the Scottish Highlands (along with other advice), see Tips for Hiking in Cold and Wet Weather. 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