[This walk was completed on 29th August 2022]

It’s just gone 1pm when I reach Clachtoll. I walk down a lane to the beach, climb high onto a grassy knoll, and eat my picnic lunch. What a view.

After eating, I take a good long rest to enjoy the view, then I heave my backpack onto my shoulders and set off to join the road again. It’s a winding route, past the caravan sites, a little shop, and then heading for a small hill and the village of Stoer.

On the way, I pass this pretty loch with a group of holiday cabins on the grass of the opposite shore. Loch An Aigeil. An idyllic spot.

As the road begins its slow winding route up the hill, I pass a little cemetery. Peer over the wall, and am taken by surprise. Was expecting to see weathered old graves, but most of the memorial stones look very modern.

Above the cemetery, near the top of the hill, is a chapel. It doesn’t look particularly old either, but has been left to fall to ruin. The roof has gone, and most of the windows. I wonder why it’s been deserted – there seems a big enough population in Clachtoll and surrounding area to support a chapel.

This ugly-looking bin beside the road turns out to be the “The Free Stoer Shop”.

Of course, I can’t resist opening the box to see what is on offer. Well, it’s a bit disappointing. Some books, to be sure, but mainly a bunch of old DVDs. Does anybody have a working DVD player these days?

I reach the top of the hill, and the heart of Stoer, I guess, because here is a telephone box. So good to see so many of these lovely old red telephone kiosks in the highlands. The house next to the telephone has a large white YES attached to its wall.

YES in Scotland, of course, means you support Scottish independence.

The road now meanders past a cottage that is being renovated, past a collection of scattered bungalows, and along the edge of another lovely loch. Lochan Sgeireach. “SLOW” says a sign. There are lambs about.

Over the rise, and down the next slope, is the village hall and a T junction. This is the turn off to Stoer lighthouse, and that’s my destination today.

Officially, Stoer lighthouse is via a dead-end route, and I don’t have to walk there, but I missed out the lighthouse at Rhue point (back down the coast near Ullapool) and regretted it. So I’m determined to visit Stoer Head today.

The road is lovely. The countryside very open. The sky is blue and the weather is perfect.

At the next junction, Stoer lighthouse is signposted as straight ahead, but I turn off down the side lane because it heads towards the coast. This is a place called Balchladich, but turns out to be a typical Scottish non-place – just a sparse collection of cottages strung out along the road.

Looking to my right, across a loch calld Loch na Claise, is an area called Clashmore. Again, a typical crofting place – small white cotages surrounded by lots of space.

My road is basically taking a semi-circular route, with Balchladich bay at its apex. It’s good to see the sea again, although the coast isn’t as scenic as I would have hoped. No sandy beach here, just an untidy mass of rocks and pebbles crowding the shore.

The road curves round and… ah, here is some sand. It’s not exactly a beach, but appears to be an invasion of sand attempting to drown the farmhouse that stands here. The farmyard is pretty much covered in sand, where a few cattle stand mournfully. And sand also covers the road.

I walk steadily past the cattle – who seem left to roam freely. There is no fence and I don’t stop to take any more photographs until I’m safely past the danger zone. I really don’t like cattle.

The road has deteriorated, with grass growing through cracks in the tarmac. I can understand why this road – which is actually the shortest way to Stoer Lighthouse – is not the signposted route for traffic.

I climb steadily higher. To my right are some ruined buildings – whether an old barn or the remains of a cottage isnt’ clear. Beyond this, the land slopes down to a marshy area in the bottom of the valley, in which sits Loch na Claise.

Higher still, and I can see a mountain peering over the ridge on the other side of the valley. Oh – a familiar shape – that’s my old friend Suilven.

I rejoin the main road to the lighthouse. Near the junction is a B&B with a sign promising hot drinks, including hot chocolate. Tempting, but the place looks deserted. Anyway, today is one of those few, rare days in Scotland – blazing sunshine. (Well, not exactly blazing, but I’ve managed to shed my winter coat!)

I was looking forward to this last section of the walk, but it turns out to be surprisingly boring. I’m walking about half-a-mile inland from the sea. There is a settlement called Raffin ahead, but otherwise not much to see, and the road seems very long.

Past Raffin (which is a tiny group of newish-looking properties) and I’m growing tired. The lighthouse must be around the next bend.

It’s not around the next bend, but I’m walking closer to the sea now and here is something wonderful… two little cottages perched above the shore, a lovely view across a little bay, and Suillven in the distance. What a view!

After taking a dozen or so photographs of the scenery, I continue along the road, which seems to be taking an endless curving route with no sign of the lighthouse until… suddenly… there it is.

There is always something wonderfully comforting and SOLID about our lighthouses. The white and warm-yellow colours are instantly recognisable and also strangely exotic. Anyway, this long plod along the road was worth it. I’m nearly there.

I walk past a parking area, past a portacabin toilet, and then begin the final climb up the drive towards the lighthouse buildings. The view to my right is staggeringly beautiful, although I am a little distracted by the tiny figures perched on the horizon above the cliff. Yes, they are cows!

Look at this lovely lighthouse. The tower might be a little stubby, but it is still very imposing. A sign on the wall says “Rent this Lighthouse.” It’s tempting.

Around the lighthouse, several people are strolling and taking photos of the incredible views. I walk up to one photographer who, more serious than the others, has erected a tripod and is sipping tea from a mug.

It’s a woman! I shouldn’t be surprised, but most photographers with tripods are usually men. She talks about the wildlife she has seen in this bay or hopes to see in the bay – birds of course, and dolphins and perhaps whales. We chat for a while, and then I leave her to her photography, and head down to find my van, which is parked somwhere below.

Tonight I will eat fish and chips at my campsite – which has a surprisingly good chippy next to the reception area. What a perfect way to end this beautiful day.

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You really can rent an apartment and stay in Stoer Lighthouse. https://stoerlighthouse.co.uk/

Miles walked today = 9 miles

Total around coast = 4,840 miles

Route (black in morning, red in afternoon):

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