[This walk was completed on the 1st May 2023]

The Rhiconich Hotel may not look anything special from the outside, but inside it is a warm and welcoming place. There is a bar, a restaurant, a friendly host, good cider, and last night there was a log fire in the woodburner in the lounge. Bliss!

Rhiconich itself is really just a cluster of buildings at the top of Loch Inchard, near the turn off to Kinlochbervie. There’s the hotel, of course, a few houses, a police station, a toilet block and a telephone box. In Scottish terms, it’s really a major place!

I wonder if there is enough crime in the area to warrant a police station? It seems shut this morning.

My walk today is another “diversion” down a dead-end road, but an important diversion – the first stage on my walk towards the famous Sandwood Bay.

I go past an information sign about the area, and approach the turn off road to Kilochbervie. The roadside is littered with advertising signs for hotels and cafes. This is excellent news, as I’ve run out of food and not found a shop to replenish supplies.

What a wonderful road. It runs along the shore of Loch Inchard, rising higher and curving around the base of rocky hills to my right. A strong scent of gorse fills the air. Shame the weather is dull with a veil of low-lying cloud spoiling the views.

Single track roads with blind corners can be tricky to navigate. I keep an ear out, but luckily there is not much traffic. Love the way the road bends and folds itself around the contours of the landscape.

I reach a place called Achriesgill (for some reason, my brain insists on interpreting this as Archiesgill). There is an Achriesgill East and an Achriesgill West. I take a photo looking back down the road. Shame about the misty cloud.

Beyond Achriesgill, the fields on the left are churned up and a muddy mess. At first I think this is just another Scottish peat bog, but the presence of blue piping, and machinery, indicate some type of construction is going on.

Are they laying water pipes? For irrigation, or for water supply for buildings or animal sheds? It isn’t clear. Athough it’s a Monday morning, there doesn’t seem much activity.

Around the next bend is a layby with machinery, a rusty cement (or concrete) mixer, and more blue piping. Some men are sitting in a van eating sandwhiches. I hurry past, keen to get into the beautiful landscape I can see ahead.

The loch is indeed very beautiful. But the roadside is littered with signs of mini-industry. For example, I come across this collection of smashed-up cars. Are the roads very dangerous, with so many accidents, that they just pile up the crashed vehicles and leave them?

Around the next bend is a junk yard. Or a storage yard. I guess it depends on what you classify as junk! Anyway, its full of old pieces of equipment, discarded tyres, cars in various stages of decay, and more interesting pipes.

I would stop to take more photos, but an old boy comes out and ambles down to a parked car, which he spends some time getting into. So I hurry on.

Actually, I’m nervous about how much space I’ve got on the data-storage card inside my camera. I usually have plenty of space for photographs for a one or two week trip – but I’m away for nearly five weeks this time. So, I’m rationing the number of photos I take.

This is more like it. What a lovely view – sheep on a green slope above the waters of Loch Inchard.

The next collection of buildings beside the road has a sign outside for a cafe. It’s a little early for lunch, but maybe I will stop on the way back for afternoon tea. I wonder if they provide home-made cake?

Oh, dear. “Sorry we are closed.” This is the same cafe that had signs on the main road, tempting travellers to turn off and grab a cup of tea or a snack. False advertising! I wonder if they are ever open.

Another bend in the road, and another piece of rusting machinery. Some sort of trailer with something mechanical attached. What is it? No idea.

I must be getting close to Kinlochbervie. Love this road. Keep going.

The next little place is called Badcall. (A large number of places in the northwest of Scotland seem to start with the word Bad.) In fact, this is the second Badcall I’ve walked through on this trip.

Here’s an interesting little shop. I can’t tell whether it’s open or not. “R Mackay” says the sign above the door – a common name in this area. Another sign proclaims this is the “London Stores, Grocer and Merchant”. It seems very old-fashioned and I wonder what you can buy inside.

I need some more food supplies to stock up my van with snacks and picnic food, so might return later.

The road has been steadily climbing for some while. When I get to the top of the hill, I stop to catch my breath – curse myself for being so unfit – and turn round to take a photo. What an incredible view back down Loch Inchard. I can even see Rhiconich in the distance (I think). What a shame the weather is dull and murky.

Over the brow of the hill, and I go down the steep descent on the other side, with another wonderful view. Loch Innis na Ba Buidhe (which seems to mean Loch of the Yellow Cows!). The road to the right is called Manse Road, which leads to a group of houses and a school, and ends in a dead end.

I follow the main road as it curves round to the left. Here is a War Memorial and a McBeath Memorial. A good place to stop for a drink and a quick snack.

The McBeath memorial is interesting. Lying about his age, a local boy, Robert McBeath, went off to fight in WW1 aged sixteen, eventually being awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery. He survived the war, and joined the Canadian police force, until – in a twist of fate – he was shot and killed while arresting a motorist in Canada.

The McBeath memorial was clearly created recently. It has a stark, modern look to it.

From the memorial car park, there is a view over the end of Loch Innis na Ba Buidhe, and a collection of houses. Kinlochbervie? Must be.

I walk through Kinlochbervie, past a PO cum hardware store, a petrol pump, a health centre, and a bus stop (buses exist here!) and a parked Far North minibus. I am mightily relieved to see the minibus, because I’m planning a couple of walks based around this bus service.

Around the corner, and here is Loch Bervie, and Kinlochbervie harbour. Larger than I expected.

The ‘main’ road swings off to the right, but I am seduced by the blue sign at the start of the pavement. “The Quay House” and the promise of a cafe and a shop.

So I carry straight on, looking down at a large firestation on my left. And, yes, another collection of smashed cars.

There is a large building by the harbour, but it looks as if it only provides official services, and there is no sign of a cafe. Disheartened, I don’t go to the end of the road, but turn back, and meet a woman pushing a pushchair. “Is there a cafe round here?” She points me up an unprepossessing side road. Yes, just up there.

The cafe sign is obscured by a parked car, but it’s not called the Quay House. I go inside and find it is very small, but clean and welcoming. I order a cup of tea and a toasted teacake, delivered to my table by a waitress, and all for £3:50. Bargain!

Behind the cafe is a Spa. I go in and ask if they sell woollen gloves (I’ve resorted to wearing socks on my hands when I cycle – it’s so cold!). They only have children’s sizes, but recommend the post-office shop I passed earlier. Thank you. I’ll return in my van when I’ve finished my walk.

Onwards…

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You can read more about Robert McBeath on the Welcome to Kinlochbervie site.

I think there really is another cafe, called the Quay House, near the end of the road, but I never got that far.

Route this morning:

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