[This walk was completed on the 12th July 2019]
I leave The Beast in the free car park at the Kyle of Lochalsh. The morning is cloudy but dry, and the air is still. I take photographs looking towards the Skye Bridge.
A boat has docked at a nearby quay, and I watch a family group disembarking. I wonder what adventures they’ve been having?
[This walk was completed on the 11th July]
I cross over the main road, and walk a short way down a minor road leading towards Balmacara Square. Ah, here it is – the footpath (another Core Path) that should take me over the hills to Kyle.
It’s another rainy morning. The weather forecast promises it will cheer up later. Difficult to believe at the moment, but the Met Office short-range forecast is rarely wrong. I make myself a late breakfast in The Beast.
[This walk took place on the 10th July 2019]
Last night, I moved my Beast to a campsite further along the main road, and spent several hours this morning sitting in my van watching the rain lash down. Then I noticed the sky was lightening up and the rain had stopped. Come on! Time to get out and do some walking.
It’s a late start – nearly 11am by the time the bus drops me off at the junction at Shiel Bridge. By this time, the sky has darkened and – of course – it’s spitting rain again.
[This walk was completed on the 8th July 2019]
I leave my Scooty bike parked at the end of the road, and set off to walk the 6 or 7 miles back to Shiel Bridge. It’s been a frustrating morning, but this road is really lovely and a joy to walk along.
[This walk was completed on the 8th July 2019 ]
This morning is bright and sunny, and I’m very optimistic as I cycle from Shiel Bridge along the edge of Loch Duich. Today I plan to complete the walk I failed to complete yesterday. Yes, today I’m determined to find the elusive path from Ardintoul along the Lochalsh Trail, and I’m going to find it by walking through from Totaig.
At the end of the public road, I park Scooty behind a convenient tree. Here, a track leads onwards to Totaig.
[This walk was completed on the 7th July 2019]
I turn my back on Ardintoul Point and follow the track around the edge of the bay. The track divides, and the branch running closest to the shore is cordoned off with red and white tape. I take this as the equivalent of a ‘no entry’ sign, and walk along the beach instead.
[This walk took place on the 7th July 2019]
I spent last night in a camp site at Shiel Bridge. This morning, I face a 12 mile ride over the Ratagan pass on my Scooty bike, a steep climb which just gets steeper and steeper. Eventually the incline defeats me – even with full electrical assistance – and I must get off and push the bike up the final 1/2 mile. Continue reading
What’s so special about the Kylerhea Ferry? It’s the last manually-operated turntable ferry in Scotland. Now, I don’t know anything about this as I sit above the ferry terminal, eating my snacks, and watching the cars drive on.
First, there’s the turntable part of the ferry. The car deck is on a platform that can turn separate from the hull, so while the hull of the ferry lies parallel to the pier, the ferry deck can be angled to make it easy for vehicles to drive on or off.
[This walk took place on the 6th July, 2019]
I try not to feel too angry about the pub being closed because of a wedding, and I continue to walk along the road through Glenelg, passing the village shop. A notice in the window catches my attention…
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3 recent reports follow, 2 with dogs, 1 without. All the walkers felt worried enough by the cattle’s behaviour and exited the field across potentially dangerous routes. People may argue some of the cows were “just” curious or playful rather than aggressive. If a 1/2 ton of animal is “curious” and comes charging towards you […]
Report: 1243 Date: 14/5/26 Location: The incident happened on the Dales Way. In the field between the railway line on Lambrook Beck and the Beck houses. This field is in the Dales Way between Sedbergh and Burneside. Rajiv’s post: We were walking on a public footpath on the Dales Way when our path was blocked […]
We published a post recently about being careful while planning new walking routes for fear of meeting cattle Ensuring Safety on a Walking Holiday: Cattle Management – Cattle Safety . This fear is not unusual, and is well founded, we have hundreds of reports where walkers have been frightened or hurt. Below are three recent […]
Ruth's Coastal Walk (UK) 