Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The far northwest coast
he Sutherland coast north of Kylesku is a trip too far for some. Others find that the
far northwest coast
captures the stark, elemental beauty of the Highlands like nowhere
else. Here, as the geology shifts into ice-scoured pinkish quartzite barely covered by a
thin skin of moorland, peaks become more widely spaced and settlements smaller and
fewer, linked by twisting roads and shoreside footpaths. Up here, life feels exhilaratingly
on the edge of civilization. he flip side is that accommodation and food is spare,
particularly out of season.
Scourie and around
Ten miles north of Kylesku,
SCOURIE
lies among a landscape marbled with lochs and
lochans. his is prime Scottish
fly-fishing
territory - permits (£5-10) are available from
the Fishing Tackle Shop in the garage. here's also some terrific
walking
hereabouts up
mountains like Ben Stack (2359ft) - locals yarn that its pyramidal peak inspired a
visiting Hollywood executive to create the logo for Paramount Pictures - and a
beautiful beach makes it a small-fry family resort.
Handa Island
Owned by the Scottish Wildlife Trust (
W
swt.org.uk) • No charge to visit, but donations encouraged • Ferries operate
April-Sept Mon-Sat
9am-2pm, every 20-30min (£12.50)
Reason enough to come through Scourie is
Handa Island
, the huge chunk of red
Torridon sandstone just offshore. Carpeted with machair and purple heather, the island
is maintained as a
wildlife reserve
by the Scottish Wildlife Trust and supports one of
the largest seabird colonies in northwest Europe - razorbills and Britain's largest
breeding colony of guillemots on ragged sandstone cliffs during summer, and pu
ns in
clifftop burrows from late May to mid-July. Until the mid-nineteenth century, Handa
supported a community of crofters who survived on fish, potatoes and sea birds and
devised their own government system, with a “queen” (Handa's oldest widow) and male
“parliament” who met each morning. Uprooted by potato famine in 1847, most
villagers emigrated to Cape Breton, Canada.
Ferries shuttle regularly in summer from
Tarbet
, six miles north of Scourie. Allow
three hours at least to follow a
footpath
around the island - an easy and enjoyable
walk taking in Great Stack, a 361ft rock pillar on the north shore, and fine views
across the Minch.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
12
SCOURIE
By bus
Scourie is on the summer-only bike-carrying
Inverness-Durness service of D&E Coaches (
T
01463
222444) via Ullapool and Lochinver. The Durness-Lairg
service of Durness Bus links to Durness.
Destinations
Durness (Mon-Sat 1 daily; 1hr); Inverness
(late May to Sept Mon-Sat 1 daily, plus Sun 1 daily in July
& Aug; 4hr 10min); Lochinver (same times; 50min) Ullapool
(same times; 1hr 10min)
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
Scourie Caravan and Camping Park
Scourie
T
01971
502060.
Spread behind the beach, this well-maintained site
provides sea views to go with its flat pitches and tidy
amenities block. An on-site café-bar (daily May-Sept
8am-10pm), rustles up food and drinks and has a
loun
ge area
in case of bad weather. Closed mid-Oct to March.
£15
/pitch
Scourie Hotel
Scourie
T
01971 502396,
W
scourie-hotel.co.uk.
A traditional coaching inn whose
fishing obsession only adds character. There are plaster
trout in trophies on the walls, squishy sofas, creaky
floorboards and comfortable en-suite rooms that make a
virtue of
simp
licity; room 18 is the pick. Closed early Oct
to March.
£90
Ì
Shorehouse
Tarbert wharf
T
01971 502251.
With its views of pristine shore, this feels like the
restaurant at the end of the world. Simple decor matches
excellent, unfussy seafood: home-made soups and
sandwiches, plus mains of fresh salmon, hot mackerel
and seafood platters, around £13.
Mon-Sat noon-
7pm, until 8pm July & Aug.
