Glendhu – The Shore Path to a Bothy at the Head of the Loch
11 miles · 6 hours · there and back
dogs on a lead
Loch Glendhu is the more northerly of the two sea lochs that meet at Kylesku, a long, narrow reach of water between steep hills.
No road runs up it. A path does, along the shore to a short row of stone cottages at the head of the loch, one of them an open bothy. It's a long day there and back, and one for 21 October onward, once the estate's stalking season has ended.
Where it starts
Near the north end of the Kylesku Bridge on the A894, by Kylestrome.
Is it for me?
Tap who is coming, or the day you have, for the answer on this walk.
Before you go
Getting there
Keep clear of the estate road and its gates.
On the path
About six hours: close to nine kilometres each way measured along the mapped path from the Kylesku Bridge, about 11 miles there and back. Starting from Kylestrome is a little shorter. A long, rough shore path with no road beside it. Boots. For children, about 11 miles with no way to cut it short: a walk for adults and strong teenagers.
Good to know
From 21 October, when the estate's stalking season ends, to early November, and again from February. The estate asks visitors to phone first if they intend to come during the stalking season, 12 August to 20 October: 01971 500 221 or 01971 502 220. From mid November to the end of January the day is too short for it. In late October and early November, set off by 9.30am. Dogs on a lead: this is deer ground. Toilets none on the walk. The estate asks visitors to phone first if they intend to come during the stalking season, 12 August to 20 October: 01971 500 221 or 01971 502 220. From mid November to the end of January the day is too short to do the walk with time in hand.
The walk
The walk begins at Kylestrome, on the north shore of the narrows, just over the Kylesku Bridge on the A894. Park near the north end of the bridge, well clear of the estate road and its gates. This is a walk for 21 October onward. The bothy stands on the Reay Forest Estate, and the estate asks visitors to phone first if they intend to come during the stalking season, 12 August to 20 October. The numbers are 01971 500 221 and 01971 502 220. From Kylestrome a path runs east along the north shore of Loch Glendhu to the head of the loch.
There a short row of stone cottages stands on the grass above the shingle, with steep, craggy hills close behind and the glen running on into the mountains. One of the cottages is the bothy, an open shelter looked after by the Mountain Bothies Association. It has an open fire, and the only fuel is driftwood. On a still day the hills sit upside down in the loch. Measured along the mapped path from the Kylesku Bridge it's close to nine kilometres to the bothy, about 11 miles there and back, and starting from Kylestrome takes a little off that. Allow six hours.
There's no road and no shelter before the bothy, and the only way out is the way you came, so the whole distance has to be walked back. Take boots, waterproofs, food and a torch, and keep a dog on a lead, as this is deer ground. In late October and early November set off by 9.30am. From mid November to the end of January the day is too short to do the walk with time in hand. Back at Kylesku, the Kylesku Hotel serves lunch from noon: ring 01971 910047 to check its winter hours.
If it rains
There's no shelter before the bothy and it's a long way back from it, so this is a walk for a settled day. In low cloud the hills that make the loch disappear.
After the walk
Something to do with the rest of the day, and dinner, nearest the end of the walk first.
With the rest of the day
0 min by roadThings to doKylesku BridgeA graceful curved concrete bridge of 1984 over the narrows at Kylesku, one of the most beautiful sights on the north-west coast.
1 min by roadThings to doNorth West Sea ToursBoat trips from Kylesku into the sea lochs of Glencoul and Glendhu, to Britain's highest waterfall, with seals, seabirds and eagles along the way.
5 min by roadThings to doWailing Widow FallsA waterfall pouring about 30 metres from Loch na Gainmhich into a deep gorge beside the A894 above Kylesku, seen from the gorge below or from the loch above.For dinner
Kylesku Hotel Restaurant in Kylesku, a minute by road. An inn by the old ferry slipway at Kylesku, with a restaurant of local seafood and croft-reared meat and a bar of single malts, looking over Loch Glendhu.
Kylesku House in Kylesku, 3 minutes by road. A small hotel at Unapool near Kylesku, formerly Newton Lodge, run as part of the Kylesku Hotel, with loch and mountain views and a shuttle down to dinner.
Peet's Lochinver in Lairg, 24 minutes by road. A family-run seafood restaurant on the harbour front in Lochinver since 2014, known for scallops, mussels and creel-caught langoustines, open in the evenings.
More walks near here
Within a short drive of the start.
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For further reading, before you go.
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