Waternish Point – A Long Track to a Lighthouse on the Minch
About 8.4 miles on foot.
Waternish Point is the northern tip of the Waternish peninsula, a long way from any road.
A track leads out to it over croft land and moor from the ruined church at Trumpan, past a broch and an abandoned house, and ends at a small lighthouse above the Little Minch. It's 13.5 km there and back, and boggy.
- Time
- Three to four hours: 13.5 km there and back with 389 m of climbing, on a track over croft land and moor. A long walk, very boggy in places.
- Where to start
- The car park beside Trumpan Church, Waternish, IV55 8GW, at the north end of the Waternish road. A picnic table; no toilets.
- When to go
- All year in daylight. From November to January be walking by 11am.
- Dogs
- On a lead, at the crofter's request.
- Children
- A long, wet walk with no shelter.
- Toilets
- None on the walk or at the car park.
- Before you set out
- No shelter on the walk and nothing at the point. Low cliffs at the end.
The walk
Park in the car park beside Trumpan Church, where the Waternish road ends its run north and turns back. It has a picnic table and no toilets, and no bus comes this far. Walkhighlands gives the walk as 13.5 km there and back with 389 metres of climbing, three to four hours. Most of it is on a track over croft land and open moor, very boggy in places, so wear boots and expect wet feet after rain.
On the way out are a cairn to Roderick MacLeod of Unish, the broch of Dun Borrafiach and the roofless shell of Unish House, alone on the moor. The point itself is low and bare, with a small white lighthouse and the Outer Hebrides across the Little Minch. On a calm day it's a good place to watch for whales and dolphins. The crofter asks that dogs are kept on a lead.
There's no shelter on the walk and nothing at the end of it, so carry food and waterproofs. Trumpan Church, beside the car park, was burned in a clan feud in 1578 and stands roofless. From November to January, be walking by 11am.
If it rains
The track is boggy in a dry spell and worse after rain, and there's no shelter between the church and the point. Keep it for a dry day with a clear view over the Minch.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
For further reading, before you go.
Photograph by Kevin Cambridge via Google