Discovering Scotland’s Far Northwest

Stac Pollaidh

An attraction

Along the side of Loch Lurgainn, you can’t help but stop and admire the craggy peak of Stac Pollaidh. It’s only around 2000ft high, but it’s full of spiky character and beloved of hikers from around Scotland. If you spend the 3 hours or so making the hike, then you’ll be rewarded with outstanding views from the summit!

More infoMore about Stac Pollaidh

Achnahaird Beach

An attraction

You’re spoiled for choice when it comes to beaches on this western coastline, but my pick is usually Achnahaird. That little bit more remote than other spots, and taking 5 minutes of walking through a sheep-filled field, it’s usually quieter than some of the other options. When the tide is out, the white sandy beach is enormous and when the water comes in, the waves can crash and roar. There’s a good chance you’ll spot seals bobbing around, keeping a wary eye on visitors. All of that while the mountains to the east loom in an impressive backdrop!

More infoMore about Achnahaird Beach

Lochinver Larder

An attraction

The road ahead is a twisting, winding, slow 17 miles, but the scenery is worth taking your time travelling through anyway. Your reward at the end is the famous Lochinver Larder and their incredible collection of pies. I could recommend any one of them, but nothing beats a good filling of local venison!

Wailing Widow Falls

An attraction

The parking area for Allt Chranaidh Waterfall, otherwise known as the Wailing Widow Falls, isn’t large, but it’s worth stopping if possible. A trail heads off into the steep-sided gorge, requiring a little scrambling over rocks, leading to one of Scotland’s most impressive waterfalls. The water pours from a loch up on the cliff and legend tells us that a hunter fell from the top while chasing a deer. Depending on the story, either a wife or a mother threw herself into this gorge in grief, giving the waterfall its name. It’s a tragic tale for such a beautiful sight.

Ardvreck Castle

An attraction

Jutting out into Loch Assynt on a tiny peninsula, Ardvreck Castle seems to sprout up out of the rock itself. Built by the MacLeods of Assynt, there’s not much left of the castle, but it’s a place packed with stories. Legend says it was built with help from the Devil in return for MacLeod’s daughter’s hand in marriage. When the girl discovered the deal, she threw herself into the loch but instead of dying, she transformed into a mermaid! Eventually, the MacLeods lost their home to the Mackenzies, who then built Calda House, still to be seen further along the loch. It was easily the biggest house in the Northwest Highlands, but was destroyed by fire in 1737. Assynt had been purchased by the Earl of Sutherland and the story goes that the Mackenzies destroyed their own home rather than let their rivals get their hands on it!

More infoMore about Ardvreck Castle

Knockan Crag Trail

A walk

There’s no better place to learn about what really makes up this part of Scotland than Knockan Crag National Nature Reserve. It’s a geologist’s dream, where millions of years of history are told through the surrounding rocks. Even if you don’t geek out on rocks, it’s still somewhere worth exploring. Follow the guided trail from the open-air visitor centre, which explains the Moine Thrust through displays, sculptures and interpretation boards. The landscape here was fiercely debated in the 19th century when old rock was discovered sitting on top of younger rock, a situation that didn’t make sense until two geologists explained the process through huge shifts of tectonic plates! It takes less than an hour to follow the trail and see evidence of how Scotland was made many millions of years ago.