Glendhu – The Shore Path to a Bothy at the Head of the Loch
About 11 miles on foot.
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.
- Time
- 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.
- The path
- A long, rough shore path with no road beside it. Boots.
- Where to start
- Near the north end of the Kylesku Bridge on the A894, by Kylestrome. Keep clear of the estate road and its gates.
- Set off
- In late October and early November, set off by 9.30am.
- When to go
- 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.
- Dogs
- On a lead: this is deer ground.
- Children
- About 11 miles with no way to cut it short: a walk for adults and strong teenagers.
- Toilets
- None on the walk.
- Before you set out
- 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.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
Where to eat
Kylesku Hotel Restaurant, a restaurant in Kylesku.
For further reading, before you go.