Sandwood Bay – a Walk Over the Moor to the Sea Stack
About 8 miles on foot.
Sandwood Bay is one of the great beaches of the far north-west, and the only way there is on foot.
A path crosses open moorland from Blairmore to a wide sweep of sand between the cliffs, with Sandwood Loch behind the dunes and the sea stack Am Buachaille standing offshore. It's a full day's walk, and it suits fit walkers and older children in good boots.
- Time
- Five or six hours: four miles each way on foot, and time on the beach.
- The path
- A four-mile path across exposed moorland, uneven and often wet.
- Where to start
- The John Muir Trust's car park at Blairmore, with toilets; if it's full, its car parks at Polin, Dromin or Sheigra, never the verges.
- Set off
- Blairmore car park, on the road north of Kinlochbervie past Oldshoremore, where the path starts.
- When to go
- Open ground all year; from November to February leave the car park by 10am.
- Dogs
- A working crofting estate: dogs on leads, and respect gates and fences.
- Children
- Eight miles there and back on rough, wet ground: for older children who walk well.
- Toilets
- At the Blairmore car park only.
- Before you set out
- From November to February the sun sets between about 3.30pm and 4.40pm: leave the car park by 10am.
The walk
Park in the John Muir Trust's car park at Blairmore, on the minor road north of Kinlochbervie past Oldshoremore, where there are toilets. If it's full, the Trust asks you to leave the verges alone and use its other car parks close by at Polin, Dromin or Sheigra. From Blairmore the Trust's path runs four miles across open moorland to the bay, eight miles there and back.
The ground is exposed, uneven and often wet, so wear boots and bring waterproofs, food and water, and allow five or six hours with time on the sand. At the end is a beach the Trust calls one of the most remote and beautiful in Scotland, with Sandwood Loch behind the dunes and the sea stack Am Buachaille standing off the cliffs. This is a working crofting estate, so keep dogs on leads and close the gates.
There's no shelter on the moor: turn back if the weather closes in. From November to February the sun sets between about 3.30pm and 4.40pm, so leave the car park by 10am.
If it rains
There's no shelter on the moor or the beach: in heavy rain or a gale leave Sandwood for another day. Oldshoremore's beach, beside the road on the way to Blairmore, is a short walk from its car park.
Worth a detour
- Oldshoremore Beach
The road to Blairmore passes right by Oldshoremore, a curve of pale sand between rocky headlands. The John Muir Trust's map shows a car park with toilets above the beach, so it adds only a few minutes and makes a good place to stretch your legs on the way home.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
The nearest of ours is Hill Cottage, 14 miles away. Sleeps 2.
Then Shore Cottage, 14 miles away. Sleeps 2.
For further reading, before you go.