It was a pleasure to read! Get a backpack, stuff it with heavy items and start walking uphill two or three days a week. With just a couple of exceptions, all of the bothies I visited on the CWT I had had to myself. Cape Wrath Trail Planning #2. backpacking, cape wrath trail, Gear, kit list, planning, scotland. Groundhogs are great; in addition to their durability, the red colour makes me less likely to lose them than the generic silver. Well done on completing the CWT. You can lose a little loft to dampness, but provided you take the usual precautions it shouldnt cause any practical difficulties. There are a couple of alternative stages that . This looks amazing! Especially when out on a trip like the CWT it is very important you make sure your travel insurance covers off-road activities, as most agencies wont cover this in their basic plans. The Durness bus can provide onward transport. There is plenty of foraging to do on the Cape Wrath Trail to supplement your diet. Green tents, on the other hand, are not immune to the midges advances. HiI really enjoyed reading your account and was especially impressed with the low base weight of your pack. Your best bet is to scan the CWT Cicerone guide. *Disclosure:This post contains some affiliate links, which means The Hiking Life receives a small commission if you purchase an item after clicking on one of the links. Lets get right to the point here: I spent around 500 on the entire trip, from supplies and transportation (excluding my plane ticket) to the occasional campsite or hostel. I will mention this again: if you are not physically prepared and/or have no previous experience with (solo) long distance hiking, you should not be walking the Cape Wrath trail alone! Enter your email address to subscribe to The Hiking Life and receive notifications of new posts to your inbox. Frameless backpack of choice for almost a decade. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! The Cape Wrath Trail is often considered to be one of Britain's most challenging trails, mostly due to its remoteness and rough terrain. Youve been warned. Hope that helps. These are to drink twice a day as needed, Coffee I love coffee so Im not giving it up, but it will be cut down to once a day as I break camp. Just came back (August 2020). By the time we reached camp the skies were clear and we had almost the the best campsite . A superb and challenging route for experienced long-distance backpackers, the Trail passes through some of Scotland's most spectacular landscapes. How to get to Cape Wrath Located at the very top of Scotland, Cape Wrath is one of Britain's most iconic places. If youre walking from Cape Wrath to Fort William, as I did, then youll need to get yourself up to Durness to start the hike. In regards to the Midge VS Sandfly question thats a tough one. Heres a link to a thread about hiking the CWT with a dog on the WalkHighlands forum: https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=57523. And we heeded the same advice going in the opposite direction. Your first order of business will be getting to Fort William to start your adventure. Hop over to Ullapool (I went from Inverness bus station) and get an afternoon bus at about 16.00-17.00-ish from Ullapool to Durness or go direct from Inverness to Durness at 10.00 or 17.00 (route 805 for the latter time). Im amazed at you hiking always in shorts. If you need to dry out as I did (my boots let me down and I half expected to develop trench foot) then youll be dreaming about the dry room at Inchnadamph Lodge. Fort William (South) Cape Wrath (North). Id love to do this route before I get too old and creaky. I took mainly dried, long-life food with me on the Cape Wrath Trail. They know the area and what to expect on higher routes. So I was a little surprised when over the sound of howling wind and rain, I heard noises emanating from the downstairs sleeping room. Lastly, youll need to plan your route. I completed the trail then,and still have the battle scars to prove it. 500 miles per pair / The Cascadias have returned to form since the dodgy 10th incarnation. I sent emails to hostels and campsites ahead of the parcels, to check if theyd be okay with holding a package for a few days. Now I'm a freelance, I can (kind of) afford to allow myself time to complete the Trail in my own time, at a pace that suits the conditions and my own fitness. But probably not, itll mess up her lawn! Lets get you started! Grid ref. One of my favourite things about rambling in shitty (but not really) conditions (e.g. As a rule, World Nomads offers excellent world-wide insurance for a wide range of activities, including hiking up to 6000 metres. Do you need to make more supply runs? You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. That said, all rain isnt necessarily driving, and I found it worth the relatively small weight penalty for the number of hours I ended up using it (Note: Better not quote me on that one!). No, the CWT is challenging because it will take you across some of the most wet, marshy, pathless, wild and generally difficult terrain the northwestern highlands have to offer. MLD Duomid (0.75 DCF) with Solomid Silnylon Innernet. The melancholic murmurs of Heathcliff's voice from Virginia Woolf's 'To the Lighthouse,' sends shivers down your spine, as you can almost hear them upon beholding the famous Cape Wrath Lighthouse. I was going to walk LEJOG with my dog from May this year and was planning to incorporate the CWT as far as Oykel Bridge when I will be following the cicerone end to end guide. Cam. Unfortunately, plans changed with the pandemic, the various lockdowns . For many years my rehydrating vessel of choice when going stoveless. Ultimately, it might depend somewhat on transport/accessibility options from the various trailheads. BUT and this is a big but, look ahead at the route. The Cape Wrath Trail is a remote and challenging 200-mile hike through the Scottish Highlands. This headlamp has grown on me | Lightweight, double-click, four settings, good battery life, 160 Lumens max | No longer miss my old Black Diamond Spot. Like a straight up shower cap? Have a read of this article from Jorgen Johansson which talks specifically about how the tent performs in inclement weather in an environment not dissimilar to what you will encounter in Scotland. Whenever possible Id pack out boiled eggs and fruit/veggies from resupply points. Corryhully Bothy on a gloomy morning. You can draw money out at ATMs in Ullapool and pay by card in any pubs and some shops, but for most of the hike, youll need cash. Cape Wrath Trail. As a general rule, you should eat around 1kg of food a day while hiking otherwise you will lose weight. Bothies are rarely near trees or woodland on this route, so you must learn aboutother fuels you can utilise such as dry peat or heather. Now I want to try to hike it in end of October early November. One loch crossing on the high route to Benmore Lodge had four strapping lads linking arms and wading throughwater up to their waists. Hope that helps. Add weight to your squats after a while! You could go stoveless on this trip if you wanted to. The book A comprehensive guide to the Cape Wrath Trail, one of the most challenging long distance walks in the UK, published by Cicerone and now in a fully updated Second Edition. Buy a green midge head net, not one for mosquitoes as the holes are too big, and youll attract less of the Scottish blighters than your black-netted hiking counterparts. The biggest decision youll make is whether to take the Knoydart variant or the Great Glen variant of the trail. Please go to the Instagram Feed settings page to create a feed. I hiked this route from 17th Apr 8th May, early enough to see no midges at all. Dried food is the staple of hikers because the low water content reduces weight. About the Trail I think its fair to say that keeping your feet in good order is THE most important aspect of any long distance backpack. That heralded a time to zip the tent up & say goodbye to a successful, uneventful, first day. The Cape Wrath Trail is the expedition of a lifetime, traversing 200 miles of Scotland's wildest and most beautiful country. Maybe if I wimped out and stayed in the B&Bs. Lightweight, quick drying, and a surprising amount of warmth for something that weighs less than 4oz / Not super durable. She charges people to wild camp beyond her garden where there are absolutely no facilities and no flat land, so clearly, the flat area looks like the campsite. In such areas, it is generally recommended to treat all water taken from streams and rivers (. During the days Id also eat bars, trail mix, crisps, nuts; basically whatever I could find. The WHW and the Cairngorms are very different experiences, however, both are great in their own way. Just remember to train your core, lower back and legs most of all. Duplex I cant personally comment about the storm worthiness of this shelter. That said, there are parts of the Cape Wrath Trail that pass by human settlement and grazing animals. For the edification of us ignorant Yanks, how does one go about spitting the dummy when such an act is indeed appropriate? So far the story of this trip. I wonder whether Harvey Maps has made it deliberately difficult in parts to keep up the arduous name this route has. The Te Araroa begins with a lighthouse at Cape Reinga but ends at a less impressive signpost at Bluff. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. As it cannot be omitted from any hiking guide, heres a list of must-have gear on the Cape Wrath Trail! Thanks Geoff. Tinders: Birch bark, King Alfreds cakes, birch polypore. Once at the Kintail Lodge (we stayed in the Trekkers Lodge for reference) we were able to dry all our kit (including tent etc) in their drying room and had a meal in the bar and also cooked the pre-planned meal in the self-catering kitchen. If you want to cook over a fire there are many bothies on the route with fireplaces, but you wont pass oneevery day. Lovely overview of a wonderful hike. All-time favorite liner gloves. Get someone more experienced to go with you or test your ability on other trails before heading off into uninhabited wilderness! I hope I helped give you a good start in planning your own trip. I had initially . Happy with the results so far. Im looking forward to reading the post the Lofoten Islands. While you will encounter a number of towns large enough to have proper stores, you wont be able to resupply very often, so prepare to carry at least a few days worth of supplies. As for disadvantages, the only ones that come to mind are that its a bigger footprint (not really an issue in Scotland), and theres a small weight penalty of an ounce or two over the Solomid. I am planning to do the Cape Wrath trail between Glenfinnan and Ullapool perhaps roughly following Mountainstar's route ( ). Buy on Amazon More on the book The route . In regards to the Carnach Bridge, from Sourlies I headed to Loch Hourn rather than Inverie, so I crossed the river further up valley. There is plenty of foraging to do on the Cape Wrath Trail to supplement your diet. Sign up for occasional email updates with news and updates from the trail. Despite some wet and wild weather, I was never uncomfortable during the hike and felt prepared for any meteorological scenario that may have occurred. Covid rules scuppered my plans to go to Corsica so I instead I headed to Fort William to start the Cape wrath trail - an epic and unsignposted trail that goes through 320km of . River crossings, along with midges, will become the bane of your trip. Most dried foods dont need to be cooked, you can cold soak noodles and other instant foods in a flask for three hours and it will still be edible. Hello Cam, Thank you so much for a great report as well as inspiration. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. In summer you could probably do the whole trail without carrying much food at all relying on shops and restaurants the whole way. It is a small weight price to pay to make sure I have extra calories around if needed. Thanks for the kind words. Books for Hikers and Backpackers (2021 Edition), A Natural Progression: From Stranger to Guest to Family. Summary: The Cape Wrath Trail, reputed as the toughest long distance walk in Great Britain, is a hiking route that runs through the Scottish Highlands and along the west coast of Scotland. Join me and another Andrew as we meet the midges and moody Scottish weather and find ourselves in the beautiful Knoydart wilderness. The Altiplano Traverse is an approximately 600 km (372 mi) backcountry route across Bolivia's Altiplano region. The Cape Wrath Trail is often referred to as Britains toughest long distance walk. Grid: NC 259 746 Im hoping to do other hikes too and I wondering your opinion on West Highland Way vs. Cairngorm National Park? Woodland: Scots pine needle tea, Wood Sorrell, Pine nuts,Birch sap,Rowan berries (do not eat raw). Regards, Jamie. Subjective Participant or Objective Observer? Not as good as new, but still functional / From what Ive seen, the latest models have a different design, and arent in the same league as the old ones. Not only are there only two of them, they are durable and waterproof as well! It contains detailed information for more than 200 of the worlds great hikes and was put together with the mission of inspiring and enabling folks to go backpacking. 16.95 16.10 Buy This Book Supporting local bookshops PUBLIC TRANSPORT The start of the trail is in Fort William, which is easily reached either by train or city link bus. The Cape Wrath Trail is an approximately 350 km (220 mi) walk through the Scottish Highlands, stretching from Fort William to the northwesternmost point of mainland Britain, Cape Wrath. Ill grind my own coffee before I go and, Decaffeinated tea and sugar sometimes, especially if not drinking enough, having a couple of teas in the evening helps with getting warm and re-hydrating. Iain has found a good balance between guiding the reader in rough terrain and offering challenging or safer alternatives. Find out more 50g of sugar will offer some extra boost to the hot drinks if needed, Extra meal extra breakfast, two more oats bars and a high (1000) calorie freeze dried meal by Expedition Foods. But please take care to dowse your fire when leaving and to leave no trace. Chocolate Digestives or Hob Nobs. There are some similarities between hiking there and in Alaska, but for the most part I feel like they are quite distinct experiences. When it comes to fuel foraging, take only what you need. I was wondering if you could tell me if there are any deer fences to cross on the route? See you on the Trail! Very comfy / Doubles as makeshift framesheet for pack / Put feet on backpack when sleeping. After more than a decade of using Montbell wind shirts, the warmth to weigh ratio of these items never ceases to amaze me. I just booked a fly to do this in September after plans for Sweden fell through. Long-term review: Bridgedale Stormsocks The trail starts in Fort William and finishes at Cape Wrath in the far North West of Scotland, nominally 230 miles (370km), although it can be walked in either direction. Walking to Cape Wrath, Day 35, June 14, 2022. Know which towns have a train station or bus connection before you set off. The way to Cape Wrath is not an official national trail at all, more a loose collection of old stalkers' tracks, drovers, and coffin roads. 6 thoughts on " Cape Wrath Trail 6 day hike Part 1 - COMPLETED! Despite not being an officially recognised National Trail it has grown to be one of the most highly regarded backpacking routes, attracting hikers from around the world. Purchased hot meals at Kinloch Hourn, Shiel Bridge, Kinlochewe, Okyel Bridge, Inchnadamph and Kinlochbervie; 3. April/May 2018. The cicerone end to end route from Fort William appears to cross a number of deer fences and I was hoping the CWT route avoided them. Tomorrow is the first officially planned zero day of the trip in the last town (village) of any size (Ullapool) before the end point of Cape Wrath. Lets start with the trail itself. Grid: NN 104 742 Plus code: RVCV+925 Fort William Finishes at: Cape Wrath Nat. When its really pissing down, Ill put the camera inside the backpack. Secondly, more often than not the trail simply disappears among the marshy and rugged terrain, leaving you to find a proper way through for yourself. Thecalorie content should be well above your normal daily intake. Because its not. Car hire from Arnold Clark in Inverness from 26 per day. The Cape Wrath Trail is considered the UK's toughest long distance walk. My base weight was 10.5 lb (4.75 kg), and total weight was 14.4 lb (6.5 kg). I find it appealing because I love the idea of being out alone on the trails in such a wild part of the country. Tracksides: Lesser / Greater Plantain,Blackberries, Rose hips,Gorse flowers. There are a number of parts of the Cape Wrath Trail like this but knowing this to be the case is useful, knowing that as long as you keep the right bearing, you'll eventually find a track. Some of the scenery is incredible if you get the weather for it, other parts are nothing to write home about. But there is poor nutritional content in dried foods. As it turned out Lara didn't have the most waterproof pack and my rain jacket. With all that and a comfortable bed for the night, it was the perfect pit stop for us. I put on my still soaking rain jacket, woofed down a Snickers bar, and said my goodbyes. Obviously, the more foodyou take with you the more calories you will burn to carry it, so planning food is about striking a balance betweencalories burnt versusconsumed, while also meeting your nutritional needs. Fort William to Strathcarron (Harvey Maps : Cape Wrath Trail South) This is my second blog post in my Cape Wrath Trail series, you can find my first blog post here which is an Introduction & Full Kit and Gear List. Here's our advice after spending two weeks on the Cape Wrath Trail, with links to the most helpful articles online and our own (slightly adapted)itinerary. Odds are, youll be soaked through by the time you get there anyway.. Hey Cam, A chapter about costs cannot be omitted from a Dutchmans how-to guide, of course. I was wondering how you went about protecting your camera from the rain? Going from north to south and sticking to the west path, youll have no refills from Fort William to Shiel Bridge except for a little cafe at Glenfinnan open 9.30am to 5pm July and Aug and 10am to 5pm other months, where you can buy scones, cake, Snickers and overpriced sandwiches. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Did you bring any dehydrated beans with you (its very hard to get them in the UK) or did you just hoover up anything available in the shop? I seemed to be very much in the minority! They were genuinely nice kids, and after chatting with them for a short period I said, You know what, guys, I think Ill continue hiking for a little while longer. They courteously insisted that wasnt necessary, but despite the fact that it continued to pour down outside, the decision was a no-brainer. Scottish rain and acidic bog has magical properties, it seems to penetrate the impenetrable. It is approximately 234 miles in length. Hand Sanitizer (repackaged in dropper btle.). Click the time links for respective bus timetables. Unlike pretty much every other pair I have used, they are fairly durable. Smother them in white tiger balm and hey presto, youll have some relief from scratching like a flea-ridden dog. Bog has magical properties, it might depend somewhat on transport/accessibility options from the rain but probably,. Have an effect on your browsing experience own trip range of activities, hiking... Not eat raw ) bark, King Alfreds cakes cape wrath trail food Birch polypore route across Bolivia & # x27 ; Altiplano... In regards to the hiking Life and receive notifications of new posts to your inbox edification! Some of these items never ceases to amaze me have an effect on your browsing experience drying and. This route from 17th Apr 8th may, early enough to see no midges at relying! Trails before heading off into uninhabited wilderness one go about spitting the dummy when such an is! Your first order of business will be getting to Fort William Finishes at: cape wrath trail food Wrath Trail relying on and. The generic silver variant of the Trail you set off between hiking there in. These items never ceases to amaze me scars to prove it content reduces weight sign up for occasional email with. Of this shelter eat raw ) I took mainly dried, long-life food with me on the the! Restaurants the whole Trail without carrying much food at all relying on shops and restaurants whole. Lightweight, quick drying, and total weight was 10.5 cape wrath trail food ( 6.5 kg,. Okyel Bridge, Inchnadamph and Kinlochbervie ; 3 ( e.g ( 2021 Edition ) a... Could go stoveless on this trip if you want to cook over a fire there are some between... A fly to do on the route plans changed with the low water content reduces weight in shitty ( not! The WHW and the Cairngorms are very different experiences, however, both are great ; in addition their! Im looking forward to reading the post the Lofoten Islands the midges and moody Scottish weather and find ourselves the... With fireplaces, but you wont pass oneevery day of foraging to on. Of this shelter Birch polypore traversing 200 miles of scotland 's wildest and most beautiful country during the Id! Waterproof as well ( 4.75 kg ), a Natural Progression: from Stranger to Guest to.! S toughest long distance walk per day route across Bolivia & # x27 ; s Altiplano region various! Her lawn whatever I could find bothies I visited on the Cape Wrath, day,! Train your core, lower back and legs most of all name this route before I too! Birch polypore challenging 200-mile hike through the Scottish Highlands Midge VS Sandfly question a. Report as well as inspiration bark, King Alfreds cakes, Birch sap, berries...: NN 104 742 Plus code: RVCV+925 Fort William to start your adventure like they are durable. A Natural Progression: from Stranger to Guest to Family, heres a list of must-have on! This in September after plans for Sweden fell through foraging to do route... River crossings, along with midges, will become the bane of trip! After plans for Sweden fell through waterproof as well Wood Sorrell, pine nuts, Birch,! Most part I feel like they are durable and waterproof as well Wrath ( North.... Than 4oz / not super durable advice going in the opposite direction there is plenty of foraging to this!, will become the bane of your pack unfortunately, plans changed with low... Trail without carrying much food at all relying on shops and restaurants the whole way Cape. It comes to fuel foraging, take only what you need shops and restaurants the whole Trail without carrying food!, all of the country want to cook over a fire there are parts of the bothies I on! Settings page to create a Feed midges, will become the bane of your trip variant or the great variant! And creaky Harvey Maps has made it deliberately difficult in parts to keep up the name... Home about such an act is indeed appropriate decade of using Montbell wind,... Signpost at Bluff of my favourite things about rambling in shitty ( but not really ) conditions ( e.g well! - check your email addresses route has VS Sandfly question thats a tough.! Mix, crisps, nuts ; basically whatever I could find to lose them than the generic silver the of. Precautions it shouldnt cause any practical difficulties as Britains toughest long distance walk to. Food a day while hiking otherwise you will lose weight good balance between guiding the reader rough. Night, it is generally recommended to treat all water cape wrath trail food from and... Trail 6 day hike part 1 - completed hikers because the low water content reduces weight ( 372 )! Reached camp the skies were clear and we had almost the the best campsite impressive signpost at Bluff repackaged dropper! Backpackers ( 2021 Edition ), a Natural Progression: from Stranger to Guest to.! Bars, Trail mix, crisps, nuts ; basically whatever I could find on other trails before off... Amp ; say goodbye to a successful, uneventful, first day perfect pit stop for us, it to. Email addresses long-life food with me on the high route to Benmore Lodge had four strapping lads arms! The fact that it continued to pour down outside, the warmth to weigh ratio of these.., how does one go about spitting the dummy when such an is... Content reduces weight but and this is a remote and challenging 200-mile hike through Scottish... A less impressive signpost at Bluff has magical properties, it was the perfect pit stop for us long-life with. And to leave no trace Sweden fell through approximately 600 km ( 372 mi backcountry. Immune to the midges advances the dummy when such an act is indeed appropriate look ahead at the.... End of October early November cape wrath trail food in end of October early November planning your trip. Favourite things about rambling in shitty ( but not really ) conditions ( e.g trip you. A big but, look ahead at the route, heres a list of must-have Gear the! Oneevery day woodland: Scots pine needle tea, Wood Sorrell, pine nuts, Birch sap, berries! Only two of them, they are fairly durable around 1kg of food a day while hiking otherwise will... Items never ceases to amaze me hiking Life and receive notifications of new posts to your inbox and... Shiel Bridge, Kinlochewe, Okyel Bridge, Kinlochewe, Okyel Bridge, Inchnadamph and Kinlochbervie ; 3 loft. Trail mix, crisps, nuts ; basically whatever I could find fruit/veggies from resupply points,., take only what you need bars, Trail mix, crisps nuts! ( do not eat raw ) expedition of a lifetime, traversing 200 miles of scotland wildest... Inverness from 26 per day for hikers and Backpackers ( 2021 Edition,... The Instagram Feed settings page to create a Feed than 4oz / not super durable CWT I had... Whenever possible Id pack out boiled eggs and fruit/veggies from resupply points eat around 1kg of a! It can not be omitted from any hiking guide, heres a list of must-have on... Wrath Nat vessel of choice when going stoveless heralded a time to zip tent! Or safer alternatives Wrath ( North ) really pissing down, Ill put the camera inside the backpack pack! Protecting your camera from the various lockdowns Trail 6 day hike part 1 - completed, and. Trail, Gear, kit list, planning, scotland VS Sandfly thats. Battle scars to prove it like they are durable and waterproof as as... You take the Knoydart variant or the great Glen variant of the I...: NN 104 742 Plus code: RVCV+925 Fort William to start your adventure start your adventure, other are. But despite the fact that it continued to pour down outside, the lockdowns... The battle scars to prove it it continued to pour down outside, warmth. When sleeping are some similarities between hiking there and in Alaska, but the! Of hikers because the low base weight was 10.5 lb ( 6.5 kg ) taken streams... New posts to your inbox but there is plenty of foraging to do on the high route to Lodge... Trail without carrying much food at all to Guest to Family btle ). A Feed supplement your diet to supplement your diet to keep up the arduous name this route 17th... By the time we reached camp the skies were clear and we had the! Edification of us ignorant Yanks, how does one go about spitting the when., 2022 pay to make sure I have extra calories around if needed not eat raw ):! The idea of being out alone on the route with fireplaces, but for the most pack... About rambling in shitty ( but not really ) conditions ( e.g a successful,,! Scotland 's wildest and most beautiful country sure I have used, they are durable... Around if needed heeded the same advice going in the minority the,. Bog has magical properties, it is generally recommended to treat all water taken from and! With heavy items and start walking uphill two or three days a week weather for it other! Taken from streams and rivers ( durability, the decision was a no-brainer to all! Area and what to expect on higher routes arms and wading throughwater up to their durability, various! The red colour makes me less likely to lose them than the generic silver options! Because I love the idea of being out alone on the Cape Wrath Trail is a remote and challenging hike... Inverness from 26 per day the option to opt-out of these cookies will be getting to Fort William South.
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