Sandwood Bay, NW Scotland

[golly]

Hello all

One of the trips I hope to do next year is to visit Sandwood Bay near Kinlochbervie in NW Scotland. I read an article about it 20 + years ago in the Sunday Post, and have always wanted to see it. I have been looking for nearby sites to take the MH and also a tent. Has anyone been up to that area and do you know of any nearby camp sites.

thanks

John

 

[scotjimland]

Hi

Never been there, acording to this article it will be a challenge to get the van close ... sounds like an interesting place to visit .. look forward to hearing about it first hand ...

Though remote, and with no road access, the bay is easily reached by a 4-mile long, yet well-trodden and fairly flat, path leading from the gravel car park at the hamlet of Blairmore. Sandwood Bay is part of the Sandwood Estate which is run by the John Muir Trust.

Because of its isolation, the bay has become distinctly romanticised with several legends accorded to it. One legend tells of a mermaid spotted on one of the two jutting rocks there a hundred years ago. Alexander Gunn, a local farmer, was on the beach, searching for one of his sheep, when his dog made a startling discovery. One man, MacDonald Robertson, often spoke of the time he met Mr Gunn in 1939. This is what he reported: "On 5th January 1900... Gunn's Collie suddenly let out a howl and cringed in terror at his feet. On a ledge, above the tide, a figure was reclining on the rock face. At first he thought it was a seal, then he saw the hair was reddish-yellow, the eyes greenish-blue and the body yellowish and about 7ft long. To the day Alexander Gunn died in 1944, his story never changed and he maintained that he had seen a mermaid of ravishing beauty."

Another legend tells of the ghost of a sailor that would often knock on the windows of the old cottage (now a disused bothy) on stormy nights - apparently the victim of a shipwreck there. Indeed, before the Cape Wrath lighthouse was built in 1828, the bay is said to have played host to many a shipwreck - all of which still lie buried under the sand! In the 1920s, author Seton Gordon witnessed many submerged wrecks in the sand while walking here. In a book he wrote in 1935, "Highways & Byways In The West Highlands", he says: "I was astonished at the number of wrecks which lie on the fine sand of this bay. All of them are old tragedies: since the placing of a lighthouse on Cape Wrath just over a hundred years ago, no vessel has been lost here. Some of the vessels lie almost buried in the sand far above the reach of the highest tide". He also commented on the possibility of there being Viking longboats hidden there, since Sandwood Bay had in fact been used by the Vikings as a stopover point a thousand years previous. In fact, the name Sandwood Bay derives from the Viking name 'Sandvatn' ("sandwater") given the bay all those centuries ago.

Full Article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandwood_Bay

 

[golly]

It has fascinated me ever since I read about it, there is quite a lot of articles on the web, but information on camp sites is scarce. I don't particularly want to wild camp as hopefully the family will be coming as-well in their tents. Apparently there was a site at Oldshoremore which isn't far but from what I can gather it is now closed.

 

[philw111]

Closest I can find is about thirty miles away in Durness - never been up there myself but there are a lot of reviews here

Phil

The link doesn't appear to work - try this http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/reviews.asp?revid=2910

 

[Dave'N'Mags]

About 18 years ago, when we were just starting out as campers (before we got married), we walked to Sandwood Bay. Lovely walk. Fantastic beach. Not such a nice walk back in horizontal rain! Took three days to dry everything out. It really is the most remote beach you can imagine. Unless its changed significantly since then, you dont stand a chance of getting a vehicle anywhere near it.

We stayed at Scourie at the time. Not a bad little site if I remember correctly - right on the cliff top. Showers were fab, although any shower would be fab after getting so wet, particularly as we were in a tent.

Stayed at Durness too - Sango Sands Oasis - most recently this summer with the MH (and now also son). Facilities a bit basic, but the location more than makes up for it. Not a bad little restaurant/bar just beside the site - fairly reasonable prices.

Smoo Cave (just along the road) also worth a visit, as is Oldshoremore. Park beside cemetary - bit of a steep incline to get there - then short walk along and down the steps to the beach. Fab.

Love that part of the highlands....just talking about it makes me want to go back.......NOW!

Mags

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[golly]

I think part of the attraction is the fact you have to walk 4 miles to get to it. I would think the sites at either Scourie or Durness are within a reasonable distance to the bay providing there is a decent parking area at the beginning of the walk.

 

[DESCO]

Hi
Have used both Scourie and Durness this year both basic but quite acceptable Durness a bit more basic but area makes up for it, parked on cliff top, wonderful sea views.

Don't know but think you should find parking to walk from not exactly overcrowded with traffic.


Dave

 

[Dave'N'Mags]

The day we went, we had to park by the side of the road. I cant actually remember if there was a car park. If there was, it was full. Strange thing was, even though there were clearly loads of people, we still felt we had the beach to ourselves. On the way back though, in the rain (did I mention it rains horizontally?), everyone was walking back together. We couldnt work out where everyone had come from.

I cant tell you how fantastic the beach was though. Totally unspoilt. Almost untouched. I think its where they filmed 'the quickening' section of the original Highlander film.

ScotJimland's quote mentions the old cottage. I remember walking past it, contemplating sheltering there, but tales of it being haunted put us off. Quite spooky in torrential rain, with dark clouds gathering.......

Mags

 

[Findlaters]

Sandwood bay

I was at Sandwood bay a couple of years ago. It certainly is a lovely place to visit. I can't comment on the nearby motorhome sites as I drove to Kinlochbervie by car (you’ll have no problem parking there) with some mates and walked to Strathan bothy which is about 2 mile inland from Sandwood bay. We spent two nights in the bothy altogether, walking out to Sandwood bay and spent some time fishing. We caught some trout on the fresh water side of the beach and one of the lads caught a sea bass off the rocks on the seaward side. We took them back and cooked them on the bothy fire. Lovely washed down with a few pints. We keep talking about going back on one of our annual lads outings and camping at Sandwood bay but whether it will ever happen I don't know as we keep finding other places to go. It was Knoydart this year to visit the most remote pub on the British mainland.:thumb:

 

[JeanLuc]

Scourie is a good site. According to the OS map of Cape Wrath area, there are very small sites at Oldshoremore and Shegra Bay. These are between Kinlochbervie and Sandwood Bay before you start the 4 mile walk. I think they may be little more than 'wild camping', but worth a try.

Philip

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[golly]

Sandwood bay

Thanks everyone, I can't wait to get up there next April / May time, hopefully before the dreaded midge invasion. I read something about the sites around oldshoremore and I think they are more like wild camping, one of the sites listed facilities as a water tap behind the cemetery wall.

 

[JeanLuc]

Thanks everyone, I can't wait to get up there next April / May time, hopefully before the dreaded midge invasion. I read something about the sites around oldshoremore and I think they are more like wild camping, one of the sites listed facilities as a water tap behind the cemetery wall.

Sounds ideal! Get away from civilisation and enjoy the wilds.

Philip

 

[scotjimland]

T I read something about the sites around oldshoremore and I think they are more like wild camping, one of the sites listed facilities as a water tap behind the cemetery wall.

I wish there were more camp sites like this.. what else does a camper need ..

enjoy your visit .. :thumb:

jim

 

[spiritsfree]

Sandwood Bay

We did this a couple of years ago. There is a car park before you start the 4 mile walk there ( and it has a water tap )....and yes we also experienced horizontal rain on the way back, which made the 4 miles seem 10 times longer. It was on our list of "must do`s" !! We love finding the out of the way places and will often take a road, just because we haven`t been there. The beach is amazing, but the walk is not for the faint hearted, especially when the weather can change in a matter of minutes. For us, there is much to explore and enjoy in the way of beauty in and around this area, especially out of season when you can have it all to yourself.
....and April/May you should not be effected by the midges !!

 

[golly]

Sandwood bay

We did this a couple of years ago. There is a car park before you start the 4 mile walk there ( and it has a water tap )....and yes we also experienced horizontal rain on the way back, which made the 4 miles seem 10 times longer. It was on our list of "must do`s" !! We love finding the out of the way places and will often take a road, just because we haven`t been there. The beach is amazing, but the walk is not for the faint hearted, especially when the weather can change in a matter of minutes. For us, there is much to explore and enjoy in the way of beauty in and around this area, especially out of season when you can have it all to yourself.
....and April/May you should not be effected by the midges !!

Hi Thanks for the info, all set to go in May, there is another couple going with us now, so we will need to use the awning. We plan to stay at Scourie and explore for a few days, it doesn't seem too far to drive up to the Sandwood Bay area from there. This will be our first long trip away in the MH so getting quite excited

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[imprint]

Here is a really good website for the wild Highlands. Click on the Sandwood Bay walk

http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/sutherland/durness.shtml

enjoy the browsing on this site.

If you have a walking satnav - we have a Garmin etrexh - you should check out the Mapyx Quo website at

http://www.mapyx.com

It is brilliant. We buy the 50K Landranger tiles and plan and print from them. We also carry the paper OS Explorer maps as back up in these wild areas.

(Credit the Senior Partner, custodian of the family brain cell.)

 

[Robinhood]

Sandwood Bay had been on my list for years, and I finally managed it last Easter on an absolutely stunning day, with very few other people around.

It is a good walk in from the car-park at the trail head, with an easy to follow track (though I suspect it could be alittel unpeasant in prolonged wet weather).

Was in the car this time, rather than 'van, as the trip was designed to knock-off a few other long-term goals, including Suilven, but that's another story.

My wallpaper on my PC is currently a picture I took there.

Link Removed

Heading back again this Easter

Google Streetview reveals a view of the carpark, in beautiful weather, and with at least 4 'vans parked there.

 

[spiritsfree]

Sandwood Bay/ Scotland

Hi Thanks for the info, all set to go in May, there is another couple going with us now, so we will need to use the awning. We plan to stay at Scourie and explore for a few days, it doesn't seem too far to drive up to the Sandwood Bay area from there. This will be our first long trip away in the MH so getting quite excited

Excited won`t be the half of it IMHO...gob smacked is more near it if you`ve not been to any of these little gems...or West Scotland. I use Undiscovered Scotland as a web site.....but Shhhhhhh, don`t tell everyone It`s where we go (out of season) and generally have the feeling that it`s all ours......"away from the maddening crowd " !!

Just be prepared......you may just get hooked on it

 

[golly]

Here is a really good website for the wild Highlands. Click on the Sandwood Bay walk

http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/sutherland/durness.shtml

enjoy the browsing on this site.

If you have a walking satnav - we have a Garmin etrexh - you should check out the Mapyx Quo website at

http://www.mapyx.com

It is brilliant. We buy the 50K Landranger tiles and plan and print from them. We also carry the paper OS Explorer maps as back up in these wild areas.

(Credit the Senior Partner, custodian of the family brain cell.)

What a great site, walkinghighlands.co is, thanks. We don't have walking satnav though I would like one as I'm a bit of a gadget junkie. These days the old joints are a bit stiff to stray too far from the easier routes

 

[golly]

Sandwood Bay had been on my list for years, and I finally managed it last Easter on an absolutely stunning day, with very few other people around.

It is a good walk in from the car-park at the trail head, with an easy to follow track (though I suspect it could be alittel unpeasant in prolonged wet weather).

Was in the car this time, rather than 'van, as the trip was designed to knock-off a few other long-term goals, including Suilven, but that's another story.

My wallpaper on my PC is currently a picture I took there.

View attachment 4494

Heading back again this Easter

Google Streetview reveals a view of the carpark, in beautiful weather, and with at least 4 'vans parked there.

Great photo, hope the weather is as nice when I get there

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[charlie24]

Try Clachtoll. It's a stunning site but you will have to drive up to Sandwood Bay. Clachtoll has the most amazing beaches but make sure you book.