cape wrath trail food
River crossings, along with midges, will become the bane of your trip. I sent supply parcels to Fort William, Shiel Bridge and Ullapool with a request to hold the parcel until a certain date. Food and alcohol prices . Find out more I completed the trail then,and still have the battle scars to prove it. Green tents, on the other hand, are not immune to the midges advances. 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. 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. Day Four - Strathcarron to Shenavall Bothy (68.52km) Day Five - Shenavall Bothy to Knockadamph Bothy (41.99km) (Collected a food parcel in Clachan) Day Six - Knockadamph Bothy to Cape Wrath (124.79km) (Had some food at Inchnadamph and Glendhu Bothy) The journey was fantastic and the weather was rare for that time of year, with a big high . In fact it's only 200 - 250 miles. Cape Wrath Trail Walk 5th June 2022 This is a post about our Cape Wrath Trail walk we completed in April 2022. Stakes Mix of sizes & styles (8) / Mostly. But there is poor nutritional content in dried foods. 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. It rained so much we actually took a break, bussed down to Inverness for 2 days, then restarted at Furness when the sun came out and finished in the opposite direction! Back from the dead. It can get pretty damn windy in the Highlands and taking tent pole splint repairs can save the day. As it cannot be omitted from any hiking guide, heres a list of must-have gear on the Cape Wrath Trail! Lets get you started! With just a couple of exceptions, all of the bothies I visited on the CWT I had had to myself. The Cape Wrath Trail is a challenging route from Fort William to Cape Wrath. There are some similarities between hiking there and in Alaska, but for the most part I feel like they are quite distinct experiences. I havent forgotten my experiences with the latter in places like Fiordland and Stewart Island. Prepare to carry a tent and sleeping gear. I wonder whether Harvey Maps has made it deliberately difficult in parts to keep up the arduous name this route has. In fact, it sits right at the corner of the north and west Scottish coasts. I cannot recommend sending parcels poste restante (to hold) to post offices, as Britains Royal Mail officially only allows for envelopes to be held, not packages. 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. Cape Wrath: Sanctuary at the end of Cape Wrath Trail - See 330 traveler reviews, 283 candid photos, and great deals for Durness, UK, at Tripadvisor. Input your search keywords and press Enter. Here is a list of things to look out for. A few tips? Just a few minutes' walk away from the Cape Wrath Trail route is the Great Glen Hostel at Laggan, which provides good value accommodation and meals ideal for walkers. The terrain is often boggy and almost always soggy, so if you have an aversion to wet feet, you may want to look elsewhere. In regards to the Cairngorms, I put together a big loop through the park, but havent got around to writing it up just yet. Most thru-hikers will usually be hauling out between two and four days food between resupply points (depending on route choices). Just remember to train your core, lower back and legs most of all. Lastly, youll need to plan your route. 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. Grid ref. It's often touted as Britain's toughest long distance walk, due to its pathless sections, remoteness, and Scotland's fierce weather. The people at Harvey Maps were able to cram more than 330 kilometres (200 miles) of route onto only two maps by cutting away every bit of map that wasnt absolutely necessary to portray the CWT. Here's what to expect: This leaves you with a highly efficient, if not slightly narrow overview of every possible route variation at a fraction of the weight! Smother them in white tiger balm and hey presto, youll have some relief from scratching like a flea-ridden dog. Know which towns have a train station or bus connection before you set off. And for those of a wayfaring disposition such as myself, I cant think of a better teacher than Mother Nature. Corryhully Bothy on a gloomy morning. Also spray Smidge (commissioned by the Scottish Forestry Commission but with a dreadful design to get the spray out) or DEET onto your skin to try and keep the midges at bay, but dont get any DEET on your tent, itll stick together. They were up in the Highlands for their first ever multi-day backpacking trip. Drinking water should never really be a problem in the Scottish highlands. Groundhogs are great; in addition to their durability, the red colour makes me less likely to lose them than the generic silver. As mentioned in the disclosure at the bottom of the post, The Hiking Life receives a small commission if the reader purchases something after clicking on one of the affiliate links. Alternates: There are a number of different route alternatives during the Cape Wrath Trail. There are days when its deadly dull, days when your body protests, days when the rain will turn you into an amphibian. One of my favourite things about rambling in shitty (but not really) conditions (e.g. Hiking 370km on the Cape Wrath Trail, Scotland | Kit, planning, logistics, food, and top tips 41,726 views Oct 17, 2021 1.8K Dislike Share Fit for Adventure 17.1K subscribers This was. 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. Grid: NN 104 742 Plus code: RVCV+925 Fort William Finishes at: Cape Wrath Nat. One solution to this logistical problem is to send ahead parcels with food and supplies to locations along your route. 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. When youre ready to start the CWT, the local ferry will carry you across Loch Eil to the Gaul/Camusnagaul pier for 1,50. For the planning of Cape Wrath Trail, I use a similar approach to Te Araroa. Cheers, Join me and another Andrew as we meet the midges and moody Scottish weather and find ourselves in the beautiful Knoydart wilderness. Id love to do this route before I get too old and creaky. Do you need to make more supply runs? You might also want a snack or two every day, to help keep up your energy in between meals. The weather for the walk was mostly pleasant, which was lucky for April. You'll need something to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Tinders: Birch bark, King Alfreds cakes, birch polypore. donkeys years). These cookies do not store any personal information. Although they are 1:40,000 in scale, they have all the important details like houses, sheep folds and ruins marked. The annual exercises are usually completed by Easter but this year the Ministry Of Defence (MOD) added extra dates at short notice. Sign up for occasional email updates with news and updates from the trail. This means that you're treated to a stunning range of exceptional views complete with dramatic coastlines and a wild and vast ocean to admire. I live in Alaska and its often damp, breezy, cloudy, foggy. Another option is to walk the epic Cape Wrath Trail. A few hours later a shrieking woman appeared demanding that everyone get off her lawn. We had better luck with the weather too! We sensibly did the route to Inchnadamph instead. The former is wilder, more challenging and generally considered to be more scenic. Hope that helps. This comes at no additional cost to the reader, and helps to support the website in its continuing goal to create quality content for backpackers and hikers. Learn how your comment data is processed. I took a gas canister stove, but I saw shops that sold both meths and gas along the route, (Shiel Bridge Petrol Station, Ullapool Northwest Stores, Kinlochbervie London Stores). That about wraps up my practical guide to the Cape Wrath Trail. So plan your gear accordingly. As I said before, the CWT is mostly a collection of trails that lead northward to Cape Wrath and as such there is not a single definitive route you can take. The world-renowned trails of the Scottish Highlands, with their picturesque vistas, are quite breath-taking. With the constant humidity, you didnt find it affecting your quilt? Check your inbox or spam folder now to confirm your subscription. I hope I helped give you a good start in planning your own trip. On the seventh day of my CWT hike the weather was mostly clear. Due to the unpredictable weather and challenging terrain, it is a hike that is best suited to experienced ramblers who possess a good level of fitness, navigation skill, and a stoic disregard of having wet feet. Further resupplies at Ullapool Tesco and London Stores allowed me to go on for the remainder of the trip without posting food packages. Youve been warned. Which is what I did; never let it be said that Cameron James Honan stood in the path of young love! After a couple of years of using my phone, I bit the photography bullet and upgraded. Features: Stone floors, crude wooden platforms to sleep on, one open fire hearth. We then had a wonderful camp near by and had a tasty breakfast the next morning. Glenfinnan Viaduct and the train to Hogwarts! No worries, I said, and we all ended up having a good laugh together. 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. x. Trekking Solo In the Highlands . Seasons greetings to you all. Walking to Cape Wrath, Day 35, June 14, 2022. This book definitely does justice to the tough character of the trail. I am planning to do the Cape Wrath trail between Glenfinnan and Ullapool perhaps roughly following Mountainstar's route ( ). Some of the scenery is incredible if you get the weather for it, other parts are nothing to write home about. Your first order of business will be getting to Fort William to start your adventure. No matter how low-budget your travel plans may be, I will always recommend you get proper travel insurance. The Cape Wrath Trail is often considered to be one of Britain's most challenging trails, mostly due to its remoteness and rough terrain. 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. Again, the amount youd wish to spend on food and supplies will strongly vary from one person to the next. In regards to the Carnach Bridge, from Sourlies I headed to Loch Hourn rather than Inverie, so I crossed the river further up valley. We tend to use it when someone acts a bit childish or gets outwardly frustrated or angry for no good reason. The benefit, though, is they are added protein when they kamikaze into your food, which they will do, at every opportunity. The Cape Wrath Trail is not way-marked at any time and often you will find yourself in pathless terrain. The end of the trail is remote Cape Wrath, linked by a seasonal tourist bus and ferry to near Durness. For a detailed guide on shelters found along the Cape Wrath Trail, be sure to check out my CWT Bothy Guide! I pick up a different SIM in each country and pay local rates. To maintain a good level of energy throughout multiple days (or weeks) of intense physical exercise, it is generally recommended that men take in around 3500-4000 calories per day, while women need to hit around 3000-3500 calories. Good on you! While not the most storm-worthy shelter in the Tarptent stable, I think the Aeon Li should suffice for the Cape Wrath Trail. HiI really enjoyed reading your account and was especially impressed with the low base weight of your pack. Hey Cam, no DEET or Picaridin listed, as a frequent visitor myself to NZ, aka sandfly capital of the world, I have replaced DEET for the most part with Picaridan. Ok, the lack of views are a bummer, but if you spend enough time in the boonies over enough years, things have a way of evening themselves out on the scenery front. As I headed back out into the storm I broke out into a wry grin. Here is a list of things to look out for. I picked up some food and . Will upgrade to. Nature was wonderful with singing cuckoos everywhere! I quickly shut the door, muttering three or four rapid-fire sorries as I did so. In both versions the trail begins in Fort William and ends at Cape Wrath lighthouse on the northwest tip of the Scottish mainland. Couldnt resist! I haven't managed a night in my tent since last October (in Zagori) and I have been desperate to get off grid for a few days. NZs sandies or the Scots midges-which animal rules for sheer bastadry? 1B. Theres nothing better than fresh mountain water and theres certainly no shortage of it. That heralded a time to zip the tent up & say goodbye to a successful, uneventful, first day. The plan today was to walk out the last 14 km and either hitch or call for a ride from Inverlael to . There is plenty of foraging to do on the Cape Wrath Trail to supplement your diet. And for good reason. Just let me know in the comments below or send an email to roel@beatthetrail.com. Obviously the former is a lot more of a sociable hike. Snacks - Dried fruit and nuts. This trail is great for backpacking, birding, and camping, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other . Did you use it much on the CWT?? Although equipment choice is intensely personal, it's always good to know what other people use and I've picked up some excellent tips over the years from fellow walkers that I'd otherwise have missed. As a general rule, you should eat around 1kg of food a day while hiking otherwise you will lose weight. Here is a typical day of food on the trail, usually totalling around 3500-4000 calories. Your best bet is to scan the CWT Cicerone guide. 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. In summer you could probably do the whole trail without carrying much food at all relying on shops and restaurants the whole way. Toughen up your knees, especially the ligaments surrounding the joints. 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. Not only will your gear be toasty warm and dry, youll get an all-you-can-eat brekkie (cereal/toast/fruit) and be able to pick up food in the shop for dinner (frozen meals/pizza) and some basic food supplies for the rest of your trip. I just get too chilly. I seemed to be very much in the minority! Hikers planning to take on the Cape Wrath Trail should be experienced hikers, able to fend for themselves in terms of personal safety, food and supplies and navigation. Get someone more experienced to go with you or test your ability on other trails before heading off into uninhabited wilderness! Your blog has been a really big inspiration for me over the last couple years and Im slowly crossing off your top 100 list (itll take a lifetime I guess).Thanks heaps! Cant thank Angie and John enough for a wonderful welcome after completing the Cape wrath trail. Last year I hiked the CWT (Knoydart variant) and really enjoyed it! The nearby stream offers a good water . Not only are there only two of them, they are durable and waterproof as well! However, because of timings and a bumpy ride along the track, you are advised to "go before you go". Especially at that time of year; its better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. Ive hiked the Skye during August but had no time for the highlands. When in spate, the rivers can flow at full force up to your thighs, hips or waist. Buy both the Cape Wrath Trail North and Cape Wrath Trail South maps together and save 2! 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. Midge bites, theyll drive you crazy. Pic overlooking a frozen Glencoul on the first ever guide research trip. 6 thoughts on " Cape Wrath Trail 6 day hike Part 1 - COMPLETED! Learn how your comment data is processed. Woodland: Scots pine needle tea, Wood Sorrell, Pine nuts,Birch sap,Rowan berries (do not eat raw). If you are wildcamping, Id recommend you choose to camp near a woodland area which will provide shelter, fuel and better drainage. Sealskinz waterproof socks are equally as magic, being the one thing that keeps the water out. Get a backpack, stuff it with heavy items and start walking uphill two or three days a week. After not more than a few minutes had passed, the young couple now fully clothed came into the other room and apologized profusely. Hey Swami, Im heading up to Scotland in May to have a go at the cape wrath, Im toying with taking a dedicated compact camera as the lens on my phone camera is wrecked. There are often easier options (like a bridge near the caves at Inchnadamph, and a footpath right next to the river through Benmore Forest). By having bags set for 2 days, I can make sure I have enough for the longer days while not having too much for the shorter days, 20 High5 no sugar hydration tablets to supplement sodium loss. Which Direction? 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. This also means you often wont be able to pick and choose your supplies, as not every store youll encounter will have lightweight meal options, for example. Fort William (South) Cape Wrath (North). Day 1 - rain and sunsets. 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. Bog, bog and more bog. I dont think humidity is an issue in the Highlands. I havent had a case of the backcountry trots since 1999.I think a big reason is diligent use of hand sanitizer. Good to know you are still exploring this amazing world on foot. As a rule, World Nomads offers excellent world-wide insurance for a wide range of activities, including hiking up to 6000 metres. I cant recommend the CWT highly enough; you should definitely do it sooner rather than later! Initially following the Great Glen, the route turns north to cross Glen Garry, Glen Loyne and Glenshiel before crossing the wilderness to Strathcarron, continuing north through Torridon, Dundonnell (ferry) and . Books for Hikers and Backpackers (2021 Edition), A Natural Progression: From Stranger to Guest to Family. Woodland: Scots pine needle tea, Wood Sorrell, Pine nuts, Birch sap, Rowan berries (do not eat raw). Because its not. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 112 h 20 min to complete. Do you only make money when someone clicks on an equipment link in your posts? An unofficial Trail Guide as well as maps allow me to roughly estimate the times I need to walk the stages and thus planning my resupply points, which are fairly rare, and the amount of food I'll need for each stage. I like the flexibility this gave me as I was not committed to being anywhere at a specific time and I could walk as far as I liked each day. There is a lot of really great info online about the Cape Wrath Trail. Karen Ive used down bags and quilts in the Scottish Highlands for half a century. The Altiplano Traverse is an approximately 600 km (372 mi) backcountry route across Bolivia's Altiplano region. Heaving across them in boots and gaiters will just mean one thing sodden boots and wet feet. And possibly in bucketfuls. I must admit, not completing it hadnt occurred to me, but with gales that had lifted tents from campsites and continual rain only four days before we set off, it was easy to see why. Now I want to try to hike it in end of October early November. Cam. Before you strap on that backpack and get going, you first need to know what youre getting into, what youll be bringing along, how much food youll need, what youre planning on eating and how long youre planning on being on the trail. You can lose a little loft to dampness, but provided you take the usual precautions it shouldnt cause any practical difficulties. Im amazed at you hiking always in shorts. Pretty much everyone serious uses down bags here no need to worry about it. For many years my rehydrating vessel of choice when going stoveless. Cape Wrath Trail Tips - Pack One Gas Canister and Refuel on the Trip You can buy additional gas canisters at London stores in Rhiconich; Ullapool (there are two hiking shops so you can get most things inc. tent repair splints); the shop at Kinlochewe (9am-5.30pm) and the garage/campsite shop at Shiel Bridge (closes at 6pm). 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. It was a pleasure to read! This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Instead of taking yet another bus all the way to Cape Wrath, we walked about 8km along a dirt road through MOD territory to Kearvaig bothy, which is an absolutely lovely place to start your journey and is located about 3km before the official start of the Cape Wrath Trail. Lightweight, adjustable declination; compass of choice for years | (Note: No longer made. Fuels: Dried Peat,Driftwood, Birch, Pine. We started in Fort William with the Camusnagaul ferry and finished in Kinlochbervie, after walking off the peninsular from the Cape Wrath light house. As it turned out Lara didn't have the most waterproof pack and my rain jacket. Unless you are in a rush or looking to ease your way into the trip, go for the Knoydart route. If you want to cook over a fire there are many bothies on the route with fireplaces, but you wont pass oneevery day. Not an appealing prospect for a 17-day hike. Length 233.9 miElevation gain 43,467 ftRoute type Point to point. All the gear. Additionally, its worth noting that the excellent hostel at Inchnadamph has a small shop, which depending on how picky you are, should have enough options in stock to get you through to Kinlochbervie, : I didnt treat any of my water while in Scotland and had no issues. OMM Rotor Vest An ultralight synthetic vest, ideal for layering in winter. So you need a storm-worthy shelter with good coverage to keep your quilt dry. I can highly recommend the local Durness Bus service. Luckily the rain only lasted an hour or so and then it started to dry out. Chocolate Bars. It is approximately 234 miles in length. I hope you find this episode inspiring! It supports a new guidebook to the route which will be published by Cicerone. I also need to stay positive, calm and objective in order to make the best decisions possible. Ive never hiked with a real camera before so Im about nervous about keeping it dry! When it comes to fuel foraging, take only what you need. Deserts, jungles, mountains or coast; Ive never had a preference. Your email address will not be published. Leave enough for others and the ecology. 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. Everyone I met for the first four days had bailed somewhere along the route by hitching or cutting their trip short. The streams and rivers can rise a couple of inches within just a few hours of heavy rain, so be prepared to wait out the bad weather in a bothy for day or two, until the water levels have subsided. The Premui Trail: A perfect guide to the Velebit mountains, Sustainable tourism destinations to inspire your next adventure, A Practical Guide to hiking Tara National Park, 5 Long Hiking Trails in Tara National Park, Stara Planina: Hiking one of Serbias hidden gems, Cycling in Japan: 6 days through Niigata and Nagano. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Kept with sunscreen & hand sanitizer in shoulder pocket. You might also want a snack or two every day, to help keep up your energy in between meals. Chances are, you've no option to do this on your current trip anyway. Unfortunately, plans changed with the pandemic, the various lockdowns . We didnt move, the midges were attacking everyone, but had they not have been, she would have made sure everyone relocated. Purchased hot meals at Kinloch Hourn, Shiel Bridge, Kinlochewe, Okyel Bridge, Inchnadamph and Kinlochbervie; 3. May 2022 Friends. Long-term review: Bridgedale Stormsocks