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Walking In Caithness
There can be little doubt that folk who walk regularly are
fitter and healthier. It is also enjoyable and when
combined with another interest such as
bird watching,
history,
archaeology or just out seeing the sites of the area can help ensure
that the pace of modern life is put back into perspective.
Caithness has a huge range of walking possibilities from coastal
paths along spectacular cliffs or inland to see
castles,
brochs or pictish
places. Caithness is also one of the least developed
counties in Scotland so you may often find that interesting places
are not sign posted. A map or local book of the area will be of great help.
Ask around and you will often find that local folk can point you
in the direction of all sorts of places that you might not see.
And expect to be on your own at many of the sites.
It is a great feeling to be able to view the old places with no one
in sight. Some are near roads but many others require a mile or
two of walking to get to them. Several groups advertise FREE
walks for members but visitors are always welcome to attend.
One thing is for sure. You cannot see most of it from a car.
You need to walk to many of the coastal castles and most are not
marked by signs. But several are spectacular although they
need great care when approaching the cliffs as most have no fencing
or warning signs about any dangers.
Caithness Field Club Programme
Waybaggers
Highland Ranger Service
RSPB
Forsinard
Paths In Caithness & Sutherland
Information at Highland Council Rangers
Access Info And More Paths In Highland
Leaflets
These leaflets make only a few
suggestions out of hundreds of possible places to walk in the north.
A few walks in the
county........
Wick To
Altimarlach (Site Of Scotland's Last Clan Battle)
Achvarasdal Woodland Walk
Archaeology Walks In Archaeology Section
Newtonhill Community Woodland - Near Wick
Broubster Forest Walk January 2001 - Pictures
Dunbeath
Strath Walk
John O'Groats To
Duncansby Ness
Thurso
Thurso River Walk
Wick
Wick River Walk
Castlehill Flagstone Industry
Walk
Dunbeath Strath - Heritage Trail
Duncansby Head - Seabird City
Dunnet
Bay Walks
Dwarwick Head
Holborn
Head
Neil
Gunn Walk At Dunbeath
John O'Groats To
Duncansby Ness
Lybster To Forse Castle
Four Walks in Castletown
Skirza To Duncansby
Yarrows Archaeology Trail
Wick
Community Woodland at Newton Hill
Forsinard Nature Reserve -
not in Caithness but whose counting. Its not that far away and a
great place to see wildlife and a unique landscape and several places to
walk
North Of
Scotland Way - A Series Of
Walks
Sutherland
Portskerra - Melvich - An Audio Walk
For this walk you pick up a CD and player
from a local shop and it guides you around various places with
stories connected to the area. An interesting one for the whole
family.
You are invited to enter the
village. Walk around the beautiful natural and built Sutherland
environment, the ever-changing sea, the craggy coastal landscape and
placed within these, the people and their stories. At selected vantage
points around the walk a map instructs you to listen to a selected short
story on CD. The stories bridge the old and new, the young and the old
with a vision of the changing shape of Scottish rural life.
Pick up the CD audio walk and player at :
West End Stores,
Portskerra, Melvich, Sutherland Tel: 01641 531219 Open Mon-Sat
9am to 6pm. Halladale Inn , Portskerra, Melvich, Sutherland Tel:
01641 531282 Open Mon-Thurs 11am – 11pm, Fri 11am – 1am, Sat 11am
– midnight & Sun noon – 11pm
Estate Walking
Walking on Estate Land is
possible but check with estate contacts to find out if shooting or
stalking is going on
Walking Morven And Area
Contact Estate Braemore
& Langwell Estates
Contact: Braemore Keeper
- 01593 731371 or
Langwell Keeper - 01593 751225
Walking Scaraben And Area
Contact Estate
Braemore & Langwell Estates
Contact: Braemore keeper - 01593 731371 or Langwell Keeper - 01593
751225
Walking Caithness & Sutherland Hills?
Always tell someone where you are heading for.
A Few
Hills
Morven - 2315ft Map 17 Grid ND 004286
Scaraben
- 2055ft Map 17 Grid ND 066268
Ben Griam Mor - 1936ft Map Grid 17 NC 806389
Ben Griam Beg - 1902ft Map 10 Grid NC 832412
Creag Scalabsdale - 1820ft Map17 Grid NC 970241
Beinn Stumanadh - 1728ft Map 10 Grid NC 641499
Smean
- 1670ft Map17 Grid ND 032277
Maiden
Pap - 1587 Map 11/17 Grid ND 048239
Braigh na h-Eaglaise - 1385ft Map 17 Grid 065221
Beinn Dubhain - 1368ft - Map17 Grid 937207
Creag Thoraraidh - 1329ft - Map17 Grid ND 041187
Cnoc na Maoile - 1319ft Map 17 Grid ND 008212
Meall nan Clach Ruadha 1099ft Map 10 Grid NC 605570
Groups that organize walks often
with local experts - Many are advertised locally at libraries,
shops, tourist offices and on this web site.
The
Caithness Field Club - organises a series of outings on
Sundays and some weekday evenings throughout the year. Welcomes
visitors and non members. Members cover all age groups.
The
Caithness Waybaggers - a walking group tackling a
wide range of walks around the county and sometimes further.
Great Days Out.
Caithness Waybaggers Pictures and Previous Walks
The
Highland Ranger Service - Walks with a wildlife emphasis
for the naturalist and the casual walker. They organise local
walks of varying length on the coast, in woodlands and inland.
Pictures From Previous Ranger Walks
Caithness Riders Access Group
The group are gathering together information
on riding routes in the county but this information may be of interest to
walkers and cyclists.
All Walks Are FREE
Walks Weather Dependent
Outdoor and Waterpoof clothing recommended
Reasonable Fitness Required
Wednesday Wanders Summer only
Dunbeath Wednesday
Wanders are a regular weekly walk. The Heritage Trust conducts walks
based on archaeology & history every other week. Meeting place and
time is the same as above.
See Also
General Walking Links
A Great Glen Way
What You might See Walking In Caithness &
Sutherland
Nature
Caithness Biodiversity Collection
Caithness Rangers
Highland
Wild Encounters
Caithness & Sutherland Map
Sutherland Biodiversity Plan
Links
Great Glen Way
Great
Glen Ways Project
Great
Glen Way Long Distance Route
Caledonian Canal
Speyside Way
Outdoor Access Scotland
Great Glen Mountain Bike Trails
The West
Highland Way |
Check The
What's On For
Guided Walks John O'Groats Trail
Coastal Walking Route Inverness to John O'Groats
The
route can be tsckled in a vietyof places and lengths. Locall
arranged walks cover several partsof the route. The route
has still some places where access is being developed. #Te web
site has a great dealof useful information. Ranger Events and Walks Heading For The Scottish Hills - Access Code
Forsinain Trail - A Four Mile Circular Route (Pdf)
 Sitting
on the edge of Caithness & Sutherland’s high quality bogs, the four
mile Forsinain Trail is self-guided and takes in farm fields, bog
pools, riverside and woodland allowing an insight into conservation
management and exciting wildlife. It starts on The Flows
National Nature Reserve, part of RSPB Forsinard Nature Reserve,
continues through Forestry Commission Scotland’s Forsinain Forest
and returns along the privately owned River Halladale salmon river.
This circular trail which rises 100m to the bog begins at the
roadside car park on the River Halladale before ascending the farm
road through fields used intensively by feeding and breeding
peatland bird species. As there is a steep hill on the farm road, a
small car park has been created above it for the sole use of
disabled drivers which will provide views and bird watching into the
adjacent fields. Further on, the trail follows a grassy track to the
top of the fields and out onto a small area of blanket bog with peat
cutting and bog pools, which is crossed on flagstone stepping
stones. The trail then follows an unsurfaced route for approximately
one mile through a conifer plantation with restoration felling and
passing close to a loch where red-throated divers sometimes breed.
Descending on the forest road the final section follows an
unsurfaced route along the grassy riverbanks of the River Halladale
with a short climb to a viewpoint on the way.
Highland Council Countryside Ranger
Guided Walks/Events in North Sutherland
Contact: Paul Castle
North Sutherland Countryside Ranger
01641 521884
Walking In Caithness
If you are looking for organised walks
in Caithness it is always worth checking -
The
Caithness Field Club - organises a series of outings on
Sundays and some weekday evenings throughout the year. Welcomes
visitors and non members. Members cover all age groups.
The
Caithness Waybaggers - a walking group tackling a
wide range of walks around the county and sometimes further.
The
Highland Ranger Service - Walks with a wildlife emphasis
for the naturalist and the casual walker. They organise local
walks of varying length on the coast, in woodlands and inland.
Holborn Head
Neil
Gunn Walk
A group enjoyed a sunny Saturday afternoon in Dunbeath
Strath looking at places Neil Gunn got his inspiration from.
Walking Contacts Caithness & Sutherland
Highland
Rangers
North Caithness - Paul Castle - 01847 821531
East Caithness - Marina Swanson - 01955 607758
North West Sutherland - Donald Mitchell 01971 511259
Mid Sutherland - Ian Paterson - 01549 402638
Assynt - Andy Summers - 01571 844 654
Full Highland Ranger contact List
RSPB Forsinard Reserve - 01641
571225
Tourist Offices
Wick Tourist Office - Info point - no staff
Thurso 01847 892371(Seasonal)
John O'Groats 01955 611373(Seasonal)
Other walking contacts -
The Ramblers Association
1-5 Wandsworth Road
London
SW8 2XX
Tel 0171 339 8500
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