2nd March 2024
Walk 1: Oykel Bridge
- Parking: Yes, enough for a few cars just off the main road right after the bridge and before the hotel
- Poo bin: No
- Terrain: tracked path
- Walk length: 4.2 miles // 1.5hrs (could have walked for hours/days!)
- Score: 8/10 – tracked path made walking easy, not very steep but had to turn around and come back the same way. Definitely want to explore further.
Why we chose this walk
Having been making trips to Inverness every other weekend to pick up DIY paraphernalia and other necessary stuff that can’t always be ordered online, we’ve been trying to make day trips out of longer car journeys.
Rather than try and get to the city and back quickly and leave the dogs on their own for at least four hours (in a house that’s still the epitome of chaos), we’ve taken to making a day trip of it. We’ll get to the shops nice and early and spend the day driving back stopping for a few different walks along the way. It’s proving to be a lovely way to explore walks a little further from home without the pressure of them having to be brilliant if we’re going to spend several hours in the car. The dogs are loving it, Shadow and Elodie curl up and sleep the whole journey and Osric loves looking out the window and taking it all in.
So we decided to try another a day trip with some walking stops and wanted to head through the middle of the Highlands to Ullapool.
Starting the walk
Walk one was about half way along the A837 and started from Oykel Bridge. After taking the first left immediately after the bridge, there was a little layby (definitely not a passing place!) with room for about half a dozen cars. It had a sign about fishing safety but nothing saying we couldn’t park there.
After admiring the view and a couple of quick lungfulls of amazingly fresh air, we unloaded the dogs and headed over the road, up the track and over the smaller bridge directly opposite the junction.
The sound of the water rushing over the rocks was incredible.
The walk
We kept left and followed the tracked path (ignoring the smaller foothpath to the left that just went down to the water – it was far too ferociousto want the dogs near it!)
The path meandered up slightly but not so much of an incline that we really noticed, following the same general direction as the river and road below.
It was a very wet, grey day but everything was an array of intense oranges, reds and browns.
Everthi
The views were stunning and even with the (very occasional) car on the road below, it felt incredibly quiet and peaceful.
All was going well until we encountered a very friendly gentleman in his Land Rover. He inquired how much further we intended to walk and told us we were coming up to his farm. He had sheep, cows and bulls on a hill farm and said we’d (or more specifically, our dogs) would likely get charged by his bulls.
Once we reached the gate to his farm, we decided to turn around. After many years walking our dogs through the countryside, I’m never going to have problem with any farmer not wanting our dogs on their land even if they are always on leads. We’ve encountered enough dog owners with the intelligence and basic courtesy as what comes out their dogs back end to know how badly some farm animals are treated by dogs. The fact this gentleman was very friendly and polite about it meant we decided to turn back a little early.
To be fair, this time of year, we’d usually try and avoid letting our dogs within sight of any sheep in case they’re pregnant. Lead or not, the sheep only understands prey animals are approaching and that’s not fair on them.
All in all it was a lovely walk. I’d like to go back and explore more, from what I was able to research online, this path goes on for miles and we could have easily walked all day. Perhaps we’ll have another go later in the year and away from lambing season.
Walk two: Knockan Crag
- Parking: Yes, a few small parking laybys on the A835
- Poo bin: No
- Terrain: slightly tracked but mainly muddy and wet
- Walk length: 1.7miles // 1hrs (could have walked for hours/days!)
- Score: 10/10 – felt like the first proper ‘middle of nowhere’ Highlands walk we’ve done
Why we chose this walk
This was a complete, close your eyes and point at a map choice. I was jumping between Google maps, streetview and Ordnance Survey and picked this one in a rush. Usually I like to do my research, look for other walk reviews, check All Trails or WalkHighlands but for a rush choice, this was perfect.
Almost directly opposite a hidden tracked road (which doesn’t join the main road) is a parking area just down from the main parking spot. This tracked path looked like it just vanished into the middle of nowhere.
The Walk
Off the path on our left was a sign warning about fire risk but given how open it was, the ground was covered in at least an inch of water, the fact it was raining and there was snow on the top of the hills, we hoped we’d be safe enough.
After following the path as it went round the side (and slightly under) a lock, sight of the road vanished and it felt like we were the only people in the world. It was quiet and still and breathtaking.
Until we saw this…
Or more precisely, our pack of bumbling, buffoon, wannabe hunters saw them. Then the silence fell!
Deer aside, this might just be one of the most tranquil walks we’ve done since moving here six months ago.
As we only had an hour before sunset and the mist was coming in thick, we didn’t wander too far and turned around after half an hour.
Even just the hour here was wonderful and this will definitely be one we’re coming back to with a little more prep and research.
Conclusion
Both are walks I want to come back to and explore more. But it’s the Knockan Crag walk I’m most excited to go back to.
The fact that Ullapool is just down the road doesn’t hurt either. We stopped in for a loo break (which were closed due to vandalism – what’s wrong with people!) and a spot of lunch. We got some toasted sandwiches and hot drinks from West Coast Delicatessen – it was quite possibly the messiest and yummiest toasted sandwich I’ve ever had (Scottish brie and cranberry with tomatoes – I can’t stress enough how good it was). Given the Seafood Shack should be open again in April which is one of our favourite food places ever, I think another walk here in April will be called for.
My Highland Haven 