Winter in Northern Scotland: A Journey To The Edge Of Britain
Are you plotting a winter escape? If so, may I be as bold as to suggest something a little unconventional… How about heading to the northernmost tip of Scotland? This may seem an odd suggestion and trigger a multitude of questions querying the timing of such a trip, but hopefully the following article can answer those uncertainties and maybe even inspire you to make the trip up north out of season as we did.
As part of our Achievable Adventure UK series we aim to explore the many corners of the set of islands we call home and squeeze every last drop of adventure out of them And it was with this in mind that we packed our bags and headed for the most northerly tip of mainland UK in the depths of winter.
If you’re anything like us, you might well have been brought up on the notion that Scotland is somewhere to visit in the warmer, lighter months, however travelling there in the ‘off season’ certainly has its perks. Wild, rugged and unpredictable this extremity is ripe for adventure with countless lochs, snow capped mountains and most notably a distinct lack of humans, all combining to give you that off-grid feeling without having to travel to a far away land.
Below is our guide to travelling there in winter:
Transport & Travel:
First things first we must come clean, we kicked this trip off by flying to Inverness. Now usually one of the most important rules of our Achievable Adventures is no planes. The idea is to explore your immediate surroundings whilst having as small a carbon footprint as possible, however the price of a train ticket to Inverness was triple that of a plane ticket and we simply couldn’t afford it. This is something that we find quite ridiculous, surely this is a major problem with the system?
How ever you get to Scotland (unless you drive of course) the first thing to do is rent yourself a car. You don’t need anything particularly fancy, just a set of wheels with decent tyres to tackle any icy roads you might come across.
Driving across Scotland is awesome, it is not just a case of getting from A to B, it is an experience in itself as you cruise along some of the most spectacular roads in the UK. Through glens, along the coast and past lochs, renting a car gives you the freedom to get off the beaten track and stuck into exploring the intricacies of this magical country.
Car rental - Sixt was the cheapest we could find and the staff were exceptional.
Sleep - Croft 103; A hidden escape
At the very tip of Scotland, hidden away in the remote landscape you will find Croft 103. This eco-hideout is about as secluded as it gets, nestled in nature and right on the coast with views over Loch Eriboll, you are surrounded by wilderness.
To put it simply Croft 103 is one of the most beautifully designed places we have ever been lucky enough to stay. Its curved architecture blends seamlessly into the landscape with a huge glass front providing glorious views out over the water and framing the majestic peak of nearby Ben Hope perfectly.
The interior is equally considered, with every detail, material and feature combining to create a special space, one that you would be hard pushed to tire of. We spent mornings watching the sunrise with a cup of tea from bed and the evenings with a glass of wine around the log fire. Absolutely no complaints!
What To Do:
Explore Balnakeil Beach
Balnakeil Beach is one of the most spectacular UK beaches we have ever experienced. Vast, with white sands and framed by large dramatic dunes it offers plenty to explore. Weather dependant we would suggest visiting as the sun comes up, which in the winter at that latitude isn’t until 8:30, so very achievable. This way you may well be treated to a light show as we were.
A short but stunning 15 minute drive from Croft 103, Balnakeil is just the other side of Durness. A small car park beside an old graveyard is where to leave your car before heading down to the beach.
As soon as we set foot on the sand we began to appreciate the scale of our surroundings. We set about walking its length, the tide was out and the red sky was reflecting in the wet sand. It was spectacular. With no one as far as the eye can see the feeling of real isolation began to sink in. There really was no one else here, just us and miles of wild Scottish nature, this is why we came, this made every second of the journey up worth it. How many places in the UK can you truly get that feeling?
However we soon had company as a herd of cattle appeared from the Dunes, walking in perfect single file along the sand on their morning commute. We have since learned that this is a regular occurrence, one that adds to the extraordinary feel to this unique beach.
Once the cows had passed we began to explore the sand dunes that ran alongside the beach. Climbing to the top of the highest dune we sat down in the long grass and poured a cup of tea from our thermos. The sun was now streaming brightly through the clouds, illuminating the land around us. We could see for miles. In one direction were snow capped mountains, another waves from the North Sea crashed aggressively against huge rocks whilst behind us was untouched coastline until the horizon. We sat sipping warm tea, transfixed by the situation, by our surroundings. Why do people not come here? Why have we not been here?
It was sat there that we also realised that at that time of year in Scotland the sun never really comes up, it keeps a very low arc from rise to set, making every hour golden hour.
Exploring Balnakeil is a must for any trip to the area in our opinion. A very special corner of the UK.
Smoo Cave
A brilliant activity for a rainy day, which you are almost guaranteed to have. Set into the limestone cliffs a short drive from Durness Smoo Cave is accessible by a set of stairs cut into the coast. The cave boasts the largest entrance to any sea cave in the UK at a dramatic 50ft and sets the tone for an awesome underground experience. Inside the cave is floodlit, illuminating a second chamber, home to a 66 foot powerful waterfall.
We went during a storm and the waterfall was raging, resulting in us being drenched head to foot even whilst standing at a distance. However it was well worth the soaking, Smoo Cave is pretty spectacular.
Climb Stac Pollaidh
Stac Pollaidh is what we would call a good medium mountain, fairly easy to climb with incredible rewards for your efforts. From the carpark an obvious path leads you up the ascent, starting easy before climaxing with a steep set of natural stone steps taking you to its summit just over 200ft from where you started.
We climbed it early on a Tuesday morning meaning that not only were we alone but were climbing as the sun was rising, making the experience all the more spectacular.
Once we finally arrived at the summit we were met by extraordinary views. Lochs, mountains and miles of untouched nature in every direction. We sat, perched on a rock in silence as we watched the weather change from glorious sunshine to a snow storm in a matter of seconds. Sat at the top of Stac we had the best seats in the house to witness the turbulence and power of the Scottish elements, a show of natural strength not to be missed!
Of all the mountains we’ve climbed in the UK this was our favourite. The feeling we had sat at the top was one of genuine awe and couldn’t recommend the experience any higher - pun intended.
Nothing
Now this sounds like a strange/lazy tip and that is because it is indeed both. Firstly it’s strange because doing nothing is such an alien concept for most people these days, but cozied up in Croft 103, next to the warmth of the log fire, looking out over the landscape you will want to do exactly that - nothing. Secondly it is lazy because there’s nothing wrong with that… head out during the day and fill your boots with adventure and in the evenings be lazy, indulge in it. No phone calls, no emails, nothing.
Tips - Things to bare in mind
Weather
Scotland’s turbulent weather conditions are infamous. And guess what, on it's most northern tip in the depths of winter this tempestuous reputation is very much justified. So don’t go planning a trip if you’re after guaranteed sunshine, because it ain’t going to happen. However if you are wanting to get stuck into the wilderness come rain or shine and are happy to embrace the elements then this could well be the adventure for you.
On our trip we had glorious sunshine, torrential rain, snow, sleet, aggressive hail and everything in between. So just make sure you are prepared.. Pack sensibly!
Light
What's more, due to it’s latitude the Northern tip doesn’t have all that much sunlight in Winter. Roughly speaking the sun comes up at 8:30 and sets at 3:30 so your window to explore is relatively short. However, our advice is to hit the road before the sun comes up so each morning so your out and about for sunrise. And once it’s set there is something really cosy and guilt free about holing up in your cabin, putting the fire on and relaxing.
Shops
Shops up there are few and far between, so the rule is if you need food and see a shop, stop. The same is true of petrol stations. This all comes part and parcel of being so secluded and in fact adds to the experience.
Conclusion
We were after adventure and adventure we got. In a short trip we explored beautiful desolate beaches, climbed a mountain, discovered a vast sea cave and did battle with every weather element in the book. The feeling of isolation has really stayed with us and in such a hectic world that is a feeling we cherish.
It was short, dramatic, easy to get to and pushed us out of our comfort zones. It was an achievable adventure of the highest order.