Sandwood Bay and Eas Coul Aulin

Submitted by George Farquhar on Mon, 2011-01-17

Height: negligible
Distance: 6 miles
Difficulty: Moderate.
Total Time: Allow about 2 hours.
Navigation: The paths are mostly peat-cutters’ paths, so they are clear and well-walked.

This is a gentle walk along peat-cutters’ paths and over open moorland to the most remote beach in Britain. The paths are clear and well-maintained, so stout shoes or boots are adequate for this walk.

Drive north from Ullapool towards Durness, then turn off for Kinlochbervie, continuing along this road until you reach Oldshore Mor. Just beyond Oldshore Mor is a small parking area with a signpost for Sandwood Bay.

Oldshore Mor itself is worth a visit, with its beautiful beach and unusual rock formations. The path begins as a peat cutters’ path as it winds its way over open moorland and then changes to a rough track as it climbs up and over the cliffs to Sandwood Bay.

The beach itself is a long, golden beach backed by sand dunes and Sandwood Loch. At the left-hand side of the beach is Am Buachaille, a sea stack. You can return by taking the path up and over the cliffs to get a better view of Am Buachaille. This path joins the outward path to take you back to Oldshore Mor.

A view of Sandwood Bay

Eas Coul Aulin

Height: 300 ft
Distance: 5 miles
Difficulty: Moderate.
Total Time: Allow about 2 hours.
Navigation: This is a stalkers’ path, so it is well-walked though rough.

This is a walk on stalkers’ paths into a remote part of Sutherland to see Britain’s highest waterfall. Unfortunately, in dry weather the waterfall can be disappointing, and in wet weather the lower paths near the head of the waterfall can be extremely muddy and wet.

Drive north from Ullapool on the road to Kylesku, passing Ardvreck Castle and Loch Assynt. As the road swings round to the right and then straightens, a lochan appears on your right-hand side. Park just beyond the lochan on the right-hand side of the road where there a small parking area. From here the path goes in two directions – the first heads straight ahead, crossing the stream by stepping stones, while the other path follows a fishermen’s path round the lochan to pick up the main path. Take either path and pick up the main path as it climbs up above the lochan to a summit, then descends gradually through wild and remote countryside to the river. From here the path follows the river until it becomes the waterfall and you stand at the head of the waterfall, overlooking Loch Glencoul and facing another waterfall across the glen. To get good views of the waterfall itself, you either need to climb down the side of the waterfall or take a boat trip from Kylesku up Loch Glencoul.

View of Loch Glencoul from the top of Eas Coul Aulin.
A map of the walk to Eas Coul Aulin waterfall.