11th May

Here is the complete yet short walk description for my trip to Clachtoll as posted on the website walkhighlands.co.uk:

After leaving Achmelvich I drove north a few miles to Clachtoll to spend a quiet afternoon. The Clachtoll walk starts in the car park and, after passing the toilet block and following the gravel road, it quickly veers off to the right and through a gate to a house. The gate is clearly marked “walkers welcome”. From this point you can follow the directions posted on this website, but for me, it marked the end of that particular stretch because I inexplicably decided to do an about face and head down to the beach. To do this, walk along the wooden slatted walkway that brings you almost to the beach. While I do not believe that the bay is quite a match for Achmelvich, it is a beautiful little stretch of sand in its own right and has nothing to apologise for. 

Clachtoll Beach

Clachtoll Beach 2

On this warm sunny day in mid April the beach was crowded – I saw at least 8 people engaged in various activities including hauling an inflatable dinghy across the sand and building an elaborate set of sand castles joined by a cunning ditch that would later be flooded. Ah, the thrill of being a child again.

I walked to the far end of the beach, attracted by the sight of cattle thronging a nearby inlet. I decide to find out more. I scaled the gently dipping sandstone outcrops, quickly reaching a fence which I followed a short distance before coming across a stile. Crossing the fence (and keeping right of the house) I wandered across this hillside towards a bay on the far side – a walk of just a few minutes. From this point there are superb views across the bay to the Assynt mountains beyond.

Assynt mountains from Clachtoll

Turning right I ambled across toward the infamous “Split Rock” composed of seaward dipping sandstone. It appeared to be quite easy to walk up onto the rock since there was a small group of people there but I did not wish to spoil their hard worked for solitude so I returned the way I had come to the car park. A stroll around the salmon bothy that describes the traditional methods of catching fish completed by visit. 

Salmon Bothy

Looking south from the salmon bothy showing the sandy inlet where the cows were seen, the house on the hill, the fence I crossed (faintly seen at mid left) and the hill I walked across (at mid right)

Split Rock

The whole distance could barely have been 1.5 miles and, if I had not been taking photographs, I could have completed this short route in less than 1 hour. However, this, coupled with a short walk around Achmelvich completed a relaxing and memorable spring day in Assynt.