We have a wonderful breakfast and it's such a wrench to leave the Clachan Farmhouse that it's almost ten o'clock before we depart. There is an autumnal chill in the air today as it is only fourteen degrees Celsius with a significant wind.
There used to be a ferry running across Loch Broom to Ullapool, but it's long since ceased to be. This means that we are walking down the A835 into the town. Cape Wrath trail walkers mostly take a taxi into the Ullapool and back out to restart the trail, but this is not an option for us.
Ullapool is the main terminal for ferries to the Outer Hebrides, so the A835 is a busy road. It does have a bit of a verge though, and we hop on and off as the vehicles stream past. Somewhat unnervingly, there are quite a few tyre tracks on the verge, echoes of incidents past.
We make good progress, but soon stop in a lay-by for a break. As we're eating, I start looking at the Ordnance Survey App and spot a track over the hill that we could take as an alternative. We cross the road, climb a steep drive and soon find ourselves on an unusual forest path.
There are wood cabins, some still under construction, old caravans and scattered, cannibalised motors. It feels a bit Mad Max, but in a good way. There are welcoming signs and evidence everywhere of reuse and up-cycling. This is Leckmelm Wood West Edge community. We duck under some washing hung out to dry, pass through a gate and ford a stream to continue our journey.
The track now shows evidence of being the old road now replaced by the modern A835 blasted through the hillside below. It's high and narrow with no passing places, so would have been a dangerous thoroughfare. The metalled surface turns up the hill, but we continue on a smaller but still distinct footpath. It's rained overnight and, needless to say, there is plenty of bog amidst the heather. There are also fantastic views down the length of Loch Broom from beyond Clachan in the south past Ullapool to the Summer Isles in the north west.
Finally, we ford a midge-infested stream, pass through a gate and cross a bridge to an unclassified road that leads back onto the main road and into Ullapool. This diversion has been much more interesting than the main road. The smell of the sea soon hits us and we stop at the Ferryboat Inn for a delicious, beer-battered fish and chip lunch before walking on to Tigh na Failte B&B for our rest day tomorrow.
Total distance so far: 825 miles
PS pictures are now included on yesterday's post.
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