Scottish Bothy Walks - 28 best bothy adventures

WALK 24
THE LOOKOUT &
RUBHA HUNISH ON SKYE
An unmissable journey to the northernmost
tip of Skye, Rubha Hunish, via the spectacular
Lookout Bothy, taking in panoramic views
over The Minch to the Western Isles.
Although it may be difficult to believe, there are still a
few places on Skye where you can escape the crowds.
Rubha Hunish, the designated start of the Skye Trail,
now attracts a steady stream of visitors, but the atmosphere is
a world away from the coach-filled car parks at the Old Man of
Stoer, or the Fairy Pools in Glen Brittle. Go early in the morning,
or stay late, and you may be rewarded by the sight of dolphins
and whales navigating through The Minch. Between the geos
is a good place to spot otters, their territories marked by small,
green turf mounds by the shore. Shags and cormorants fly low
above the eddies, and gannets circle and dive in a remarkable
display of aerobatics. Back at the bothy, the view from the
180-degree bay window, a remnant of the bothy’s former life
as a coastal watch station, is truly magnificent. Prepare to
experience all kinds of weather: shimmering sunlight, castles of
cumulus clouds building from the west, rain showers scooting
across the water. The canvas changes with every passing
moment and it is difficult to tear yourself away.
The cheery sight of a red telephone box on the A855 from
Uig marks the turn to Shulista, and the small car park where the
walk begins. 1 Head across a cattle grid, and out onto the open
moor, following the vague line of a low escarpment. Across to
the west, on a rocky promontory, stand the crumbling remains
of Duntulm Castle, former stronghold of the MacDonalds of
Sleat, and out in the bay, the pleasing profile of Tulm Island adds
to the scene. Once a little height is gained, you begin to make
INFORMATION
MAPS: LR 23 North Skye,
Explorer 408 Skye Trotternish
& The Storr.
START/END GRID REF: NG 423
743. Small car park just after
Shulista turn-off on the A855
North Skye coast road.
DISTANCE: 4km/2.5 miles
TIME: 3–4 hours’ round trip
TOTAL ASCENT: 93m
HIGHEST POINT: 116m
NAVIGATION: Easy
TERRAIN: Easy. Well defined
path and faint trails, one short
scramble down to the
headland.
DIFFICULTY: Easy.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Citylink
coach service 915/916
Glasgow–Fort William–Uig.
Stagecoach Highlands bus
service 57C Portree–Flodigarry
via Uig stops on request.
SPECIAL NOTES: Bothy is open
all year round. No fireplace or
stove, no drinking water at
bothy or on the headland,
but water may be obtained at
Trotternish Art Gallery, Solitote
(NG 428 742). Beware of steep
cliff face in front of bothy.
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