Scottish Bothy Walks - 28 best bothy adventures

WALK 25 New Camasunary Bothy, the ‘Bad Step’ & Loch Coruisk
footbridge was badly damaged by winter gales,
and all that remains today are the support struts.
1 A fantastic panorama greets you on arrival
at the visitors’ car park, east of the old and new
bridges spanning the River Sligachan, as it slows
and forms braided channels that flow into the
sea loch and out to the Sound of Raasay. Beyond
the whitewashed walls of the hotel, the ragged
sawtooth peaks of Sgùrr nan Gillean and Bruach
Na Frìthe announce the start of the arcing Cuillin
Ridge. Across the glen are the softer, less daunting
outlines of Glamaig, and the Red Hills. Stepping
out south towards Camasunary, the solitary
outlier Marsco slowly looms larger, its impressive
crags coming into view once you cross the Allt na
Measarroch. 2 Here a jumble of rocks known as
the Clach na Craoibhe Chaoruinn (Stone of the
Rowan Tree) is a good resting point before heading
on, spurred on by the promise of fantastic sea
views from Camasunary Bay. A little further, the
yawning mouth of Harta Corrie on the far side of
the valley draws the attention. Here a huge, 30-
foot boulder known as the ‘Bloody Stone’ marks
the spot where fallen warrior from the feuding
MacLeods and MacDonalds were laid to rest after
many bruising battles.
SGÙRR NAN GILLEAN
After four long miles from the road, just
beyond the almost imperceptible watershed,
a large cairn marks the return route from Loch
Coruisk, heading over the bealach on the Druim
Hain ridge. 3 Persevering on, the valley sides
begin to tighten through the Srath na Crèitheach.
The water flow is trapped in the first of two
small lochs, dramatically overshadowed by the
imposing profile of Bla Bheinn. Finally the glen
widens again, and you catch a glimpse of the
sea, the Inner Hebridean islands of Rùm and
Eigg seeming to float on the horizon. This is
Camas Fhionnairigh (Bay of the White Shieling)
Anglicised to Camasunary, its wide expanse of
machair, shingle beach, and mudflats presided
over by the striking conical hill Sgùrr na Stri. Over
the years, many have been drawn to this magical
spot and the old bothy, now sadly closed, holds
onto memories of summer sunsets and mindexpanding
conversations by the fireside. The
New Camasunary Bothy, sans stove, opened in
May 2016. It has a rather functional feel, but still
provides a welcome refuge with fabulous views
out across the bay.
4 After a well-earned lunch, it is time to
contemplate the task ahead. The first obstacle is
the outflow of the Abhainn Camas Fhionnairigh,
just beyond the old bothy on the west side of the
bay. At low tide it is possible to cross the stone
bed without too much trouble, but if the tide is
high you may need to wade through the channel
further towards the old suspension bridge struts.
Continue round the rocky headland on a faint
but obvious trail, cutting inland past the grassy
knoll of Rubha Buidhe, and onto the sloping
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