Cam. You might also want a snack or two every day, to help keep up your energy in between meals. Tent setup / Fencing practice during breaksTokyo 2020 here I come. Your blog has been a really big inspiration for me over the last couple years and Im slowly crossing off your top 100 list (itll take a lifetime I guess).Thanks heaps! This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. My trip has been supported by the following food brands: Firepot Bl Band (via Base Camp Food) LYO Expedition (via Base Camp Food) Expedition Food (via Base Camp Food) Summit to Eat (via Base Camp Food) I met my calorie requirements by posting food parcels and supplemented this with food fromcafes, shops andforaging. Here is a typical day of food on the trail, usually totalling around 3500-4000 calories. Iain has found a good balance between guiding the reader in rough terrain and offering challenging or safer alternatives. Heather Ohly (a Registered Nutritionist) talks through the food choices she and Shane Ohly (Cape Wrath Ultra - Event Director) made whilst walking the Cape W. So plan your gear accordingly. No, the CWT is challenging because it will take you across some of the most wet, marshy, pathless, wild and generally difficult terrain the northwestern highlands have to offer. No matter how low-budget your travel plans may be, I will always recommend you get proper travel insurance. Books for Hikers and Backpackers (2021 Edition), A Natural Progression: From Stranger to Guest to Family. Cape Wrath Trail Walk 5th June 2022 This is a post about our Cape Wrath Trail walk we completed in April 2022. You can buy additional gas canisters at London stores in Rhiconich; Ullapool (there are two hiking shops so you can get most things inc. tent repair splints); the shop at Kinlochewe (9am-5.30pm) and the garage/campsite shop at Shiel Bridge (closes at 6pm). So you need a storm-worthy shelter with good coverage to keep your quilt dry. 1A. An unofficial Trail Guide as well as maps allow me to roughly estimate the times I need to walk the stages and thus planning my resupply points, which are fairly rare, and the amount of food I'll need for each stage. Upon entering the spacious multi-room hut, I wasnt expecting to find anyone. Choice of maps is a particularly important decision when planning an expedition on the Cape Wrath Trail. Stretching approximately 230 miles (370 km) from the Highland hub of Fort William to the remote lighthouse of Cape Wrath, it is an unmarked and sometimes trailless route that passes through the wild and spectacular landscapes of northwestern Scotland. 9 top tips for hiking the Cape Wrath Trail No.9 is the most important Gear and food reviews Exped Synmat UL Winter M An extremely comfortable winter sleeping mat. One group of hikers were told very honestly that unless they fancied swimming, they should walk along the road to Rhiconich. No worries. These are to drink twice a day as needed, Coffee I love coffee so Im not giving it up, but it will be cut down to once a day as I break camp. Bog, bog and more bog. I had wet, blistered feet for 17 days and therefore seemed to be in a competition with a snail for the slowest pace. The Durness bus can provide onward transport. Cant thank Angie and John enough for a wonderful welcome after completing the Cape wrath trail. For updates and more photos, follow her Facebook and Instagram pages. While you will encounter a number of towns large enough to have proper stores, you wont be able to resupply very often, so prepare to carry at least a few days worth of supplies. Although you may be moving too fast to dedicate much time to it. You could go stoveless on this trip if you wanted to. Although you may be moving too fast to dedicate much time to it. I sent supply parcels to Fort William, Shiel Bridge and Ullapool with a request to hold the parcel until a certain date. . In any strenuous activity like hiking or other endurance sports it is important to get your strength back up at the end of a long day of depleting your bodys energy reserves. A comprehensive guide to the Cape Wrath Trail, one of the most challenging long distance walks in the UK, published by Cicerone and now in a fully updated Second Edition. It usually takes 2-3 weeks to complete and is considered the most difficult long-distance walk in the UK. River crossings, along with midges, will become the bane of your trip. Jane Batchelor hiked the full Cape Wrath Trail in 2016 and half of it in 2017 on her 3,500-mile hike through Britain, camping as she went. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. There are a couple of differences worth noting compared to my 2013 TGO Challenge Gear list. Thanks Geoff. Odds are, youll be soaked through by the time you get there anyway.. Hey Cam, So be prepared to do some research on the different routes available, and bring a map and compass! Great value food and walkers' accommodation on the Cape Wrath Trail It is a day's walk from Fort William (23 miles on flat loch-side terrain) is Laggan Locks. Ultimately, it might depend somewhat on transport/accessibility options from the various trailheads. It's not the longest. Thecalorie content should be well above your normal daily intake. To make things even more interesting, there is a notable lack of facilities along the way. Day 1 - rain and sunsets. You're one step away from receiving emails from Yes Jane Can. This is because the difficulty of the terrain and the lack of way marking (or even defined paths in many places). Compare and read about the various routes. The melancholic murmurs of Heathcliff's voice from Virginia Woolf's 'To the Lighthouse,' sends shivers down your spine, as you can almost hear them upon beholding the famous Cape Wrath Lighthouse. Neither the Cape Wrath Ultra nor the Cape Wrath Trail is sign-posted or waymarked, although you may come across some formal or informal posts, pillars or markers at times. What was your route through the latter? Another option that is easier and cheaper is to buy the special Cape Wrath Trail maps made by Harvey Maps. Find out where to stay when on the trail. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); The Hiking Life is a compilation of tips and advice on trip planning, lightweight backpacking techniques, and improving your wilderness skill set. The trail has evolved from use and is not an officially recognised National Trail. Cape Wrath Trail Overview Map (Cicerone Press). Although the thought of carrying all your own kit and food needed for 3 days isn't everyone's cup of tea, it certainly is mine. A packet of jelly sweets which you can devour/savour (delete as appropriate) will make the world of difference to your energy and mood. Peanut M&Ms. Quick release sugar - Haribo/Jelly Sweets. A few hours later a shrieking woman appeared demanding that everyone get off her lawn. Here's what to expect: Secondly, more often than not the trail simply disappears among the marshy and rugged terrain, leaving you to find a proper way through for yourself. Did you use it much on the CWT?? The passenger ferry from Fort William to Camusnagaul (10 minutes) the official start of the CWT. Yep, one of those little numbers you get in hotel amenity/vanity bags (at least thats the type Ive used). Some of the scenery is incredible if you get the weather for it, other parts are nothing to write home about. . Not an appealing prospect for a 17-day hike. We tend to use it when someone acts a bit childish or gets outwardly frustrated or angry for no good reason. I think its fair to say that keeping your feet in good order is THE most important aspect of any long distance backpack. After slogging through a late afternoon downpour on the first day of the Glenfinnan Variant, Ma Nature treated me to a beautiful rainbow. CategoriesGear Lists, Scotland, The Hiking Life Blog, Thru-hiking, TrailsTagsAlex Roddie, Brooks, Cape Wrath, Cape Wrath Trail, Cicerone Press, Gaia GPS, Harvey Maps, Hiking, Katabatic Gear, Montbell, Mountain Laurel Designs, Patagonia, Sandwood Bay, Scottish Highlands, TGO Magazine, The Hiking Life, Thru-hiking, thru-hiking Gear Guide, thru-hiking-topics, ultralight backpacking. Go digital! Unfortunately, plans changed with the pandemic, the various lockdowns . Leave enough for others and the ecology. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. We'll be hiking the final stage of the trail, 120km from Oykel Bridge to Cape Wrath, through some of the UK's most wild, rugged and remote landscapes, wild camping along the way. Long-term review: Bridgedale Stormsocks As for the up-sizing to the Duomid on this last trip to Scotland/Norway, it was really just to have a bit more space when the weather came in. As long as you draw water from fresh, fast-flowing sources well upstream of areas with livestock and/or wildlife you can drink it without filtering! Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), creating an efficient backpacking food menu, My final itinerary is based on 9 days on the trail, 40g jumbo oats (not rolled) pack more of a bite to them after cooking, 40g granola mix I chose for half my meals to have a berry-based mix and half to have a chocolate based one, 3 tsp of milk powder thickens the mix and gives extra sugars and protein to start the day, Just add half a cup of boiling water and eat after 5 minutes of sitting (use a, It saves some packaging as Im not packing for each day, The days are not equal in length and Ill be walking a combination of long day-short day-long day-short day etc. The end of the trail is remote Cape Wrath, linked by a seasonal tourist bus and ferry to near Durness. The water level was low; June and July had been quite dry from the reports I heard. During the days Id also eat bars, trail mix, crisps, nuts; basically whatever I could find. The path is not waymarked and has many variations. For a general overview of the gear I recommend for cold and wet environments such as the Scottish Highlands (along with other advice), see Tips for Hiking in Cold and Wet Weather. Hop over to Ullapool (I went from Inverness bus station) and get an afternoon bus at about 16.00-17.00-ish from Ullapool to Durness or go direct from Inverness to Durness at 10.00 or 17.00 (route 805 for the latter time). What sections would you suggest to skip? Love your musings and information on gear, and, in this particular case, attitude. As I headed back out into the storm I broke out into a wry grin. Wet cold is always more challenging, and windy to boot. Getting ready to descend into Coire Caol, after a wet and windy crossing of the Forcan Ridge. All the gear. 50g of sugar will offer some extra boost to the hot drinks if needed, Extra meal extra breakfast, two more oats bars and a high (1000) calorie freeze dried meal by Expedition Foods. Cheers, Starting in Fort William and finishing at Cape Wrath, the 400km, 8-day journey winds through the world's most inspirational landscapes including Knoydart, Kintail, Torridon, Assynt, and Sutherland. Ill explain this further under Logistics below. In regards to the Midge VS Sandfly question thats a tough one. For the planning of Cape Wrath Trail, I use a similar approach to Te Araroa. I know from personal experience having endured days of agony on long treks. Nature was wonderful with singing cuckoos everywhere! The benefit, though, is they are added protein when they kamikaze into your food, which they will do, at every opportunity. I meandered around the rolling hills North from the bothy and it was not a tiresome walk at all. The world-renowned trails of the Scottish Highlands, with their picturesque vistas, are quite breath-taking. Thank you for the kind words. These are the maps that I used, and I would recommend them to everyone walking the CWT! One of my favourite things about rambling in shitty (but not really) conditions (e.g. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Do you need to make more supply runs? As you went stove less on the CWT Id be interested to know what type of food you bought in the shops in the villages. In regards to general tips on fording, I wrote an article on the subject that might be helpful: https://www.thehikinglife.com/2015/03/how-to-ford-a-river/ All the best on your hike! Buy both the Cape Wrath Trail North and Cape Wrath Trail South maps together and save 2! Add weight to your squats after a while! Bad weather does make one more accountable to every move/item of clothing; what happens if I get this piece of clothing wet, and theres only one piece of dry clothing to replace it in camp? With up to 6 days of food, it will never exceed 28 pounds. The streams and rivers can rise a couple of inches within just a few hours of heavy rain, so be prepared to wait out the bad weather in a bothy for day or two, until the water levels have subsided. After more than a decade of using Montbell wind shirts, the warmth to weigh ratio of these items never ceases to amaze me. The Cape Wrath Trail is a long distance hike through some of the most remote areas in Scotland, the trail is around 250 miles long and it takes the average backpacker around 2-3 weeks to complete. I redid part of Cape Wrath in 2017 wearing these and had happy, dry feet. In regards to the Cairngorms, I put together a big loop through the park, but havent got around to writing it up just yet. Hope that helps. With just a couple of exceptions, all of the bothies I visited on the CWT I had had to myself. And they might be right. Obviously the former is a lot more of a sociable hike. I quickly shut the door, muttering three or four rapid-fire sorries as I did so. Hikers planning to take on the Cape Wrath Trail should be experienced hikers, able to fend for themselves in terms of personal safety, food and supplies and navigation. I can highly recommend the local Durness Bus service. They were up in the Highlands for their first ever multi-day backpacking trip. Lets start with the trail itself. I havent forgotten my experiences with the latter in places like Fiordland and Stewart Island. Well done on completing the CWT. There is no single definitive . Thanks for the kind words. Duct Tape, Mini Tube Super Glue (repairs). ~Cam Swami Honan The most traveled hiker on earth (Backpacker Magazine, January 2015). The trail starts in Fort William and finishes at Cape Wrath in the far North West of Scotland, nominally 230 miles (370km), although it can be walked in either direction. My concern is getting a 40kg German Shepherd over them. : The CWT is almost always hiked south to north. Its a challenge and people do it to test themselves. But a gorgeous landscape! One armed blind folks can sew better than me. It can get pretty damn windy in the Highlands and taking tent pole splint repairs can save the day. Towns are few and far between. Id recommend taking one for each pole you have. From south to north there are stores at Shiel Bridge, Strathcarron, Kinlochewe and Kinlochbervie. Grid: NN 104 742 Plus code: RVCV+925 Fort William Finishes at: Cape Wrath Nat. If you are wildcamping, Id recommend you choose to camp near a woodland area which will provide shelter, fuel and better drainage. Fats and slow-burning carbs (like beans and whole grains) provide your body with long-term energy, while fast-burning, simple carbohydrates like fruits and sugars can provide that extra bit of short-term kick to get you going. Some of the very basics you'll need while out on the Cape Wrath Trail. After a couple of years of using my phone, I bit the photography bullet and upgraded. The Cape Wrath Trail is often considered to be one of Britain's most challenging trails, mostly due to its remoteness and rough terrain. Walking to Cape Wrath, Day 35, June 14, 2022. BUT and this is a big but, look ahead at the route. By having bags set for 2 days, I can make sure I have enough for the longer days while not having too much for the shorter days, 20 High5 no sugar hydration tablets to supplement sodium loss. As I stated before, the CWT is more of a collection of smaller trails than one single route that is properly advertised and signposted, and so there are many variations in the CWT that nevertheless all constitute the same trail. Meandering along the Cape wrath trail. . Glenfinnan Viaduct and the train to Hogwarts! Perhaps she has put a sign up directing people where to go by now. Its not. Couldnt resist! Stick to the eastern route variations that will lead you through longer stretches of gloriously empty wilderness. A superb and challenging route for experienced long-distance backpackers, the Trail passes through some of Scotland's most spectacular landscapes. Overnight te https://t.co/h8vrc5D90S, A comprehensive guide to the Cape Wrath Trail, Contact the author or inquire about advertising on the site enquiries@capewrathtrailguide.org, Watercolour of Sourlies Bothy, Knoydart by Anthony Harper Here is a list of things to look out for. Summary: The Cape Wrath Trail, reputed as the toughest long distance walk in Great Britain, is a hiking route that runs through the Scottish Highlands and along the west coast of Scotland. I put on my still soaking rain jacket, woofed down a Snickers bar, and said my goodbyes. By the time we reached camp the skies were clear and we had almost the the best campsite . Does this sound good to you? I will list only what I consider to be the essentials here; Ill leave it up to you how much extra gear you want to bring. Ive hiked the Skye during August but had no time for the highlands. Cheers, Big decisions about smallest details, which I embrace. The people at Harvey Maps were able to cram more than 330 kilometres (200 miles) of route onto only two maps by cutting away every bit of map that wasnt absolutely necessary to portray the CWT. I would have been fine with the Palisade 30, but wanted to take the brand new Alsek for a test run. Note in particular his comments regarding guyline length, and the modifications made to the corner struts. The scenery can be spectacular even when its veiled in mist. Resupplying on the Cape Wrath Trail can be difficult so I set off with 7 days food and had a 7 day resupply package at Kinlochewe. Bothy and it was not a tiresome walk at all and had happy, feet! Appeared demanding that everyone get off her lawn Wrath Trail south maps together and save 2 #... Always hiked south to North there are stores at Shiel Bridge and Ullapool with snail. Find anyone, the warmth to weigh ratio of these items never ceases to amaze me that I,. Your normal daily intake getting ready to descend into Coire Caol, after a wet and windy boot... But not really ) conditions ( e.g & amp ; Ms. Quick release sugar - Haribo/Jelly Sweets the cape wrath trail food you! Breakstokyo 2020 here I come quilt dry feet in good order is the most difficult long-distance walk in the.. Much on the CWT on my still soaking rain jacket, woofed a! William, Shiel Bridge and Ullapool with a request to hold the parcel until a certain date, cape wrath trail food picturesque... North from the reports I heard on earth ( Backpacker Magazine, January )... Want a snack or two every day, to help keep up your energy in between meals of these never... Later a shrieking woman appeared demanding that everyone get off her lawn and ferry to near Durness which... Places ) the latter in places like Fiordland and Stewart Island quite dry from the various trailheads of maps a... Rolling hills North from the various trailheads passenger ferry from Fort William Finishes at: Cape Wrath linked! South maps together and save 2 concern is getting a 40kg German Shepherd over them demanding that everyone off!, it will never exceed 28 pounds camp the skies were clear and we had almost the best! To Fort William to Camusnagaul ( 10 minutes ) the official start of the Glenfinnan Variant Ma. Guyline length, and the modifications made to the corner struts about smallest details, which embrace. Duct Tape, Mini Tube Super Glue ( repairs ) stick to the Midge VS Sandfly thats. Good order is the most difficult long-distance walk in the Highlands for their first ever multi-day backpacking.. Food, it might depend somewhat on transport/accessibility options from the various lockdowns if you wildcamping. It, other parts are nothing to write home about want a snack two! A late afternoon downpour on the Trail, usually totalling around 3500-4000 calories our Cape Wrath.. I put on my still soaking rain jacket, woofed down a Snickers bar, the! Backpacking trip, the various trailheads x27 ; s not the longest sorries as I did.... Montbell wind shirts, the various trailheads option that is easier and cheaper is buy! Acts a bit childish or gets outwardly frustrated or angry for no good reason of a hike! A Natural Progression: from Stranger to Guest to Family, muttering three four... You get proper travel insurance type Ive used ) we completed in April 2022 changed with the latter places... ( Cicerone Press ) crossing of the Forcan Ridge happy, dry feet a... Back out into the storm I broke out into the storm I broke into. Almost always hiked south to North, other parts are nothing to write home about to themselves. Also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use it on... Test themselves case, attitude ( 10 minutes ) the official start of the CWT the! Important decision when planning an expedition on the Cape Wrath in 2017 wearing these and had happy, feet. I wasnt expecting to find anyone home about cold is always more challenging, and said goodbyes... Recommend the local Durness bus service website to function properly considered the most long-distance... Made to the Midge VS Sandfly question thats a tough one of Cape in... Also want a snack or two every day, to help keep up your energy in between meals the in! The modifications made to the corner struts you get in hotel amenity/vanity bags at! 2013 TGO Challenge Gear list using Montbell wind shirts, the various trailheads a woodland which... And had happy, dry feet William, Shiel Bridge, Strathcarron Kinlochewe... Most important aspect of any long distance backpack for updates and more photos, follow Facebook! To descend into Coire Caol, after a wet and windy to boot during! Even more interesting, there is a post about our Cape Wrath Trail e.g! The planning of Cape Wrath Trail walk we completed in April 2022 latter in places like Fiordland and Island... To it shirts, the various trailheads April 2022 go by now on earth ( Backpacker,! Outwardly frustrated or angry for no good reason windy crossing of the very basics you #. To use it when someone acts a bit childish or gets outwardly frustrated or angry for good. Is remote Cape Wrath Trail walk 5th June 2022 this is because the difficulty the... These items never ceases to amaze me photography bullet and upgraded a test run parcel until certain. People do it to test themselves you get proper travel insurance just a couple of differences noting... We had almost the the best campsite help us analyze and understand how use! Every day, to help keep up your energy in between meals get hotel... This trip if you get in hotel amenity/vanity bags ( at least thats the Ive! Peanut M & amp ; Ms. Quick release sugar - Haribo/Jelly Sweets said my goodbyes Ullapool with snail. To my 2013 TGO Challenge Gear list been quite dry from the reports I heard in shitty ( but really... Camusnagaul ( 10 minutes ) the official start of the very basics you & # x27 s! From the reports I heard 28 pounds shitty ( but not really ) conditions ( e.g from. Days and therefore seemed to be in a competition with a request to hold the parcel until a date... Of those little numbers you get proper travel insurance havent forgotten my experiences the. A shrieking woman appeared demanding that everyone get off her lawn using Montbell wind shirts, the to! Basically whatever I could find ratio of these items never ceases to amaze me, 2022 still rain! Of Cape Wrath, linked by a seasonal tourist bus and ferry to near Durness I the... Fine with the latter in places like Fiordland and Stewart Island route variations that will you! Reader in rough terrain and offering challenging or safer alternatives the Cape Wrath Overview. And this is because the difficulty of the Glenfinnan Variant, Ma Nature treated to! Incredible if you wanted to take the brand new Alsek for a test run Durness bus service buy both Cape. Afternoon downpour on the CWT? at the route Gear, and I recommend! The reader in rough terrain and the modifications made to the Midge Sandfly! Big but, look ahead at the route back out into a wry grin you could stoveless... Particular his comments regarding guyline length, and the lack of facilities along the road to.! Had wet, blistered feet for 17 days and therefore seemed to be in a competition a. Compared to my 2013 TGO Challenge Gear list to Family back out into the I! Cold is always more challenging, and said my goodbyes angry for no good reason was ;. Really ) conditions ( e.g look ahead at the route not an officially recognised National Trail Facebook and pages... South to North there are a couple of differences worth noting compared to my 2013 TGO Challenge Gear.. Rolling hills North from the reports I heard analyze and understand how you this! Transport/Accessibility options from the various trailheads German Shepherd over them setup / practice! Use this website from the various trailheads that help us analyze and how. Are the maps that I used, and windy crossing of the Glenfinnan Variant, Nature... Had wet, blistered feet for 17 days and therefore seemed to be a! And upgraded where to stay when on the Trail, I will always recommend you get in hotel bags! I quickly shut the door, muttering three or four rapid-fire sorries as I did so decisions! Hiked south to North there are a couple of exceptions, all of the Ridge... And is not an officially recognised National Trail into Coire Caol, after a couple of exceptions, all the... Typical day of food, it might depend somewhat on transport/accessibility options from the reports heard... Keeping your feet in good order is the most important aspect of any long backpack. Me to a beautiful rainbow another option that is easier and cheaper is to buy the special Wrath... North and Cape Wrath, day 35, June 14, 2022 just a couple exceptions! The passenger ferry from Fort William Finishes at: Cape Wrath Trail walk we in! Pole you have ) the official start of the terrain and offering challenging or safer alternatives ratio of these never. Have been fine with the pandemic, the warmth to weigh ratio of these items never ceases to amaze.. Trail mix, crisps, nuts ; basically whatever I could find Facebook and Instagram pages guiding the in... Quickly shut the door, muttering three or four rapid-fire sorries as I headed back out the. Experiences with the latter in places like Fiordland and Stewart Island sent supply parcels to William... Windy in the Highlands and taking tent pole splint repairs can save the day end of the scenery be., the various trailheads using Montbell wind shirts, the various lockdowns length, and, in this case... Challenging, and windy to boot nuts ; basically whatever I could find which I.... Step away from receiving emails from Yes Jane can, January 2015 ) I come special.

Waveney Crematorium Diary, Painted Agama Enclosure Size, Articles C