Achmelvich Bay and the Hermit's Castle
White sand and turquoise water near Lochinver, and the smallest castle in Europe on the rocks.
- Distance
- 4.9 km
- Ascent
- 110 m
- Time
- 1.5 h
- Grade
- Easy
- Route
- Out and back
- High point
- 65 m
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Route mapped on from OpenStreetMap paths, with heights from EU-DEM terrain data; not yet checked on the ground by TRXO. Added to TRXO on . For planning only: always navigate with an up-to-date map such as OS Explorer or Harvey. How we make our routes.
About this walk
Achmelvich Bay and the Hermit's Castle is an easy 4.9 km out-and-back walk with 110 m of ascent, taking about 1.5 hours. It starts at Achmelvich car park (grid reference NC 058 248).
Achmelvich is the beach everyone photographs in Assynt: white sand and water the colour of the Caribbean, in a sheltered bay a few miles from Lochinver. A path over the headland leads to the Hermit's Castle, a concrete folly the size of a garden shed built by an architect in the 1950s, and on to a second beach at Alltan na Bradhan with the remains of a mill.
Route
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1
The bays
Cross the beach, find the Hermit's Castle on the headland and continue to the second bay, then return.
Summit
Questions about this walk
- How long does Achmelvich Bay and the Hermit's Castle take?
- Most walkers take 1.5–1.5 hours for the 4.9 km route, which has 110 m of ascent. That allows for short stops; give yourself longer in winter, in poor weather or with a group.
- Where does the walk start, and where can I park?
- It starts at Achmelvich car park (grid reference NC 058 248). Car park at the beach (charge).
- Can I get there by public transport?
- No practical public transport.
- How hard is it?
- It's graded easy. Beach and rocky headland paths.
- Can I take my dog?
- Yes, dogs are welcome on this walk. Keep them on a lead near livestock.
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