HIGHLANDS & ISLANDS
Cape Wrath wrings poetry from the landscape at the extreme northwesterly point of the British mainland - with no land beyond until the Arctic. The Orkneys play peekaboo through the cloud to the northeast, and the view to the west gives glimpses of the Outer Hebrides. The peninsula holds a special place in the hearts of those who make the long, arduous journey. In summer, birdwatchers eye colonies of puffins nesting in the cliffs, and walkers endure the final stages of the Cape Wrath Trail, an unofficial long-distance walk over extreme terrain from Fort William. For many the draw is the lighthouse, the remotest in Britain, built in 1828 atop pink-hued cliffs by master architect Robert Stevenson. It’s a memorable symbol of humanity’s desire and ability to tame the world’s wildest places.
* Getting to Cape Wrath is a challenge. There is only one road, separated from the main road network by the Kyle of Durness. Take the passenger ferry, then the minibus to complete the eleven-mile journey (visitcapewrath.com).