Information
Dates: 1st April - 19th September
2010
Tel: 01571 844 480
NB: nearby campsite shop & chip shop
open throughout the summer. There is a bus service to and from
Hostel throughout the summer
Please note that we do not accept stag or hen parties at any of
our hostels.
Local Attractions
Assynt Visitor Centre, Lochinver
All you need to know about visiting the area, under one roof. Great
displays, wildlife info & spotting details, a great place for
quick information or a rainy afternoon.
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Ardvreck
Castle
A ruined castle in a magnificent location.
Part of Historic Scotland
Visit Website
Clachtoll Broch
Remains of a broch close
to the shoreline.
Visit Website
Clachtoll Salmon Bothy & Ice
House
with displays organized by the Assynt
Historical Society.
Coigach & Assynt Driving tour
taking
in the best of this magnificent area.
Visit Website
Culag Community Woodland Trust
The Trust
manages both the Culag Woods, located south of the harbour at
Lochinver, and the Little Assynt Estate, 6kms east of the village
including the newly extended all-abilities path
Visit Website
Kirkaig Falls
A well trodden path leads to
the impressive 60ft falls of Kirkaig on the south side of Suilven.
Treat yourself to a coffee or an ice cream afterwards in Achins
bookshop/coffee shop at the start/end of the track.
Inchnadamph National Nature
Reserve
Including the Traligill Limestine / River
Caves & the Prehistoric Bone Caves Underground streams &
Prehistoric remains are highlights of this reserve.
Twenty miles north of Ullapool, off the A837 road
Visit
Website
Loch a’ Mhuilinn
The most northern remnant
of native oak woodland in Britain survives on this reserve. The
stunting effects of westerly gales are clearly visible with some of
the oaks reduced to a creeping form near the sea.
Four miles south of Scourie, off the A894 road.
Visit
Website
Sandwood Bay
One of Scotland's best
beaches.
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The Old Man of Stoer & Stoer
Lighthouse
A magnificant 60 metre high sea stack of
Torridonian sandstone.
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Highland Stoneware Pottery, Lochinver
You
can buy, browse or watch the potters at work.
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Statesman Cruises
Kylesku Boat Trip to the
tallest waterfall in Britain.
Trips leave from Kylesku Pier
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Assynt Angling Information & Research
Accurate information about lochs, permits, boats etc.
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Eating & Drinking (Lochinver area)
The Caberfeidh Restaurant & Public
House
Fantastic selection of traditional home cooked
food, good choice of beers, real ales and wines and spirits.
Main Street, Lochinver
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Achmelvich Beach
Campsite fish and chip
bar (open Jul-Aug)
Lochinver Larder
Fully licensed restaurant
famous for its pies as well as tea, coffee, cakes, lunches &
dinner.
Main Street, Lochinver, IV27 4JY
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The Culag Hotel, Main Street,
Lochinver
Hotel with restaurant as well as The
Wayfarer Pub serving bar meals.
The Village Green, Main Street,
Lochinver
Cute Café where the locals hang out.
Specializing in Fair Trade teas, coffee & home-baking. Also
crafts & gifts sourced both locally and worldwide.
The Albannach Hotel, Baddidarroch,
Lochinver
Award winning restaurant specializing in
organic, locally sourced ingredients.
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The Drumbeg Hotel, Drumbeg
Well priced
restaurant.
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The Kylesku Hotel, Kylesku
Historic hotel
with an award winning pub & attached restaurant.
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Shorehouse Seafood Restuarant,
Tarbet, Nr Handa Island
Family owned & run
seafood restaurant. Locally caught & prepared on site by the
owner, served to you by his daughters! Awesome views, excellent
prices. We LOVE this place!!
Visit Website
Cruachan Guesthouse & Restuarant,
Stoer
Reservations recommended at this small locally
favoured restaurant in the middle of nowhere! Using only
local produce this restaurant is also renowned for its wine
list.
Achins Bookshop & cafe,
Inverkirkaig
Family-run bookshop & café. Home
cooking & home baking. Open till 6pm most evenings – Great way
to start or end your walk to the Falls of Kirkaig.
Maryck Memories of Childhood Museum & tearoom,
Unapool
Family-run tearoom. Very reasonably priced soups, sandwiches,
cakes, teas & coffees.
Old School Hotel &
Restaurant
Inshegra, Kinlochbervie, By Lairg, IV27
4RH.
Visit Website
Inver Lodge Hotel
Lochinver, Sutherland,
Scotland , IV27 4LU
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Walking
Walks from the Hostel
1. Achmelvich Beach & Vestrys Beach (2
minutes).
Walk back down the road leading from the car park for about 150yds,
take a right turn down the sandy path to Achmelvich beach. Walk
along the beach keeping the sea to your left and up the grassy
slope. Over the slope, over the fence via the stile and climb down
the other side to Vestrys Beach. Return via the same route or head
away from the sea towards the croft road, then down the road and
back to the car park.
2. Achmelvich Castle (15 mins).
Walk back down the road leading from the car park 150yds, take a
right turn down the sandy path to Achmelvich beach. Go to the far
left side of the beach and up towards the end of the caravans. Over
the stile, and through the gate at right side of the last green
house. Follow in a clockwise direction around the rocky peninsula,
keeping both the campsite and then the sea on your left hand
side. The castle is well disguised in the rocks so look hard
once you get around the other side of the peninsula! You can go
inside the castle too. How many people can you fit inside all at
once!?
3. Footpath to Altanabradhan (45 mins).
Take the Croft road which leads north from the car park. You will
go through 2 big gates and about ½ mile up the road look for the
wooden ‘Footpath to Altanabradhan’ signpost. Follow the undulating
path off to the left and when you come to a little road/driveway
for the holiday cottages, cross over it still following the
footpath sign. Walk past the big white house (which will be on your
right), keeping the Cathair Dubh holiday cottages on your left and
continue. The old grain mill will soon come into view with
information boards telling you what it was used for. A further 5
minute walk takes you from the mill to the secluded bay of Port
Altanabradhan.
4. Achmelvich to Clachtoll Coastal Walk (1.5
hrs).
Follow directions for route #3 which is on a distinctive path. From
Altanabradhan follow the coast north on one of many sheep tracks,
keeping the sea on your left. As well as a great beach, other
points of interest at Clachtoll are the ‘split rock’, salmon bothy
& broch. This is quieter than Achmelvich and a fantastic place
to watch for whales, dolphins & birdlife.
5. Achmelvich to Loch Roe (20 mins).
You can see Loch Roe (with Suilven in the background) when you are
driving back along the road to Lochinver – it’s the sea loch down
below you on the right hand side (underneath the house named ‘Windy
Hollow’). Sitting on the big rocks along the side of the road is a
great place to spot seals on the tiny islands at the head of the
loch. To get up close to the loch take the trail which starts at
the rusty water tank diagonally across the field from the hostel
& close to the phone box. This path goes around the back of the
field of tall grass/reeds which is situated over the road from the
hostel. You will find a well worn path which takes you through a
gate, over a stream and down to the lochside. This is a great place
for seal and otter spotting.
6. Achmelvich to Lochinver via Baddidarach (1.5
hrs).
Go back along the road about ½ mile until you see the signpost
pointing to the right ‘Footpath to Baddidarach’. Walk along this
croft road for about 1 mile. Just before you get to the croft at
the end of the road, look out for a little stump on your left with
a white arrow pointing off to a trail on the left. At this point
you will also see an old stone building with a red tin roof so just
past this take this trail which follows the stone wall in a
horseshoe shape. Along the way you will be rewarded with fantastic
views of the local mountains as well as a great view of
Lochinver. Go down through Baddidarach and follow the road
until you get to the village.
Moderate Walking
The Old Man of Stoer
A magnificent 60
metre high sea stack of Torridon sandstone.
View Route
Scottish Wildlife Trust Reserve at Handa
Island.
www.swt.org.uk
Longer Walks
Sandwood Bay
One of the most
magnificent beachs in the UK! Over two kilometers of wide
pinkish sand backed by huge sand dunes, cliffs a loch and an
impressive sea stack.
View
Route
Hill Mountain Walks
Ben Stack
A small mountain with a lot of
character.
721m OS Sheet 9, Grid Ref: NC265437
View Route
Suilven
One of the most distinctive
mountains in Scotland, lying in a remote area in the far north west
of sutherland.
2389ft high, OS Landranger 15, Grid Ref: NC153183
View Route
Quinag
A bulky three peaked mountain that
dominates much of the area.
808m (2652 ft) OS Sheet 15, Grid Ref: NC 209292
View
Route
Stac Pollaidh
A spiky mountain with lots
of character. About an hour to get to the top & a great climb
for children.
550m, Grid Ref: NC108 095
View Route
Ben More Assynt
The "big mountain of
Assynt" is located in the far north west of Scotland and is the
highest point in the county of Sutherland.
998m, Grid Ref: NC317201
View Route
Conival
A distinct landmark connected by a
high ridge to Ben More Assynt.
987m (3238 ft), OS Sheet 15, Grid Ref: NC 303199
View
Route
Canisp Canisp
An isolated mountain that
stands in the Glencanisp Forest
847m (2776 ft), OS Sheet 15, Grid Ref: NC 203188
View
Route
Disclaimer: All
walking routes are hosted on external sites, therefore SYHA can
hold no responsibility towards their accuracy. SYHA would also like
to acknowledge the British
Mountaineering Council Participation Statement: "The BMC
recognises that climbing and mountaineering are activities with a
danger of personal injury or death. Participants in these
activities should be aware of and accept these risks and be
responsible for their own actions".
Wildlife
Golden eagle, raven, buzzard, dipper, wildcat, pine martin,
otter, red grouse, ptarmigan, geese, great northern diver, red
throated diver, black throated diver, grey seal, red deer.
Throughout the summer
Over 50
Highland-Ranger guided walks around Assynt
Walks are free, donations accepted
Visit Website
RSPB Guided Walks
to the Lochinver Heronry
every Friday from 2-4pm
Meet at the Assynt Visitor Centre, Lochinver
‘In search of Black Throated Divers’
Every
second Wednesday from June 10th, 10:30am – 12:30pm
Meet at the Assynt Visitor Centre, Lochinver
Inchnadamph Reserve
Caves, tunnels and
underground streams are highlights of this reserve.
20 miles north of Ullapool off A837
Visit
Website
Ben Mor Coigach Reserve
An extensive
reserve extending across mountains, lochs, moorland and peatbogs.
Species – Raven, red grouse, ptarmigan, twite, grey seal, otter,
red deer.
Admission is free.
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Knockan Crag Nature Reserve
A popular
earth science site recognised worldwide where scientists first
discovered a basic principle of geology.
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Point of Stoer
Beautiful coastal scenery
on the most westerly point of Sutherland. Here you will find the
famous Old Man of Stoer, a 200 ft high rock stack just off
shore.
Species – whales, dolphins, porpoises, large variety of breading
seabirds.
North West Highlands Geopark
Highland
Ranger walks and talks for all ages and abilities. These include
rock pool rummages, dragon walks, coastal rambles, mountain walks,
wildlife tracking, plants, flowers, bat evenings and whale and
dolphin watching.
Visit
Website
Culag Woods, Lochinver & Assynt Visitor
Centre
A peaceful area of natural woodland managed
and run by the Culag Community Woodland Trust. Here you will find
varities of plant and insect life as well as a large herony high
above in the trees. In season the heronry can he viewed live on
screen at the Assynt Visitor Centre.
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