Coigach Tour - South to North

Ullapool to Knockan

As the main road north leaves Ullapool it climbs away from the shores of Loch Broom, past a minor turn to Rhue to drop down to the shoreline again at Ardmair. The peninsula is now home to a string of static caravans and a camping site. What draws the eye is the long cliffs of Ben Mor Coigach forming an impressive backdrop to the bay, a ridge that looks imposing and offering a splendid high level route. This is bourne out in practise although the easiest approach from the west end is a long way away by road. This is the first real view of the Coigach hills and is impressive enough, but if you want to see what the bay looked like before the tourist developments were added turn to The Best of Poucher's Scotland.

The road follows a river valley inland to cross the Strath Kanaird valley, home to a small hydro electric station and an obvious track that winds it way westwards into the wide expanse of hills south of the Cromalt Hills. By the river bridge a minor road covers the short distance to Blughasary - it has a small car park located a few yards beyond the houses. This is the start of a path to Culnacraig and the thence Achiltibuie along the northern shores of Loch Broom. It is only 8km along the path, a fraction of that taken by the road, but by all accounts and our own exploration this is a very rough path indeed - often difficult to find on the ground. You need to allow at least 3 hours. A new track (not shown on the OS map) also runs out to Lochan Eadar dha Bheinn, providing an access to Speicin Coinnich at the eastern end of the Ben Mor Coigach ridge.

The main road now swings inland in a wide sweep along the eastern boundary of Coigach and through Assynt to meet the sea again at Kylesku. The road stays on the eastern side of the River Runie and as it approaches a few trees and a small lochan you get a first glimpse of the characteristic hills of Coigach - Stac Pollaidh and Cul Beag.

A mile or so farther on the minor road that runs through the centre of Coigach district to Achiltibuie is reached; in addition to access to the hills a second minor road winds its way up the west coast to Inverkirkaig and Lochinver.

The main road continues around the eastern flank of Cul Beag to pass under the cliffs of Knockan, where there is a visitor centre run by the Nature Conservancy Council. Just beyond the centre a stalkers path sets off north then west onto the lower slopes of the doble topped mountain of Cul Mor, the highest and most northerly of the Coigach hills. Beyond this the road drops to the scattered community of Elphin and the southern edge of Assynt district.

North into Assynt at Elphin.