📌 Durness, Highland
★★★
Paths radiate off in different directions from the 17th century ruins of Balnakeil Church. While west takes you to the beautiful Kyle of Durness, the route north across Balnakeil Bay takes you to another world. The rocky prominence of Faraid Head is almost entirely covered with huge sand dunes, drifting across roads and dwarfing walkers and the odd military vehicle passing below them. The northern tip is part of an MOD firing range (Cape Wrath the target), so gunfire may add another unusual dimension to exploration of the headland. It evidently doesn’t bother the puffins and other seabirds nesting here during late spring and early summer. If the sand is dry and the wind is up, expect to find grains of sand in unexpected places for the rest of your holiday. And leave time for Balnakeil Bay itself – this stunning beach stretches nearly two miles at low tide.
📷 Chronological photo guide
🌍 Location
📌 Start / finish at Balnakeil Church, minor road end 1 mi northwest of Durness
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NC 391687
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 58.576013,-4.767925
🚌 Extremely infrequent bus to Balnakeil Craft Village (0.5 mi)
🚗 Car park
📝 Key info
▶ 7 km / 4 mi | ▲ 110 m | ⌛ 1.5-2 hr
Features: 🏖️ Balnakeil Bay ★★★★; 🌊 Faraid Head
⬤ Easy | Beaches, faint paths and tracks, often covered by drifting sand.
Download file for GPS➡️ Clockwise lollipop circuit: start – Balnakeil Bay – Faraid Head military base via main access track – Geodh’ a’ Lochaidh via east coast – start via outward track
🥾 On our last visit
Wildlife: Seabirds and hundreds of migrating geese overhead.
Weather: Sunny after overnight rain, but very windy with temperatures in single figures.
April 2013
