GuardTrailsScotland — Northwest Highlands · July
Off the beaten track
The Secret Northwest: Geopark & Hidden Coves
Less-visited places, with one or two classics all the same.
Venture off the beaten path to explore the ancient geological wonders of Knockan Crag, the remote sands of Sandwood Bay, and the quiet crofting hamlets of Coigach.
- days14
- bases7
- stages12
- nights13
- transfer days6
- stage to stage660 km
- at the wheel, day by day13 h 10
Who this itinerary is for
This itinerary suits a traveller looking for: a trip in July and days of walking.
The area
Venture off the beaten path to explore the ancient geological wonders of Knockan Crag, the remote sands of Sandwood Bay, and the quiet crofting hamlets of Coigach.
The map
Loading the map…
The days at a glance
One line per day: where you sleep, what the day is, the road, and how its time is split.
| Day | Evening base | The day | Road | Time of the day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day1 | Evening base : Inverness | ArrivalInverness, arrival | Road 16 min | |
| Day2 | Evening base : Elphin | TransferElphin & Knockan Crag Geopark | Road 1 h 37 | |
| Day3 | Evening base : Durness | TransferDurness & Smoo Cave | Road 1 h 10 | |
| Day4 | Evening base : Durness | Day on siteDurness & Smoo Cave | — | |
| Day5 | Evening base : Kinlochbervie | TransferKinlochbervie & Sandwood Bay | Road 27 min | |
| Day6 | Evening base : Kinlochbervie | Day excursionTarbet & Handa Ferry | Road 41 min | |
| Day7 | Evening base : Kinlochbervie | Day on siteKinlochbervie & Sandwood Bay | — | |
| Day8 | Evening base : Clachtoll | TransferBroch | Road 1 h 02 | |
| Day9 | Evening base : Clachtoll | Day excursionUllapool & Stac Pollaidh | Road 1 h 11 | |
| Day10 | Evening base : Dundonnell | TransferDundonnell & Corrieshalloch | Road 1 h 27 | |
| Day11 | Evening base : Dundonnell | Day excursionCoigach Crofting & Crafts | Road 58 min | |
| Day12 | Evening base : Dundonnell | Day excursionRed Point Hidden Beaches | Road 1 h 51 | |
| Day13 | Evening base : Kinlochewe | TransferKinlochewe & Loch Maree | Road 53 min | |
| Day14 | — | DepartureInverness, departure | Road 1 h 37 |
- programme
- road
- free time
12.0 h usable every day
Good to know
What it leaves aside
This route requires driving on extremely narrow, single-track roads with fewer amenities and hotels, and relies on walking to reach the most remote beaches.
Getting there
Fly to Inverness Airport (INV), 16 min by road from the start.
Where you sleep
The region offers a mix of hotels, guesthouses, hostels, and campsites, but booking well in advance is essential during the peak summer season due to high demand.
Safety
United Kingdom: advice not read at publication time — check the official advice before booking. Official advice
Check before booking and before taking out insurance: the advice may have changed since.
Why this version, the cost in detail and the sources are on the method page. Read the method →
When, and for how long
How long?
- You ask for
- 14days
- The area needs, at least
- 15days
- Days kept
- 14days
Travelling in July.
The climate — July
- Daily high, 1 day in 4 is hotter
- 20 °C
- Daily high, 1 day in 20 is hotter
- 25 °C
- Unfavourable day
- 11%
- Windy day
- 1%
Rain, wind and temperature are measured over the 8 h in the middle of the day, on a historical baseline of 75 observations (Open-Meteo). It is a measuring window, not the length of your day: each day of the programme counts 12 h of usable time.
The itinerary, day by day
12 stages over 14 days, in the order of the days. A stage appears on the day you first reach it: you sleep several nights at some, and a day trip leaves from your base and brings you back to it. Each day has its own page.
Every day of this trip has 12 h of usable time. Room to breathe — we have not padded these days to fill them: the free time left is part of the trip.
- Day 1ARRIVALInverness, arrival · night in Inverness3 h planned · 16 min on the roadSee the day →
Stage 2 · Elphin
Elphin & Knockan Crag Geopark
We sleep in Elphin, 3.3 km from the place visited
1 night · climate favourable
- Day 2Elphin & Knockan Crag Geopark · night in Elphin8 h planned · 1 h 37 on the roadSee the day →
Stage 3 · Durness
Durness & Smoo Cave
We sleep at Durness Youth Hostel, 200 m away
2 nights · climate favourable
- Day 3Durness & Smoo Cave · night in Durness9 h planned · 1 h 10 on the roadSee the day →
- Day 4AT BASEDurness & Smoo Cave · night in Durness9 h 30 plannedSee the day →
Stage 4 · Kinlochbervie
Kinlochbervie & Sandwood Bay
We sleep at Kinlochbervie Hotel, 2.9 km away
3 nights · climate favourable
- Day 5Kinlochbervie & Sandwood Bay · night in Kinlochbervie7 h planned · 27 min on the roadSee the day →
Stage 5 · Tarbet
Tarbet & Handa Ferry
Day trip from Kinlochbervie · no night here · climate favourable
- Day 6EXCURSIONfrom Kinlochbervie → Tarbet & Handa Ferry9 h planned · 41 min on the roadSee the day →
- Day 7AT BASEKinlochbervie & Sandwood Bay · night in Kinlochbervie8 h plannedSee the day →
Stage 6 · Clachtoll
Broch
We sleep in Clachtoll, 700 m from the place visited
2 nights · climate favourable
- Day 8Broch · night in Clachtoll9 h planned · 1 h 02 on the roadSee the day →
Stage 7 · Ullapool
Ullapool & Stac Pollaidh
Day trip from Clachtoll · no night here · climate favourable
- Day 9EXCURSIONfrom Clachtoll → Ullapool & Stac Pollaidh8 h 30 planned · 1 h 11 on the roadSee the day →
Stage 8 · Dundonnell
Dundonnell & Corrieshalloch
We sleep in Dundonnell, 14.4 km from the place visited
3 nights · climate favourable
- Day 10Dundonnell & Corrieshalloch · night in Dundonnell2 h planned · 1 h 27 on the roadSee the day →
Stage 9 · Achiltibuie
Coigach Crofting & Crafts
Day trip from Dundonnell · no night here · climate favourable
- Day 11EXCURSIONfrom Dundonnell → Coigach Crofting & Crafts9 h planned · 58 min on the roadSee the day →
Stage 10 · Redpoint
Red Point Hidden Beaches
Day trip from Dundonnell · no night here · climate favourable
- Day 12EXCURSIONfrom Dundonnell → Red Point Hidden Beaches8 h planned · 1 h 51 on the roadSee the day →
- Day 13Kinlochewe & Loch Maree · night in Kinlochewe9 h planned · 53 min on the roadSee the day →
- Day 14DEPARTUREInverness, departure · end of the trip3 h planned · 1 h 37 on the roadSee the day →
What it costs, roughly
€1,788 to €2,835 per person
€128 to €202 per day
Based on: 4 people.
The cost estimate and the availability of accommodation, transport and activities are as of 6 November 2026: prices and availability change over time.
Where the money goes, and how this figure is obtained →To check
1 point to look at before booking.
D6Shuttle with limited departures: check the timetable and book — Tarbet & Handa Ferry → Handa Island
shuttle with limited departures — the timetable is not checked here: look it up before booking
What the review flagged
Our automatic checks flag these points to verify before booking.
- Days 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14: the programme review flags a point to check (bothersome).
The method
Why this version, what sets it apart from the others, the cost in detail, the interest of the places, the automatic review and the sources.
Read the method →