Kinlochbervie

On the Road to Cape Wrath

Branch off the main coastal route north and visit Kinlochberbvie, the most northerly west coast village on the Scottish mainland, surrounded by beautiful and majestic mountains such as Arkle, Foinavon and Stack, names that inspired some of the world’s finest race horses. This well known fishing port is in the middle of Scotland’s first and only European Geopark.

The views from Loch Inchard, Kinlochbervie and Loch Clash, and the unbelievable sandy beaches of Oldshoremore, Polin, Shegra and the famous Sandwood Bay are all quite breathtaking, their beauty and solitude unsurpassed.

The earliest known settlers were the Mackays of Sandwood, but there is evidence in the ancient Sheilings and Roundhouses of life in prehistoric times. Nowadays the most common Clan name is Morrison who have connections to the Hebridean Islands going back 400 years. Close to the harbour is the Free Presbyterian Church, built in 1827 to a Thomas Telford design.

The area’s population grew with the Clearances in Strathnaver that made way for sheep, as was sadly common across the Highlands around that time.

Kinlochbervie became one of the booming west coast harbours, built about late 1940s, then in the 1970s moved the short distance of a few hundred metres from Loch Clash to Loch Bervie for better shelter, over time saw the fishing fleet rising to 70 trawlers in the 1980s, now fallen back with declining fish stocks forcing a diversification into different species allowing many of the catches to reach the European markets along with some of the finest shellfish and white fish Scottish waters produce. The fruits of the sea is enjoyed in many of the area’s eateries.

Laxford River and Bay lies to the south, famous for it’s salmon, and further south the village of Scourie, with its nearby RSPB bird sanctuary Island of Handa, once populated until the clearances by the Macleods, who are said to have had their own Parliament and Queen.

North of Kinlochbervie and the Beaches, move on to Cape Wrath, accessible only by ferry and a mini bus trip to the very remote Lighthouse on the most northwest corner of the mainland, an experience enjoyed by most visitors to the area.