Scourie Camping Weekend 1-3 August 2025
On Friday 1st August eleven members and friends left Inverness for NW Sutherland and Scourie for a camping weekend. This year we chose a campsite as a base, rather than a wildcamp, with plenty of hiking nearby. Ewen and Michael arrived earliest, negotiated the formalities and picked the sea view. As others arrived we all congregated in a windy spot to avoid the wee midgies that preferred the lower pitches.
On Saturday Foinaven was the objective of Martin, Sherine, Mel and David, but by two different routes. David took in a 40km run from Loch Stack to Meall Hourn, Foinaven and Arkle, having more stamina than the racehorses named after these hills! Mel, Sherine and Martin cycled in from the North along the bumpy Srath Dionarid track. A circuit around Ganu Mor corrie yielded huge views, as far as Orkney and Caithness at times, before arriving on the summit within 2 minutes of David! Ducking out of the wind behind the cairn the bigger group descended quartzite scree and rough ground to pick up a deer and human path descending back into the Srath.
Stuart & Emma climbed the Old man of Stoer, a local rock pinnacle just offshore. Emma came back enthusing about their Absolutely incredible day. Stuart lead the sea stack climb, but both were glad to find they didn’t need to swim the channel and could pull themselves across the seawater gap on a pre-placed rope.
(Photos from the Old Man of Stoer, Tarbet coastal walk, and Foinaven below)
Ewen & Michael headed towards Tarbet before circling back to Scourie. Armin, Daniel and Janusz also took the coastal route. Armin writes: Our walk started in the peaceful village of Scourie, following a quiet trail meandering through beautiful Highland scenery. The 4.5-mile (7.2 km) route to Tarbet offered fantastic coastal views, with dramatic moorland, lochans, and the occasional sighting variety of birds. At Tarbet, we caught a small passenger ferry across to Handa Island, a stunning wildlife reserve. Once on the island, we’ll follow a well-marked circular trail around the cliffs, where we’re likely to spot puffins, skuas, and other seabirds nesting during the summer months. Janusz took the time for a quick dip in the sea, in full view of the tourist boat.
Saturday evening held relays of fresh pizza orders from The Bar in the Spar, on site, along with rehydrating beers and informal darts competitions. No-one could stay awake too long and most were in bed long before it got dark on the campsite. Overnight rain had cleared by the morning.
After taking tents down on Sunday morning everyone headed for their next objectives. David headed off to climb Ben Hee, a Corbett at the head of Loch Merkland, while Michael and Ewen did a bit of exploring a few miles south of Scourie before heading back to Inverness. Daniel, Armin and Janusz also needed to get back to the city.
Emma and Stuart, and Mel, Sherine and Martin all headed for the Arkle carpark by Loch Stack. Emma and Stuart set off on foot for Foinaven. It was a hard fun slog mostly in the rain and clag. Thankfully as they neared the end of the ridge, the clouds lifted revealing a magical 360 degree view. Time was ticking so they left Arkle for another visit.
Mel, Sherine, Corrie the dog and Martin took a little longer to get ready, but used bikes to overtake Emma and Stuart on the track to Lone. The overnight rain was cascading off the rocky hills, but they were able to find a dry passage up to Aonghais Bheinn before the cloud level was reached. Wind and driving rain meant the passage of the South top and excitingly narrow ridge was shrouded and greasy. The summit of Arkle revealed both a cairn, and an excavated wind shelter, going down into the quartzite layer, rather than the normal piled up rocks. Back across the narrow section and the cloud hinted at views, as they met a lone hiker coming the other way. On the descent various paths came and went, with a deer track taking a route a little close to the steep drops, with everyone making their own time down to the wood, bikes and a swift return to the cars.
A good weekend was had by all, with suggestions to return to the campsite another time. Twelve hours later Storm Floris came through and we were all thankful not to be on the hills or camping at that point!
Taking Part: Stuart, Emma, Ewen, Michael, David, Martin, Mel, Sherine, Daniel, Armin & Janusz.
Photos: Armin, Stuart, Michael, & Martin; Words: Martin, Emma & Armin
