Britain's last true wilderness

WideWorld discovers Knoydart, where humans are thin on the ground

Britain’s landscape is a man-made one with roads, fields, hedges and boundaries. So getting to somewhere truly wild can take some effort. The Knoydart Peninsula in the highlands of Western Scotland takes more effort than most, but it’s worth it.

There’s no road into Knoydart. Think about that: in such a tarmac-obsessed nation there’s a place you can’t access by road. Travellers must either take a boat from Mallaig or hike approximately 20 miles across some tough terrain to the only village, Inverie. Population: 100.

Humans may be a bit thin on the ground, (although a fair number of hardy travellers do make it this far) but the wildlife isn’t. On land, you can see pine martens, wildcats, otters and red deer, and in the water there are seals, dolphins and basking sharks, as well as Minke whales out in the Sound of Sleat. It’s a twitchers’ paradise too - with golden and white tailed eagles, puffins, shearwaters, and many more.

The Knoydart Foundation bought much of the land on behalf of the residents in 1999 and it’s one wild place that seems set to stay that way.

Sea kayak. Sail. Dive. Hike. Mountain bike. The options for getting out there are almost endless, and the scenery is truly wild in every sense.

Hiking and walking on Knoydart

“There are three Munros [mountains over 3,000 ft (914.4 m)] on the peninsula itself and a great number of lower-level walks,” says Martin Davies from the Doune Guesthouse. “But for something more challenging there’s the north west ridge of Ladhar Bheinn (1020m) - there’s quite a lot of exposure and it’s spectacular”.

The guesthouse offers food and accommodation at Doune, as well as running the powerboat Mary Doune and the 60 ft gaff-cutter Eda Fransen, suitable for diving or hopping around the archipelago known as the Small Isles.

Tommy McManmon is one of Knoydart’s countryside rangers, as well as a member of the mountain rescue team, and for him, there just aren’t any 'best routes': “Think about which hill you want to climb, and then look at a map and work it out yourself.”

“My favourite hill is probably Sgurr Coire Choinnichean (769m), which is the distinctive pointy one which looms above the village.

“I don’t have a favourite route up it because I don’t believe in any such thing. I try and vary the routes I take simply because then you’re having a new experience every time.

The ranger service provides leaflets on the routes out of Knoydart and lower level walks, as well as routes of five hills, including all three Munros. But Tommy warns that “unless your readers have experience of walking in the Highlands, in all conditions, I would not recommend that they try and climb any of the hills here unaccompanied.”

Mountain biking on Knoydart

“You can indeed mountain bike on Knoydart, just like you can anywhere else in Scotland - there are very few restrictions on cycling in this country” says Tommy.

WideWorld can also reveal that “the Knoydart Forest Trust, a separate charity from the Knoydart Foundation, has just completed 3km of mountain-bike trails – mostly red grade, with a red/blue skills loop as well.”

Sea kayaking around Knoydart

Sea kayaking is popular and there are several outfitters that will rent equipment or offer guided paddles. Mike Kingswood runs Sea Kayak Highlands based in Achnaskia back on the mainland which will offer rentals and guiding from 2011.

“A trip out to the Small Isles [Canna, Rum, Eigg and Muck] is always a giggle. It’s all good fun as a destination, not least because there’s a cracking pub, and as sea kayakers we don’t mind going from pub to pub,” says Mike.

He also recommends a day trip from Mallaig down to Loch Nevis, or a longer trip round Loch Hourn, the two lochs either side of the peninsula.

“Sea conditions are generally good because you’re sheltered to an extent and haven’t got that problem of big Atlantic swells, but you are subject to some degree of tidal swell and waves, more so than you would get further south.”

A quick pint on Knoydart

The focal point of Inverie is the pub, The Old Forge. It’s classed as the most remote pub in mainland Britain by the Guinness Book of Records and it’s got a unique character. Alongside top class food such as haggis lasagne or fresh caught lobster, the website proudly proclaims that “the pub encourages hill walkers, yachts and all good folks but not bus parties – and football, politics and religion are banned topics of conversation”.

The Old Forge also does a fine line in raucous home céilídh and everyone’s encouraged to join in. So sit back and have a pint and song. Chances are you earned it getting here.

How to get there

But first you have to get there. Put your boots on and start walking, trooper, it is 20 miles across some pretty hard country. “Some people do mountain bike in instead of walking or catching the ferry, but they end up pushing quite a bit; it’s not a particularly recommended way of getting here,” warns Tommy.

He adds that “people who walk here when there’s lots of snow around have to know how to use ice-axes, crampons and other associated gear.

“The safety or otherwise of walking here is not affected by the seasons; it is affected by the ability of people to look after themselves in some very remote hills which have no mobile phone signal.”

If you want to take the ferry from Mallaig instead, then check out the 'Road to the Isles' web page (see below) for details on all the ferry options.

What to bring with you

Everything you need. Be sensible about the gear you’re carrying but remember amenities on the peninsula are limited, with just a small Post Office/village store. This is especially true for divers - while Doune can recharge tanks for you there are no dive groups on the peninsula so you have to pre-arrange a group on the mainland.

Links

Check out http://www.road-to-the-isles.org.uk/knoydart.html for a round up of accommodation, ferries and other amenities on the peninsula.
Knoydart Foundation http://www.knoydart-foundation.com/
Doune Guesthouse http://www.doune-knoydart.co.uk
Sea Kayak Highlands http://www.seakayakhighlands.co.uk
The Old Forge http://www.theoldforge.co.uk/