Cape Wrath

There is a place on the tip of north west Scotland called Cape Wrath. It’s a remote wilderness that takes a fair bit of effort to get to.
From the south the only way is to hike. The other way is via the tiny hamlet of Keoldale. Once there, between May and October, and only when the tides and weather permit, there’s a small passenger boat that can take you across the Kyle of Durness to and from Cape Wrath.
From the slipway on the other side is a service road of around 11 miles to Cape Wrath lighthouse. It was built in 1828. It’s in a bit of a sorry state.
No one lives on the Cape other than a couple who rent some old buildings near the lighthouse and have opened a cafe there. The military use a chunk of the land for training, mostly in the spring and autumn.

I’d come to know of this place through reading about the Cape Wrath Fellowship. When it was established by Rex Coley in 1955 (under the name of the Rough Stuff Fellowship) the aim was to preserve the bicycle as a means for adventure and not just competition.
To become a member of the Cape Wrath Membership all you need to do is ride a bike from the slip to the lighthouse. Collect some evidence of being there (a photo of your bike is enough nowadays), and submit that to the custodians of the Fellowship which is currently Cycling UK.

Just the name of the place had me captivated. All it means is turning point but that took nothing of the romance and drama away.

I planned a route and committed to riding there from South Foreland lighthouse, atop the White Cliffs of Dover near St Margaret’s Bay, Kent. It took me eight days to ride to Durness, the closest town to Keolvale. I camped there for a night before trying my luck with the ferry. Fortunately the weather and tides were both fine. I made the crossing. I was so happy to be over the water and was now able to ride the final 11 miles to the lighthouse.

With nothing more to do after pictures being taken, tea drunk and a bit of walk round I got on my bike and headed back. I decided to stay the night in Kearvaig Bothy. It’s off the service road, down a small even rougher road towards a small beach. There was a few other cyclists there who I had met while waiting for the ferry also staying there the night.
Woke up to clear and sunny skies. Rode back to the slipway, got on the boat and was ferried over to Keovale once more.

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A person stands beside a brown sign that reads Cape Wrath Ferry (passenger) Minibus Service to Lighthouse. Behind them, a loaded touring bicycle leans against the signpost. The grassy verge and a winding road lead down to misty waters in the background.
1,408 km to get this far. I was very happy to be here.
A wide, misty view of a calm bay with green fields in the foreground. A low stone wall runs towards the water, and scattered white houses are visible along the distant shoreline. Hills shrouded in fog rise across the water.
Calm and misty. Looking good.
A fully loaded touring bicycle stands next to road signs indicating directions: Cape Wrath 12, Keoldale ½, and East Keoldale Pier. Beyond the signs, a quiet road runs beside a bay with distant hills fading into the mist.
Only another 12 miles. And a water crossing.
A touring bicycle leans against a large white sign that states Cape Wrath Bombardment Range and provides a warning that the road across the range may be subject to delays. Bright green grass, a rocky outcrop, and water are visible in the background on a cloudy, misty day.
Two Days Earlier
A loaded touring bicycle leans against a wooden post with an orange lifebuoy mounted on it beside a slipway leading down to a calm body of water. The setting is overcast with distant green hills visible across the water.
East Keoldale Pier
Several bicycles with touring panniers are parked along a roadside next to a waterfront. A group of people, some in bright outdoor jackets, are gathered near road and caution signs. Hills covered in greenery rise across the water under a cloudy sky.
In Good Company
Two loaded touring bicycles lie in a small boat or ferry crossing a scenic body of water. The background features steep, verdant hillside slopes dotted with shrubs and trees beneath a grey sky.
Two by Two.
A narrow, weathered country road winds through open green moorland under an overcast sky. Low hills and grass stretch into the distance on either side of the road.
The Kyle of Durness from Cape Wrath
A wide view of rolling green hills and cliffs meets a distant coast and bay. The landscape is rugged and open, the water stretches out to the horizon, and the sky is covered with thick clouds.
From the Slip Road
A rough, rural track runs alongside a wire fence overlooking a large body of water and rolling hills. The landscape is lush and green, and the sky is cloudy and grey.
Towards the Lighthouse
A person stands in the foreground on a grassy verge next to a rough country road, wearing outdoor gear with rolling hills, a large body of water, and cloudy skies visible in the background.
I'm Gonna Make It
A remote, gravel road leads to a small hut painted in a checkerboard pattern with several warning and informational signs. A bicycle loaded with bags is parked by a raised gate beside the road, with grassy fields and the coastline in the distance.
Pass Go.
A panoramic view across wide, open moorland with gently sloping green hills. A wire fence runs diagonally into the distance, and a mountain peak is visible under dramatic cloud cover.
Nothing for Miles
A rugged single-lane gravel track stretches into the distance across a windswept moorland, with a prominent mountain rising in the background under a cloudy sky. Pools of water and lush green moss line the track.
Rocky Road
Two cyclists ride sturdy off-road bikes along a narrow, rough path bordered by grass and moorland, under an overcast sky.
You Don't See One for Ages...
A loaded touring bicycle rests beside a cracked and weathered moorland road that disappears into the horizon. Rolling green hills and distant sea are visible beneath a partly cloudy sky.
Just Looking Around
A small stream flows through a hilly, grassy landscape under a partly cloudy sky, with lush green vegetation and rocks along the banks.
Wilderness
A rough, narrow track winds through open moorland, with patches of grass and moss on each side, hills visible in the distance, and a cloudy sky overhead.
I Can See the Sea
An old gravel road curves along the side of a grassy hill, overlooking expansive, waterlogged moorland below with mountains on the horizon and a dramatic, cloudy sky.
Maybe Just Round the Next Bend
A rugged track leads toward a distant white lighthouse and its outbuildings, set on rolling green hills with a cloudy sky above.
Yay! It's the Lighthouse!
A cyclist stands between two stone gateposts on a rough path giving a double thumbs up, with a lighthouse and low white buildings visible across an open grassy landscape under a cloudy sky. A bicycle loaded with bags is parked nearby.
So Pleased
Close-up of a green touring bicycle with red panniers parked by a metal gate near a white lighthouse with a black lantern room and surrounding outbuildings, set in grassy terrain with a cloudy sky overhead.
Evidence. The Cape Wrath Fellowship.
White cottage with several bicycles parked outside sits on green grass above a beach with waves breaking on a sandy shore. Rugged cliffs rise in the distance and a muddy track leads toward the sea. Sheep graze on the grass.
Kearvaig Bothy
Long straight stony track runs through open moorland covered in rough grass and heather. The sky is bright blue with scattered clouds and the sun shining through, creating a scenic and remote atmosphere.
Clear and Sunny Skies on Cape Wrath
A person stands on a stone pier next to two bicycles, gazing across a calm lake under a bright blue sky with scattered clouds. The surrounding landscape features low, green hills and another small boat is visible on the water in the distance.
Waiting on the Slip
Several bicycles rest in the bow of a small metal boat as it floats across a lake toward green hills under a sunny sky with puffy clouds.
Back Over to Keoldale
A group of people with bicycles gathers on a sloped stone jetty next to a small metal boat tied up at the water’s edge. Some people wear helmets and backpacks, and the scene is bathed in bright daylight.
The Next Adventurers
A small metal boat carrying several passengers speeds away from a stone jetty across a wide lake, with green hills and mountains in the background under a sky with scattered clouds.
They're Off!
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I had a bit more time than anticipated so spent the next few days riding over to Duncansby Head Lighthouse on the east coast. Stopped off at Dunnet Head and John O Groats on the way. I then headed west again to get a ferry from Scrabness to Stromness, Orkney. Rode around the island in a day then got a night ferry from Kirkwall down to Aberdeen. Caught a train from Aberdeen back to London and then a short ride home to Kent.

It was an adventure. I think Rex Coley would have approved.

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A certificate for the Cape Wrath Fellowship featuring an illustrated map and drawing of a lighthouse, awarded to Alexander Turner in 2024 for cycling from Keoldale Ferry to Cape Wrath in Scotland, signed and dated by the custodian.

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