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 Beach at Achmelvich |
 Lochinver |
 The Road to Fanagmore |
Set amongst the spectacular scenery of Assynt, Lochinver is a busy little fishing port with a regular fish market. The Visitor Centre houses a display on the history, geology and wildlife of the area. There is a pottery with craft shop and a range of other retailers. Lochinver also offers excellent fishing, with gear available for hire. South of Lochinver a narrow single track road runs through Inverkirkaig en route to Achiltibuie and the Coigach Peninsula.
The mountains of Sutherland and Assynt are popular with walkers. Suilven dominates the Lochinver skyline and is just one of a number of distinctive and isolated mountains running in a line parallel to the west coast the entire length of the Lochinver & Tongue Area. We have individual feature pages covering three of them: Suilven, Quinag, and Ben Stack.
Lochinver is the start of the Assynt coast road, the twisting single track road that runs north to the base of the Stoer Peninsula, then east to Kylesku. En route it takes in some of the most beautiful scenery in Scotland. Passing close to Achmelvich, it goes via Clachtoll, Stoer, Drumbeg and Nedd.
Heading north from Lochinver, and a couple of miles off the main road, is Achmelvich a tiny bay village with stunning white sands and turquoise blue water.
Inland, meanwhile, the main A road up the west coast goes through Elphin and Inchnadamph, passing the nearby ruins of Ardvreck Castle, en route to Kylesku.
At Kylesku, a beautiful curving road bridge now crosses the mouth of two lochs. Boat trips operate in the summer to Britain's highest waterfall at the head of Loch Glencoul, the 650 foot Eas-Coul-Aulin waterfall. The same boat also provides the only means of access to the remote Kerrachar Gardens.
Ten miles north of Kylesku is the popular holiday village of Scourie which offers safe bathing from its sandy beaches. From nearby Tarbet, it is possible to take a boat trip to Handa Island, a Nature Reserve with seabird colonies and seals. Close to Tarbet are the tiny settlements of Foindle and Fanagmore.
A little inland from Scourie and just past Laxford Bridge and Ben Stack, is the tiny estate hamlet of Achfary. North of Scourie is one of Scotland's major fishing ports, at Kinlochbervie. It is set in a rocky inlet off the main road system, but attracts traders from all over Europe to its fish market.
Just north west of Kinlochbervie is the starting point for the four mile walk to Sandwood Bay, one of the most isolated and certainly one of the most stunning beaches in the country.
