Total Walking

From Kyle of Lochalsh, Pathfinder guide 43

Download a PDF of the sample walk (0.78Mb)

Click map to view full size

This brief walk crosses flower-rich croftland at the sea’s edge. Port an-eorna was returned to active crofting in 1996, and, close by, runrig strips of cultivated land from earlier crofting episodes are also visible. The combination of sea and coastal farmlands is peaceful and relaxing, and the abundance of wild flowers in summer sure to make this modest outing one of great pleasure.

There is limited parking near the railway station at Duirinish, and from here turn past the railway cottages to reach a broad grassy track leading to a stile over a fence. Beyond, head slightly downhill to cross another fence, the route having occasional waymarks for the ‘Coastal Walk’. At the second fence, turn right and follow it across more stiles and a bridge to reach the village of Drumbuie A

The tiny enclave of Drumbuie is a delightful, almost random, scattering of cottages and houses tucked snugly into the landscape. Follow the road through it to a gate near a large agricultural shed. Through the gate, follow the on-going track beside which there are examples of runrig cultivation.

Runrig is a system of community farming on arable land under which, traditionally, strips of ground were apportioned by lot on an annual or triennial basis. When the land was divided, a portion was always set aside for the landless, known in Scotland as cionagan nam bochd, the plots of the poor (a cionag was 1⁄4 cliteag, or 1⁄4 feorling, i.e. ‘farthing land’). Because the land was poorly drained, either by landform or neglect, cultivation was generally undertaken in long narrow strips running parallel with the slope of the land.

These allotments, or ‘beds’, were traditionally about 2 yds (1.75m) wide, divided from each other by a trough about 1ft deep and 2 ft wide. Under this form of multiple lazy bed (termed feannagan taomaidh), the ground was invariably dry for the growing crop, usually potatoes, though oats, barley and turnips were also grown.

Cross the railway, and go left on a small track, following the field boundary to the shore B. The route passes along the edge of an area planted with yellow flag iris, and where a host of flowers grow in summer including the butterfly orchid. The area is especially popular with seabirds and otters, and attempts are being made to re-establish corncrakes in the area. The corncrake is an infuriating bird: its voice is a determined and rasping ‘crex-crex’, which it repeats sometimes for hours on end, yet it is virtually impossible to spot one, leading some to suggest that the corncrake has ventriloquial abilities.

At the shoreline, at a small rocky bay, bear right and follow the coastline, on an indistinct path, to a stile spanning a fence, beyond which lies the small township of Port an-eorna (Barley Port) C, reached by a narrow path. At a road, turn right and follow this to a double-gated level crossing. Over this, bear right with the surfaced lane back to Duirinish station.

Along the Coastal Path above Aberporth