I’ll never forget how I felt when my eyes first made out the silhouette of Strathchailleach Bothy against the distant moorland hills of Sutherland. The normal mix of excitement, nervousness and anticipation prevailed, but on this occasion a sense of disbelief was more overriding. I couldn’t believe I’d actually made it to this remote place, which just so happens to be the former home of a hermit for over thirty years. What an incredible history that is!

I’d first been captivated by this story in the award winning book ‘The Bothy Bible‘ and decided there and then that a visit would be made one day. I didn’t know how long that wait would be however. Living near London, its location in the far north of Scotland sure makes it a tough place to get to. Here I was though in the northern reaches of the UK mainland, a little more than a year after first reading about it. For the first time in my life, I was more northern than just about everybody else. Geordies and even Glaswegians were southern fairies in comparison! It was a great feeling and so worth the long drive.

Getting There

Strathchailleach Bothy ( pronounced Strath- Kalier ) is gifted with a great location and the journey to it is a wonderful experience in itself. The most popular approach is via the stunning beach at Sandwood Bay. Type the name into Google and you’ll see many reports that speak of its beauty. It certainly didn’t disappoint.

Before you even reach its golden sand though, you have a six kilometre walk to negotiate. Your car can be left at the car park just north of the village of Blairmore. It is managed by the John Muir Trust and offers a toilet and freshwater drinking tap. The trust also help preserve Sandwood Bay itself and they do a wonderful job. Donations are appreciated and are easy to make at the car park if you feel generous.

Reaching Sandwood Bay

The walk to the beach is a pleasure in settled weather. There is a clear path to follow almost all of the way, only ending when the small dunes need to be negotiated. A windy and wet day would provide a very different experience I am sure, especially with the absence of trees. Then again these conditions have to be expected and embraced. This is the far north of Scotland after all!

Whatever the conditions, you are still likely to enjoy yourself because of the views you’re afforded along the entire route. Several lochs are passed for starters, many flanked by their own shingle beaches. To the south, the Northern Highlands loom tall, while to the east are the more gently rolling hills of the Parph-. an area of wild remote moorland stretching all the way to Cape Wrath.

Now This Is A Beach!

Do you remember Leonardo’s reaction when he and his french travel companions first caught sight of that beach in Thailand? It is hard not to react in a similar way at Sandwood Bay. After making your way through the dunes, the view that greets you just blows you away. What is first noticeable is how remote the beach is. There are no shops or arcades here and it’s all the better for it. The view in each direction is just stunning too, especially if the sun is out. Arrive on a sunny day and that sea will glisten with a deep blue that helps you forget how cold it probably is! That’s even true for mid- summer when you’re this far north.

I have visited many stunning beaches abroad and in the UK too, including those famous ones down in Pembrokeshire National Park. To read about my pick of best beaches there, please click here.

In my opinion Sandwood Bay is certainly up there as one of the best stretches of sand on the mainland. Its setting and tranquility makes it almost impossible not to be.

From Beach To Bothy

At the northern end of the beach, the burn feeding out of the loch needs to be forded. It isn’t too tricky and from there you climb to the headland via a faint path. At this point it is best to stick close to the coast until you reach the Strath Chailleach river flowing into the sea via a waterfall. The video clip below shows what this leg of the journey was like when I completed it. The boggy sections were a bit of a nightmare in places and were as hard to negotiate as the pronunciation of the bothy itself. My walking pole certainly came in handy as a depth checker.

Reaching The Bothy

My feet were thankfully still dry when I eventually stooped through the door and entered Strathchailleach Bothy. Being a typical but and ben building, I checked out the less remarkable left-hand room first. Several bunks were available, as were several cans of Irn Bru. It wasn’t a bad space, but I had a feeling the right hand room would be more interesting.

I had an idea what to expect in this room thanks to photos provided in The Bothy Bible. Seeing it in the flesh was still something else though. It almost felt like I had stepped into a space that was still lived in by the previous occupant of this remote dwelling. I am of course talking about the hermit, who made the place his home for thirty two years.

So Who Was He?

Strathchailleach Bothy was the home of a man called James MacCrory Smith until as recently as 1996. He was known to the locals as Sandy, which I guess must have been due to his isolated home being so close to Sandwood Bay.

The Bothy Bible provides some details about his earlier life before his move to Strathchailleach. It seems he had a more ‘normal’ existence, even enlisting as a squaddie towards the end of WWII. Tragically, his wife was killed in a car crash and his children were taken in by her parents. Soon after these unfortunate events occurred, Sandy lived and worked in several places before finally settling at Strathchailleach. For further details about Sandy, this book is well worth exploring. I was lucky enough to find a copy at the bothy and it made for a very enjoyable read in front of the open fire.

It was amusing reading about some of his antics. He was an unpredictable character, which was evident in the mixed greetings he gave visitors to the area. Sometimes he’d be quite hospitable, while other times would keep his front door locked, even with it being an open shelter for walkers.

A Living Museum

It is amazing how well the bothy has been looked after and respected since Sandy’s death in 1999. Many visitors have come and gone judging by the bothy book and it is great that each has left the place as they found it. I guess reaching such a remote spot takes real effort and many folk probably visit for the same reason I did. The Mountain Bothy Association ( MBA ) volunteers also do a wonderful job in maintaining a building which must get battered by the elements for much of the year. Thank you if you are reading this and are part of that team.

I doubt Strathchailleach Bothy has hardly changed at all over the passing years, hence why it felt like he could walk through the door at any moment. That might sound a bit spooky and indeed I was a bit worried about this prior to visiting. Those fears soon evaporated though as I settled in and got the fire going. It’s a comfortable little building with its white walls and red door. In some ways it reminded me of the incredible Shepherd’s Hut Bothy in the North Pennines. It felt welcoming to me as soon as I entered and I understood why Sandy felt at home there.

He may have found peace up at Strathchailleach, but there is no doubting how tough the winters must have been. Sandy passed much of his time by painting and walking the local moors. Evidence of this can be seen in his many paintings, which still decorate the walls. Sitting by the fire in the fading light, I could almost imagine him working away without a care in the world.

Bothy TV Is Enjoyed

I’ve already mentioned the fire and indeed it was one of the highlights. Many bothy enthusiasts I’ve met in various settings have agreed. You simply can’t beat an open fire in a mountain bothy after dark. Other than the flames, food, drink and possible company, nothing else really matters. Normal life certainly seems a million miles away. Perhaps that was part of the appeal for Sandy.

It was very easy to sit there by the peat fire and imagine what life out here must have been like for him. An almost endless supply of peat sat by the fireplace when I arrived, as I’m sure it did when Sandy resided there. I’d never enjoyed a peat fire until my night at Strathchalleach. I loved the smell it gave off and couldn’t believe how long it burned for. The fire log I carried though was useful in getting it lit. I suspect it would have been much tougher without it.

Drifting off to sleep was easy. The whisky consumed with my dinner and the total absence of noise helped me feel totally relaxed. The darkness was intense though and I don’t mind admitting to using a tea light until I fell asleep.

The Walk Back

After the usual faff of packing away my gear and giving the bothy a sweep, it was time for the off. I was to be following the route clearly mapped out and described in ‘ Scottish Bothy Walks.’ It had proved invaluable on the route in and even more so on the return leg, what with much of it being pathless.

I was thankful to be covering the moorland in relatively dry conditions. Entries in the bothy book prove it isn’t always like this. Certainly something worth considering.

Again I couldn’t help but think about Sandy, as I slogged across the challenging terrain. He used to complete almost the same walk every week only he’d have to return the way he came too. What a hardy soul he was. It makes sense now why I’d read about him complaining about wearing out too many pairs of wellies.

After around an hour and a half, I reached Strathan Bothy. This remote shelter also has a welcoming feel to it and is located in a beautiful glen. Sandy did sometimes stop here himself, probably because of fading light or the weather taking a turn for the worse.

With the bridge crossed, it is easy to find a faint path and the rest of the walk is straightforward yet still wildly beautiful. Eventually I made it back to the car. That post office Sandy used to hike to was still a mile or so further on, so I’m sure he would have been feeling relief by this point too.

To Conclude…..

Hopefully I’ve shown what an incredible destination Strathchailleach Bothy is. Yes it is a heck of a journey for most people to reach it, but in my opinion it is worth every mile. Sandy’s memory will live on through the pictures and tales and I’m sure people will still be speaking about his remarkable life for years to come.