NC500/Kally1000 Day 5 & 6

When we left Sango Sands we headed to another nearby beach called Balnakeil and en route we spotted the famous Cocoa Mountain where we were told did the best hot chocolate. The boy was happy as he has a milk allergy they had Oat and Soya alternatives so we grabbed a coffee and set off as today was going to be a long one!

***Note we did spot a Cocoa Mountain in Durnoch near the Co-op***

When we arrived at Kinlochbervie we were definitely ready for some grub and had already made note of the Old School for food. It was super yum and we thought if we get desperate later we would definitely be back for dinner or possible breakfast the next morning!

From the Old School in Kinlochbervie we continued on the road to the Shegra Beach campsite about 2miles from the car park for Sandwood Bay Beach.

It was an honour camp, which essentially meant we were wild camping again and paid the £5 fee in the honesty box.

From there we walked up to the path to embark on one of the most remote beaches and we knew we were going to be walking quite a bit!

We hiked up the steep hill from the campsite and made our way to the path to Sandwood Bay Beach. Some enthusiasts were running, fast walking, cycling and even hiking all their camping gear the 6.5km (4.03891 miles).

***On 30 September 1941, Sergeant Michael Kilburn from 124 Squadron at RAF Castletown was flying Spitfire R7154 south-west of Cape Wrath when the engine failed. He crash-landed the plane on the beach at Sandwood, and managed to escape uninjured.***

Unfortunately or us the tide was coming in and we didn't manage to spot the engine but the sights itself was spectacular and certainly worked up an appetite!

When we walked back to the honour site, we set up camp amongst all the wandering sheep, we made dinner and settled for the night hoping the winds would be blocked by the car so we could get a decent sleep!

We left Shegra well aware that the day was going to be a lot of driving, especially single track roads off of the official NC500 route, but we had a few stops in mind.

We headed towards Clashnessie Falls but we saw it from the road and decided not to stop in the tiny car park.

Instead, we carried on to Achmelvich Bay, another remote beach some friends insisted we take a detour to. Other visitors there had spotted 4 different types of jellyfish washed up on the sands and when on their paddleboard exploring spotted some dolphins, we were not so lucky

After we left Lochinver we went over the Kylesku Bridge we were going to go out to take some nice photos especially since we thought we spotted some otters but the Midge swarm was so apocalyptic we refused to get out of the car.

From there we carried on towards Ullapool. We parked at the free parking near Tesco (where we also got some supplies) and walked down to the award-winning Seafood Shack. The majority of the dishes change every day depending on what fresh fish they get, but there are a few like the Oysters that are known to be available most days. Despite the midge having a munch at the queue of customers, the food was great! Definitely worth the visit!

When we were researching where we could camp/stay we really struggled to get a response or find somewhere that were taking bookings on the West Coast. Then one-day thanks to Facebook we saw the Dundonnell Hotel were allowing camping on their ground, limited space for tents, for £5 and an extra £2.50 to use their shower. No need to book ahead just turn up and pay at reception.

We booked a table for dinner and were thankful for arriving in the early afternoon so we got a spot for the tent next to the car. The food was lovely and you could book a table for breakfast the next morning but we decided we would get something en route the next day.