The Cape Wrath Trail

 

Pack packed, gear sorted, train tickets bought. In a few days I'll be setting off on the Cape Wrath Trail, making my way from Fort William to Cape Wrath through the NW Highlands.

I've thought about walking this route for many years. I had planned it for last autumn but various things got in the way and I ended up with five stormy days in the Eastern Cairngorms instead. So I'm trying again. 

The Cape Wrath Trail isn't really a trail, at least not in the sense of a continous footpath or even a set route. There's nothing official about it either so no signposts or waymarks. The guidebook and maps do suggest a route, along with alternatives in places, but there's no need to stick to any of these. Walk from Fort William to Cape Wrath through the hills by any route you choose and that's your Cape Wrath Trail. I'm not even certain which route I'll take in places. I may climb some hills along the way. Then again I may not. It all depends on the weather and how I'm feeling.

There are a few sections described in the guidebook I will do as they will be new to me. Much of the route I've already done in small sections as part of other walks and I've been up all the Munros and Corbetts along the way. Maybe I'll go up some of them again. What I want to see is how it unfolds as a continuous walk, how it feels as a whole, how much does it make sense.

It feels good to be setting off on a long walk again, as always. There'll be pictures and stories of course. During the walk at times, probably, afterwards, definitely.