Rhiconich

Rhiconich brings together landscape history, geology and impressive routes through moorland and coastal landscapes. Those looking for a holiday apartment or holiday cottage in Rhiconich will find a place here for varied days: short walks, longer hikes, self-guided excursions and traces of human settlement offer a range of different travel ideas side by side.

Geology and landscape around Rhiconich

A striking landscape feature in the Rhiconich area is its glacial erratics. These large boulders were transported far from their original location and left behind when the glacier melted. The Rhiconich Geopod provides information about the local geology. It is an information station with physical panels and additional online content accessible via QR codes.

The first Geopod in the North West Highlands Geopark was installed in Rhiconich near Kinlochbervie in 2015. Those who want to explore the area by means other than walking can discover the Pebble Route: these are self-guided driving routes connected to the Geopods. This allows the landscape to be viewed at your own pace, without turning its geological features into a fixed excursion programme.

Sandwood Bay, Oldshoremore and protected nature

Several trails with distinctly different characteristics run through the surrounding area. The Oldshoremore Core Path is 0.1 kilometres long and consists of earth and wood. The Sandwood Bay Core Path is 6.4 kilometres long; its surfaces consist of track, stone and earth sections. The John Muir Trust also maintains the four-mile path to Sandwood Bay.

For planning longer outings, the route from Blairmore to Sandwood Bay is described particularly clearly: it crosses exposed moorland and includes uneven and often wet sections. The route from Rhiconich to Sandwood Bay mainly follows minor roads before continuing along a track and paths. Along the way, it offers views across Loch Inchard.

The landscape itself is also an important part of the experience. The Sandwood Estate lies within a Special Area of Conservation designated for dune grassland, shifting dunes and machair. The Sheigra-Oldshoremore Site of Special Scientific Interest is designated for sand dunes and machair; around Oldshoremore, it includes extensive wind-blown sandy areas with sand-dune and machair vegetation.

Historical traces and unusual details

At a small bay near Rhiconich, a linear fish trap can be faintly seen in aerial photographs. The Rhiconich fish trap is approximately 75 metres long. The Rhiconich roundhouse from the Middle Bronze Age is also noteworthy for those interested in cultural history. Its diameter was approximately 8.5 metres. The excavation provides evidence of habitation and land use in the Highlands during both the Bronze Age and the less well-known Early Middle Ages.

Which base suits your trip?

The routes around Rhiconich differ not only in length, but also in surface and trail character. The route from Kylestrome to Rhiconich follows an old stalker’s path and reaches Rhiconich on the west coast. Along the way are a partly pathless and very boggy section, as well as a potentially difficult river crossing. The route mainly runs along tracks and paths across moorland, but also includes significantly rougher, completely pathless and often very wet sections.

When looking for a holiday apartment or holiday cottage, you can therefore consider whether you want to focus on short landscape impressions, geological discoveries, a drive along the Geopods or longer hikes to Sandwood Bay. Rhiconich has a hotel and public toilets. Kylesku has an irregular bus service to Inverness and, via Rhiconich, to Durness. This information helps with orientation, but does not replace individual planning for your journey and excursions.

Further destinations in the navigation area include Glenfinnan, Grantown On Spey, Kincraig, Isle Of Skye, Strathan, Boat Of Garten, Alness and Cononbridge.

To the higher-level travel overview: Highland.