North coast of Scotland

Introduction

Times of high water

Kinlochbervie: High water is 15 minutes after high water at Ullapool

Loch Inchard: High water is 20 minutes after high water at Ullapool No perceptible streams in the loch.

Durness: High water is 3 hours and 30 minutes before high water at Wick

Loch Eriboll: High water is 3 hours and 10 minutes before high water at Wick

Skerray: High water is 3 hours before high water at Wick

Port a' Chinn, Armadale: High water is 2 hours and 45 minutes before high water at Wick

Portskerra: High water is 2 hours and 50 minutes before high water at Wick

Thurso: High water is 2 hours and 40 minutes before high water at Wick

Tidal streams

Around Dubh Sgeirean: The north-east going stream begins at 1 hours and 20 minutes before high water at Ullapool. The south-west going stream begins at 4 hours and 55 minutes after high water at Ullapool. The flow reaches a speed of 1 knots at springs.

Eilean an Roin Beag: Tide flows strongly off Eilean an Roin Beag and between Eilean an Roin Mor and the mainland. The tide flows north and south. The flow reaches a speed of 3 knots at springs.

North of Kinlochbervie: The north north-east going stream begins at 1 hours and 10 minutes before high water at Ullapool. The south south-west going stream begins at 5 hours and 5 minutes after high water at Ullapool.

South of Cape Wrath: The north north-east going stream begins at 1 hours and 20 minutes before high water at Ullapool. The south south-west going stream begins at 4 hours and 55 minutes after high water at Ullapool. The flow reaches a speed of 1.5 knots at springs.

Cape Wrath: The tide flows east north-east and west south-west. The flow reaches a speed of 5 knots at springs.

Eddy east of Cape Wrath : An eddy forms to the east of Cape Wrath on the east-going stream, such that the inshore flow is almost continuously west-going. There is turbulence where this flow meets the main stream at the Cape.

Cape Wrath to Stack Clo Kearvaig: The east south-east going stream begins at 3 hours and 50 minutes before high water at Ullapool. The west north-west going stream begins at 2 hours and 35 minutes after high water at Ullapool. The flow reaches a speed of 3 knots at springs. Expect 3kt close to the cliff at Stack Clo Kearvaig.

Stack Clo Kearvaig eastwards: The east going stream begins at 2 hours and 20 minutes before high water at Ullapool. The west going stream begins at 3 hours and 50 minutes after high water at Ullapool. The flow reaches a speed of 3 knots at springs.

Faraid Head: The east going stream begins at 2 hours and 20 minutes before high water at Ullapool. The west going stream begins at 3 hours and 50 minutes after high water at Ullapool. The flow reaches a speed of 3 knots at springs. The stream is weak away from salient points along the coast.

West of Sango Bay. : Negligible streams inshore

Whiten Head: The east going stream begins at 2 hours and 20 minutes before high water at Ullapool. The west going stream begins at 3 hours and 50 minutes after high water at Ullapool. The flow reaches a speed of 3 knots at springs. The stream is weak away from salient points along the coast.

Kyle of Tongue and around Rabbit Islands: The north north-east going stream begins at 1 hours and 10 minutes after high water at Ullapool. The south south-west going stream begins at 5 hours and 5 minutes before high water at Ullapool. The flow reaches a speed of 1 knots at springs. Flows increase in speed at the Kyle narrows. Stream runs strongly between sand banks, especially at low tide. There is some turbulence between Eilean Nan Ron and the Rabbit Islands when the north north-east going stream begins.

Between Rabbit Islands and Eilean nan Ron: The south south-east going stream begins at 2 hours and 20 minutes before high water at Ullapool. The north north-west going stream begins at 1 hours and 10 minutes after high water at Ullapool. The flow reaches a speed of 1 knots at springs.

Main stream outside Eilean Nan Ron and islands: The east going stream begins at 2 hours and 20 minutes before high water at Ullapool. The west going stream begins at 3 hours and 50 minutes after high water at Ullapool. The flow is weak.

Caol Raineach: The east going stream begins at 2 hours and 20 minutes before high water at Ullapool. The west going stream begins at 3 hours and 50 minutes after high water at Ullapool. The flow reaches a speed of 2 knots at springs. The west-going flow meets the out-going flow from Tongue Bay at Sleiteil Rocks. Strong turbulence occurs on the south side of the narrows of Caol Raineach from the start of the west-going flow until 5 hours before high water at Ullapool.

Farr Point: The east going stream begins at 2 hours and 20 minutes before high water at Ullapool. The west going stream begins at 3 hours and 50 minutes after high water at Ullapool. The flow reaches a speed of 2 knots at springs.

Ardmore Point: The tide flows east and west. The flow reaches a speed of 2 knots at springs.

Strathy Point: The east going stream begins at 2 hours and 20 minutes before high water at Ullapool. The west going stream begins at 3 hours and 50 minutes after high water at Ullapool. The flow reaches a speed of 3 knots at springs. There is turbulence off the point where eddy streams meet the main flow. The stream is weak away from salient points along the coast.

East side of Strathy Point: An eddy here flows north. The flow is hence continuously northward here.

Between Portskerra and Sandside Bay: No tidal streams of note

Sandside Head: The east going stream begins at 1 hours and 40 minutes before high water at Ullapool. The west going stream begins at 4 hours and 20 minutes after high water at Ullapool. The flow reaches a speed of 0.7 knots at springs.

2 miles off Dounreay: The east north-east going stream begins at 1 hours and 30 minutes before high water at Ullapool. The west south-west going stream begins at 4 hours and 30 minutes after high water at Ullapool. The flow reaches a speed of 0.6 knots at springs.

Brims Ness: Reef, producing waves and boomers.

Holborn Head: The east going stream begins at 1 hours and 40 minutes before high water at Ullapool. The west going stream begins at 4 hours and 20 minutes after high water at Ullapool. The flow reaches a speed of 2.5 knots at springs.

Eddy south west of Cape Wrath*: During the west-going stream at Cape Wrath, a north-going eddy forms to the west side of the Cape, so that the flow is almost continuously north-going south west of Cape Wrath. There is turbulence where this flow meets the main stream at the Cape.

Kyle of Durness*: The north going stream begins at 1 hours and 5 minutes after high water at Ullapool. The south going stream begins at 5 hours and 10 minutes before high water at Ullapool. The stream is fairly strong off Faraid Head, but weak to the west across the entrance to the Kyle and west of Balnakell Bay. The flow is strong between sandbanks to the south, especially at low tide.

South west of Eilean Hoan*: The south-east going stream begins at 3 hours and 45 minutes before high water at Ullapool. The north-west going stream begins at 2 hours and 30 minutes after high water at Ullapool. The flow reaches a speed of 0.5 knots at springs.

Between An t-Aigeach and Eilean Cluimhrig*: The south-east going stream begins at 5 hours and 10 minutes before high water at Ullapool. The north-west going stream begins at 1 hours and 5 minutes after high water at Ullapool. The flow reaches a speed of 0.5 knots at springs.

Loch Eriboll*: The north-east going stream begins at 1 hours and 5 minutes after high water at Ullapool. The south-west going stream begins at 5 hours and 10 minutes before high water at Ullapool. The streams are weak except by Eilean Choraidh.

West of Eilean Choraidh, Loch Eriboll*: The north north-east going stream begins at 1 hours and 5 minutes after high water at Ullapool. The south south-west going stream begins at 5 hours and 10 minutes before high water at Ullapool. The flow reaches a speed of 0.5 knots at springs.

East of Eilean Choraidh, Loch Eriboll*: The north north-east going stream begins at 1 hours and 5 minutes after high water at Ullapool. The south south-west going stream begins at 5 hours and 10 minutes before high water at Ullapool. The flow reaches a speed of 0.5 knots at springs.

South of Holborn Head, to Scrabster Harbour*: An eddy forms here, with the following flows: The north going stream begins at 2 hours and 35 minutes before high water at Ullapool. The south going stream begins at 4 hours and 35 minutes before high water at Ullapool.

Notes

Sandwood Bay : Good place to camp.

Kearvaig bay: Always some surf on the beach.

Kearvaig bay: Bothy. Always surf on the beach.

Cape Wrath Range: Range control 0800 317071 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/scotland-firing-times

Freisgill bothy: Last good point to stretch legs.

Access/Egress

Kinlochbervie Harbour: (NC 221 562) g

Kinlochbervie: (NC 219 565) g Head of loch, not pier.

Droman Pier: (NC 186 592) g

Balnakeil Bay: (NC 391 689) g

Sango Sands: (NC 411 677) g Rough car parking area by stream to west of main tourist car parking area.

Ceannabienne beach: (NC 443 655) g Long carry, not recommended.

Ard Neackie: (NC 449 596) g Reported in April 2022 that the gate here has been locked.

East Strathan: (NC 573 648) g

Talmine Pier: (NC 588 631) g

Talmine Beach: (NC 587 627) g

Eilean nan Ron: (NC 641 651) g Tiny natural harbour on right as enter bay, at LW enter through small natural arch.

Skerray Pier: (NC 660 639) g

Bettyhill Pier: (NC 700 620) g Usually surf but rip should provide a route out. If surf very bad, rest of coast may not be much fun.

Port a Chinn: (NC 783 652) g Steep and hard climb to road. Limited parking. Trolley recommended.

Strathy Bay: (NC 835 659) g Long walk.

Portskerra: (NC 878 664) g Limited parking.

Fresgoe Harbour, Sandside Bay: (NC 958 660) g Limited parking.

Thurso: (ND 122 688) g Slip on west side of river mouth. If waves in bay, river should provide route in.

Suggested trips

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