Northwest Scotland Wild camping: Glencoul, Glendhu, and Beinn Leoid

Assynt is one of my favourite places in Scotland for a backpacking trip. With few people and even fewer roads, it doesn’t take long to journey on foot into some wonderfully remote and wild places. I’m grateful to live here with a lifetime ahead of me to explore Assynt on foot. This adventure took us to a beautiful corner of Assynt just east of Kylesku, taking in two beautiful bothies at Glencoul and Glendhu plus the remote Corbett of Beinn Leoid. This trip also takes in part of the Cape Wrath Trail.

Trip Essentials 

• Starting / Finish Point: Kylestrome free public car park (Google link)
• Total Distance: ~35km
• Total Ascent: ~1650m
• Terrain: Mix of good paths, rough tracks, and pathless bog around Beinn Leoid
• Map: Assynt British Mountain Harvey Map
• View this route and more in our Interactive Route Map

An alternative version of this route starting at the waterfall car park at Loch na Gainmhich (NC2405 2923) can be found in the excellent book Scottish Wild Country Backpacking. This approach is arguably more interesting than the start of our route, however does require you to overcome a large amount of bog in regaining the track at Glen Coul. The choice is yours!

Field Notes from Glendhu, Glencoul and Beinn Leoidd

Trip taken on 11-13 May 2024 

We set out under clear skies in temperatures that were scorchingly hot by Scottish standards. The stone track from Kylestrome along Loch Glendhu – exposed to the big sky and blazing sun with no shade – made it feel even hotter. We had great views back to Kylesku Bridge and Quinag.

We finally arrived, very sweaty, to the Glendhu bothy where we were met by “Sam” with whom we had a nice chat, particularly about canoes (had had arrived at the bothy via his own canoe). I was impressed with the amount of goodies you can bring when you travel by canoe (for example, a double air mattress and many liquid refreshments).

Our journey took us past Glendhu bothy and up “Sundowner crag”, the mountain pass up Gleann Dubh (“the black glen”) visible in the centre of the photo above. This is where it started to really feel like we were escaping civilisation!

Wild Camping in Gleann Dubh

Our goal was to find a place to camp that would set us up well for a trip up Beinn Leoid the following day. We ended up at a pleasant spot in view of the Eas Creag an Luchda waterfall. All the fresh water you could dream of and some pleasant pools to soak our sweaty feet in.

We remembered overnight how loud waterfalls can be! Before our slumber, of course, was the evening’s edible entertainment. I snuck in a couple cans of Edinburgh Gin’s Rhubarb & Ginger Ale – my verdict is too sweet, wouldn’t buy again. But the Seabrook Worcestershire Sauce Crisps were superb! They were a last minute impulse purchase, probably inspired by the hot weather. (What is it about hot weather that inspires my craving for salty snacks?!)

Now regarding our main course – I almost always make my own dehydrated backpacking meals, but on this occasion had a huge stash of meals leftover from a previous client. We decided to use them for “market research” and I am reminded how much better / fresher our homemade dehydrated food options are! Admittedly the Firepot Foods paella was very passable – the ingredients list were all whole real food and it actually had some flavour (needed salt and hot sauce but that’s a personal choice!). The other option was pretty depressing. I also bemoan the packaging of this stuff but I know it’s the way of the world (doomed?). It didn’t impede our terrific night out!

Journey to Beinn Leoid

We got a VERY early start (set off from camp by 6am – only because the early daylight encouraged us). Beinn Leoid is usually approached from the A838. From our direction the approach involved a bit of off piste bog hopping that was thankfully not too bad given the dry weather.

The top of Beinn Leoid is very bouldery. But we reached the top well before lunch time. So we had “elevenses”: hot tea made with the Jetboil, and a cheeseboard of stilton, Jacob’s cream crackers, and chilli jam hand made from my friend, Anna. (Yes I carried the jar all that way.) This was literally and figuratively a “peak” snacking moment!

The long descent to Glencoul Bothy

The hike down from Beinn Leoid to meet the track at Loch an Eircill involved more bog and felt like an eternity.

But we got there and welcomed the easy track to Glencoul bothy where we planned to stay for the night.

It was a little awkward. Because we started so early we ended up at the bothy just after noon. We considered carrying on but there was some thundery weather coming in (or so the Metoffice warned – it never came to fruition) so we decided to treat ourselves to a long afternoon chilling at the bothy with tea, games, and snacks.

Glencoul bothy is in a beautiful location, and we were tired, and at the time we arrived we had the bothy to ourself. So it felt like a treat to just sit tight and enjoy the moment. Also if the timing is right, you can use the time to forage for mussels! (As evidenced by the huge amounts of mussel shells around the bothy.)

It turns out Glencoul bothy is on the wild and woolly 230 mile Cape Wrath Trail (as is Glendhu bothy). It also turns out that LOTS more people are doing the Cape Wrath Trail these days as modern technology (GPS, smartphones) makes these routes more possible for people who may not otherwise be super slick with a map and compass. As the day wore on, more and more people stopped in at this two-room bothy, some just passing through but others hoping to stay.

We had bagged the room with the sleeping platform and set ourselves up for a nice cozy night. It became clear as the evening went by that we wouldn’t be having this platform to ourself. The platform sleeps 8 according to the MBA and so we found ourself sharing our sleeping space with a very nice French lady and German lady.

I said to Mark: “I hope this is the first and last time we share our bed with other people!”

Historical note via the MBA:

John Elliot and his wife Margaret lived in the now empty estate house where John was employed as a shepherd/deer stalker. When their five sons, born between 1891 and 1901, reached school age a small two roomed cottage (now the bothy) was built on the side of the house which is where the teacher lived. Even a close-knit remote community like Glencoul could not escape the tragic events playing out in the wider world; and the white marble cross on the hillock close by the bothy commemorates eldest brothers William and Alastair Elliot who died in World War I. The last inhabitants of Glencoul came out in the 1950’s.The last inhabitants of Glencoul came out in the 1950’s. 

Mountain Bothies Association

Home again home again

I didn’t take any pictures on our final stretch from Glencoul to the car. Much of it was over ground we already covered. And again we got a very early start – largely because we were sharing our sleeping space with strangers. So we didn’t linger over breakfast but instead launched out into the day. There’s good (but boggy) tracks back to Glendhu and then follows the familiar stone track back to where we parked. Again we got back earlier than we expected. And we were hungry.  How glad was I to have two cold beers in the van and another packet of those Worcestershire sauce crisps AND some leftover cheese. Our van snack upon our very sweaty return was enormously delightful.