Cape Wrath Trail

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Summary: The Cape Wrath Trail, reputed as the toughest long distance walk in Great Britain, is a hiking route that runs through the Scottish Highlands and along the west coast of Scotland. It is approximately 234 miles in length. Despite not being an officially recognised National Trail it has grown to be one of the most highly regarded backpacking routes, attracting hikers from around the world. The trek was pioneered in the early 1990s by David Paterson who, in 1996, published a book entitled The Cape Wrath Trail: A New 200-mile Walking Route Through the North-west Scottish Highlands. This was followed in 1999 by a separate publication (North to the Cape: A trek from Fort William to Cape Wrath) by Denis Brook and Phil Hinchliffe. The books cited slightly different routes but the intention was the same, to forge a route from Fort William to Cape Wrath. The Cape Wrath Trail connects with the West Highland Way and I used both routes on my 1,200 mile trek from the north to the south of the British mainland in my Great British Walk.