Located in the far northwest of Scotland is Assynt, a land of soaring mountains and secret lochs, where you can embrace solitude and lose yourself in the outdoors. Of the many things to do in Assynt, marvelling at the impeccable natural beauty of the land comes first.
Assynt, Scotland | UK
The place is unreal, I keep thinking as we drive deeper into the Scottish Highlands, further north from Ullapool. Though part of the popular North Coast 500, Assynt feels remote. It is roughly sandwiched between Coigach and Eddrachillis, a rugged land jutting into the tempestuous Minch, a land famed for its stark landscape and otherworldly beauty. In Assynt, towering sugarloaf mountains pierce the sky, their unforgiving flanks sculpted by glaciers into jagged cliffs. Clear lochs and lochans lie in remote valleys like mirrors reflecting the ever-changing Scottish skies. There are water lilies and gorse, and fronds and foliage of plants I cannot name. Moorlands carpeted with heather burst with vibrant purple in summer, while waterfalls tumble down like frothy ribbons, their roar echoing through the dramatic landscape. Here there are deer and sheep, and seabirds and cuckoos. In the waters, dolphins and orcas live alongside seals and lobsters. In Assynt, the air is crisp and clean, infused with the scent of earth and sea. This is a place where nature reigns supreme, a wild and captivating tapestry woven from rock, water, and sky.
Assynt Travel Guide: NC500 Destination
- Why Visit Assynt
- Can I visit Assynt on Public Transport
- Where to Stay in Assynt
- Things to Do in Assynt
- Drive the Drumbeg Loop
- Explore Lochinver
- Dig into some Pies at Lochinver Larder
- Walk to the Old Man of Stoer
- See the Sunset from Stoer Lighthouse
- Unwind on Scotland’s Best Beaches
- Climb some Mountains
- Try your Luck at Wildlife Spotting
- Stop by the Ruins of Ardvreck Castle
- Learn about Rocks at the Knockan Crag National Nature Reserve
- See some Waterfalls
- Photograph the Kylesku Bridge
- Buy more Pottery
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Why Visit Assynt
If you are looking for offbeat destinations in Scotland, Assynt is the place to go. It has all the scenic beauty, from mountains and lochs to castles and beaches, that visitors seek without the crowds and is the perfect alternative to the more famous Isle of Skye. If you are doing the NC500, consider spending some time in Assynt.
NATURAL BEAUTY / Assynt’s natural beauty is next to none. Soaring mountains and windswept moorlands, a jagged coastline alive with seabirds and marine animals, lochs and lochans reflecting the skies, soft sandy beaches with turquoise waters: Assynt is incredibly scenic.
LESS TOURISTY / Despite being on the NC500, Assynt gets fewer tourists than the Isle of Skye and other “coveted” Scottish destinations. There are no coaches dropping busloads of visitors on day trips here and sometimes it feels like there’s nobody around.
PART OF NC500 / It is part of the famous North Coast 500 if you want to tick that off your bucket list.
ADVENTURE SPORTS / Assynt is the place to be if you want to climb mountains and go on strenuous hikes.
Can I visit Assynt on Public Transport
Assynt is difficult to visit solely using public transport but it is not impossible. We did this trip with some friends, so we had access to a car but we have done some research on public transport in the area because we plan to go back.
- BUSES: The way to Assynt is the bus from Inverness to Ullapool. Check out the best things to do in Inverness in our 36 hours in Inverness travel guide.
- From Ullapool, there’s a daily bus on weekdays that goes to Lochinver.
- In the evening on weekdays, there’s a bus from Ullapool to Inchnadamph and onwards to Achmelvich and Culkein. This bus returns to Ullapool in the morning.
- Buses are unavailable on weekends.
- DIAL-A-BUS SERVICES: Dial-a-bus services are available within Assynt during weekdays. Check the Highland Council page for more information. Due to unexpected circumstances, this service is unavailable as of June 2024, but the council is looking for a replacement. Keep checking if you are planning to visit Assynt.
Where to Stay in Assynt
Like anywhere else in the far north of Scotland, Assynt is brimming with holiday lets but some properties are better than others! Look for properties that offer unrestricted views of the unspoilt landscape such as the cottage we stayed at. It is best to stay at one location and travel around Assynt covering all the things to do in Assynt.
Our recommended place to stay in Assynt: We stayed at the most gorgeous cottage named Creagach in Achnacarnin in Culkein. The views from the cottage were breathtaking, to say the least. From the living room, kitchen, and upstairs bedrooms, we could see the sparkling waters of Culkein Bay hemmed by mountains. The garden is beautiful too and promises incredible views, Creagach has three bedrooms and can accommodate six guests. There are lovely walking trails around. Stoer Lighthouse is a short 10-minute drive away.
You can also stay at one of Assynt’s hostels, bunkhouses, and glamping pods.
Things to Do in Assynt
From relaxing on beaches to climbing mountains, from visiting castles to digging into seafood, there are lots of things to do in Assynt.
Drive the Drumbeg Loop
If you can do one and only one thing amongst the many things to do in Assynt, drive the Drumbeg Loop. The landscape encircled by the Drumbeg Loop is ethereal and I cannot express how deeply it has marked my psyche with its unique, indescribable beauty. The land here is rocky, made of Lewisian Gneiss and erosion over centuries has created a pockmarked surface that has since filled with water to form small lochs, or lochans as they are locally called. In these lochans, bloom delicate water lilies. The lilies were not in bloom when we visited, but we saw the lily pads, the fleshy stems waiting out the cold. The treeless mountains are magnificent, the moors filled with heather. Deer and sheep graze on the slopes, and birds fill the silence with their song. At Culkein, I heard cuckoos. At Drumbeg, I saw the season’s first swallows. At every bend of the road, single-tracked and undulating over the mountainous land, there’s some scenic surprise waiting for you. Sometimes it is the views across the open ocean are open, sometimes it is the islands that dot the countless sea lochs, at others, it is a deer drinking at a lochan, or just wildflowers: mustard-coloured gorse or deep-purple heather.
CAUTION: The Drumbeg Loop is part of the NC500 and sees heavy caravan and motorhome traffic during the high season. The road is single-tracked and has countless bends and sharp inclines, and you may have to reverse to allow incoming traffic to pass.
Explore Lochinver
Lochinver is Assynt’s largest settlement. Once one of the west coast’s busiest ports, Lochinver today is a sleepy fishing village frequented by hillwalkers who come here to climb such iconic mountains as Suilven and travellers mesmerised by the charming scenery. Spend some time on the “promenade” gazing at the still loch and the lofty mountains that rise from its shore to touch the skies. Besides the picturesque scenery and a fabulous pottery shop, Lochinver also has some fantastic restaurants such as Lochinver Larder, Inchir Brunches, An Cala Cafe, and Delilah’s Restaurant where you can taste fresh seafood straight from fishing boats.
Dig into some Pies at Lochinver Larder
Lochinver Larder is loved by locals and tourists alike for its wide variety of pies that you can eat warmed or cold. They usually have a changing selection but there are some classic dishes on the menu such as Steak & Ale, Mushroom & Red Wine, and Savoury Lamb. They do sweet pies such as the classic Apple Pie too. You can choose to eat at the restaurant or take away some pies for later. We ordered the Smoked Haddock Pie, a Pork and Apple pie, and a Venison and Cranberry pie and each of them was delicious! The filling was generous and the crust buttery just as we liked it. In fact, we liked them so much that we brought back two pies for later! Reminded me of eating in the East Neuk of Fife!
Lochinver Larder sells Pies by Post. So, if you are not in Lochinver, but are craving a good Scottish pie, just order a box!
Walk to the Old Man of Stoer
If mountain climbing isn’t your jam but you love a good walk, the Old Man of Stoer in Culkein is a good shout. The 7 km loop starts and ends at Stoer Lighthouse and takes you, along the cliffs, to the rock stacks.
See the Sunset from Stoer Lighthouse
The sunsets from Scotland’s west coast are mesmerising, or so we hear as we have not been blessed with a clear sky during sunset on our trips yet. The Stoer Lighthouse, built in 1870, We sat on the grassy patch behind the lighthouse and watched the darkening sky. There were patches of scarlet and gold but nothing remarkable. It was breathtaking nonetheless: wide open waters, the misty horizon melting into the steel-blue sky, and swooping gulls.
Unwind on Scotland’s Best Beaches
Beach hopping doesn’t sound like something to do in windswept Assynt but trust us! Two of Scotland’s best beaches are located in Assynt. These are the Achmelvich and Clachtoll Beaches which are regularly voted as the best beaches in the country. Both beaches have clear turquoise waters that seem to change colours with the sky; on a sunny day, they are magnificent and reminded of the Twin Beaches of Gigha.
Clachtoll is the smaller of the two and sees fewer visitors. It is dreamy, really, and you can spend hours just sitting on the beach and admiring its scenic beauty. The water is pale turquoise and even in the shadow of brooding Scottish clouds, it doesn’t lose its glamour! We were enamoured despite the drizzle for the beach looked straight out of picture books: a soft sandy beach and crystal blue waters lapping at it. There’s also a small cafe outside the car park called Flossie’s and they make excellent hot dogs! You can also walk from Clachtoll to Achmelvich; just note that it is not the easiest route along the craggy cliffs.
Achmelvich, with its sandy crescent beach, is one of Scotland’s most photographed beaches. There are two beaches at Achmelvich: one that you can access straight from the car park, and a prettier hidden beach that you have to walk to over the rocky coastline. The views from the cliffs down to the beach are gorgeous: the water seems to change colour every second as the clouds move. It is deep purple, as deep as a bruise, near the shore where the seaweeds breathe, then pales into countless shades of blue as you swim deeper, then melts into the uniform blue of the ocean.
Climb some Mountains
If you had to ask Scots about one thing to do in Assynt, most would say hillwalking! Assynt is a darling of those who love to live dangerously, including mountain climbers and Munro baggers. In Assynt are some of Scotland’s famous mountains: Suilven, Quinag, Stac Pollaidh, Canisp, and more, and they all attract professional climbers from Scotland and abroad.
Try your Luck at Wildlife Spotting
Wild things abound in Assynt, and therefore it is obvious that wildlife spotting and birding are two top things to do in Assynt. We spotted deer, of course, and highland coos and countless birds from finches and tits to swallows and cuckoos. & this bird in the photo I can’t ID. Do you know what it is? The moorland abounds with butterflies and insects. Dolphins and porpoises are regularly spotted along the coastline and in Culkein Bay but we didn’t have any luck in that department. Whales have also been spotted along the coastline. A couple of years ago, a pod of killer whales were spotted in the bay. Assynt Wildlife regularly publishes sightings if you are interested.
Stop by the Ruins of Ardvreck Castle
The ruins of Ardvreck Castle in Inchnadamph are a must-stop if you are doing the NC500. It is located on a rocky promontory projecting into Loch Assynt. Not much remains of the castle which dates to the 1490s, except for the ruins of masonry towers. It is notable as the place where the royalist James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose was handed over in 1650 to the Covenanter forces by MacLeod, Laird of Assynt after the Battle of Carbisdale. A short walk away are the ruins of Calda House.
Learn about Rocks at the Knockan Crag National Nature Reserve
Assynt is an exciting place for geologists and if you want to learn more about the earth and its evolution, you must visit the Knockan Crag National Nature Reserve, one of the must-visit places in Assynt. According to Nature Scot, “The low cliff of Knockan exposes rocks that set the scientific world ablaze in the 19th century. The Moine Thrust, as it is known, was created by the force of two continents crashing together many millions of years ago.” The views are breathtaking: soaring breasts of dark rock, crowned with mist, pierce the blue-grey Scottish skies. At the foot are rolling pastures dotted with crofts and sheep. There’s a sculpture and poetry trail on the reserve to guide you through it.
See some Waterfalls
A craggy, mountainous scenery means waterfalls and Assynt has quite a few beautiful waterfalls such as the Wailing Widow and Clasnessie Falls. Britain’s highest waterfall, Eas a’ Chual Aluinn, which is only accessible on foot or by boat is also located in Assynt. If you love to visit waterfalls, Inchnadamph Lodge has an excellent page on the waterfalls of Assynt.
Photograph the Kylesku Bridge
The Kylesku Bridge is one of the most photographed bridges in Scotland. The distinctive curved white bridge crosses the Loch a’ Chàirn Bhàin. The views from the viewpoint are mesmerising! In the viewpoint parking Surf & Turf, a local food truck, serves locally sourced seafood: they have glowing reviews, so don’t miss it if you are visiting Kylesku Bridge. You can often spot vintage car rallies on this route. Our friends were thrilled by the fleet of vintage cars that we spotted along the way.
Buy more Pottery
Love pottery? One of the best things to do in Assynt is to go pottery shopping at Highland Stoneware. Their shops in Lochinver and Ullapool are popular with locals and travellers alike for their handcrafted pottery, from single decorative pieces to entire dinner sets, that depict local sceneries and Scottish motifs. They employ residents and most of their pigments are made by grinding locally sourced rocks and stones. At their Lochinver store, not only can you buy pottery but you can also see the artisans at work and request for a tour of their process. We bought a decorative plate painted with fluffy white sheep playing on a green meadow under sunlight blue skies. Outside the shop, there are some installations made of pieces of pottery and a car covered in ceramics!
Have you visited Assynt and fallen in love with it? What are your favourite things to do in Assynt?
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