Remote Lochs & Glacial Basins

1. Loch Coruisk: The Basalt Fortress (Isle of Skye)

Loch Coruisk rests in an amphitheater of jagged gabbro rock within the Black Cuillin mountains. Unlike the accessible road-side lochs of southern Scotland, Coruisk cannot be reached by car. Hikers must choose between two distinct access vectors: an arduous 7-mile trek from Sligachan across the boggy pass of Drumhain, or the coastal cliff footpath from Elgol featuring the famous "Bad Step" — an inclined slab of bare rock dropping directly into the tidal waves of Loch Scavaig.

The perimeter of Loch Coruisk is prone to severe downdraft squalls funneling through the Cuillin ridge. Those pitching tents on the narrow marshy strips along the northern shoreline require high-tensile alloy poles and continuous peg stabilization in sodden peat.

2. Loch Veyatie and Fionn Loch (Assynt & Coigach)

Located beneath the iconic inselberg monolith of Suilven in Sutherland, Loch Veyatie stretches across a desolate sweep of cnoc-and-lochan topography. This landscape consists of Lewisian gneiss — metamorphic rock over 2.7 billion years old — interspersed with acidic peat bogs and small scrub birch.

Access is commonly initiated from Elphin or Inverkirkaig. Kayakers carrying ultralight packrafts frequently undertake the portage circuit from Loch Veyatie to Fionn Loch, navigating small waterways surrounded by wild red deer populations and golden eagle nesting sites.

• Portage Difficulty: High bog-to-rock ratio; dry footwear is impossible.
• Fishing Regulations: Brown trout angling requires permits issued by local angling associations in Lochinver or Assynt Foundation wardens.
• Midge Considerations: Wind speeds below 5 mph will result in extreme Highland midge density from June through August.

3. Loch Mullardoch: The Long Trench of Strathglass

Loch Mullardoch sits at the western extremity of Glen Cannich. Enlarged in the mid-20th century as part of the Affric-Beauly hydro-electric power scheme, the reservoir's upper shores retain a desolate, primeval aura. The road terminates abruptly at the Mullardoch Dam.

From the dam, a remote 12-mile rough traverse extends along the northern shore towards the remote mountain sanctuary of Iron Lodge and the headwaters of Loch Duich. Hikers tackling the four Munros comprising the Mullardoch ridge (Càrn nan Gobhar, Sgùrr na Lapaich, An Riabhachan, and An Socach) confront over 30 kilometers of trackless ridgeline without natural sheltered bivouac areas.

Comparative Route Logistics

Stewardship & Safety Protocol

When camping beside isolated freshwater reservoirs, pitch tents at least 30 meters away from feeder streams to prevent soil compaction and runoff contamination. All organic waste must be carried out, as peat soils in cold northern microclimates decompose matter exceedingly slowly.