The far north westerly tip of the British Durness to see Donald, the Highland Council Fonn diasach, ‘s mor a b’fhiach e NWH Geopark mainland is possibly our best kept secret. Ranger and find out more. Gu fiadhach ‘s gun i, Green rolling hills give way to rugged, What is a Geopark? colourful cliffs and white sandy beaches Aite siobhalt’ ri doineann, Rock Route Rhiconich with turquoise waters. Most, like Balnakeil, Geoparks are set up and managed by a local Is nach criothnaich a’ghaoth. Rock Stop Sangomore or Ceannabeinne, are just a few community and there are more than 100 minutes’ walk from the road. Geoparks worldwide. Knockan Crag Every community is different and so every Country rich in deer and cattle Balknakeil This really is as far North West as you can get on a road in the British Isles without catching Geopark is different but we all share a Ullapool And in sprouting corn, the small ferry from Keoldale to Cape Wrath. common aim which is to tell the story of our Durness Sango Bay landscape and make it accessible to visitors. Land protected from the tempest, Balknakeil Earning a living is hard here and there is no Craft Village This in turn helps to bring resources into Sheltered from the storm Loch Croispol Sangomore doubt that the reason Durness is still such a sensitive rural areas, creating jobs and A838 vibrant community is due to the hard work Loch Borralie Smoo Cave PebbleRoute Rob Donn MacKay (translation Ian Grimble) A838 and determination of the diverse mix of supporting small businesses. A838 4 families from many different backgrounds. What is the NWH Geopark? The underlying limestone produces a naturally Loch Caladail A838 A Social Enterprise, set up by the representa- A838 fertile grassy oasis in a landscape otherwise Sangobeg tives from the six community councils within characterised by peat making cultivation A838 its boundaries. It exists to: particularly viable (and as the Norse found out, 1 km Ceannabeinne (Tràigh Allt Chailgeag) for deer grazing). Explore Deep Time, Evoke a Sense of Place Storm Over Cape Wrath Beinne Ceannabeinne Limestone isn’t the only rock here, in fact, in and Encourage Stewardship A838 by Nicola Poole just the c.25km² covered by Pebble Route 4 This means encouraging adventures for there are 19 different types. Perhaps this is everyone which helps people connect with the why Durness is teaming with wildlife too. From land and feel responsible for maintaining its puffins to minke whales, over 800 species have beauty, wildlife and resources. North West Highlands Geopark Limited • 396 Elphin, By Lairg, Sutherland, IV27 4HH been recorded. Call into the visitor center in (T) 01854 622754 • (E) [email protected] • www.nwhgeopark.com For local information: http://new.durness.org/ Evoke a Sense of Place Explore Deep Time The end of the mountains Stories from a working landscape A limestone chasm Balnakeil beach If you start your journey at Ceannabeinne you can Ceannabeinne means the ‘end of the mountains’ Head west towards Durness village and you’ll but there are incentives available for making Continue your journey and pass Smoo Cave at mysterious depths. Perhaps some of these Baile na cille as it is spelled in Gaelic means the incredibly rare Scottish Primroses, or cross the walk down to the Tràigh Allt Chailgeag beach and and if you climb to the top of Beinn Ceannabeinne come to a bend in the road where you may the land more productive such as through the end of a long inlet (geodha). The slightly started when the first settlers of the north coast ‘place by the church’, which likely refers to the beach to Faraid Head, where the cliffs rise to marvel at the colourful, banded and folded Lewisian and look south on a clear day it’s easy to see why as note several cottages framed by lines of dry planting native trees. Balnakeil craft village acidic Alt Smoo river has cut into the soft sat cooking and eating their shell-fish here ruined kirk near the carpark at the end of the road. 100m above the sea. A Viking boy’s grave was Gneiss. These rocks are amongst the oldest in the the long line of mountain sentinels face the Atlantic stone walling running down to the sea. These was set up in 1963 to accommodate skilled limestone here forming a deep cleft. The word 10,000 years ago… According to Vatican records, the church dates discovered by chance in the sand dunes here in world and were formed from the early crust of the Ocean. However the Gaelic name is particularly apt, strips of land form the traditional crofting craft workers, many of whom own crofts in ‘Smoo’ is actually from the Norse ‘smjuga’ back to at least 12th century. From here there’s a 1991. He was buried with a brooch pin, comb, Durness village is a bit further along the road, Earth. They have been buried deep underground, as this is the place where geologists discovered that ‘in-bye’, areas designated for growing the area. The project was incredibly successful meaning creek or cleft. The river drops from the few options for walks. Head towards the golf beads, a sword and shield and gaming pieces once you get here, take the right turn towards heated and squeezed to form the beautiful swirling the Scottish mountains were once part of the vegetables or fodder. Today most crofters earn and today you can meet the many local road level down a sink hole forming waterfalls course for a clifftop walk and look out for dated to the 10th century AD. Balnakeil Craft Village. Why not call in on your patterns we see today. Appalachian mountain range in North America. a living by working in some other sphere as artisans and browse their outstanding within Britain’s largest limestone cave. There’s way to Balnakeil beach? well as keeping animals or growing produce galleries. a boat trip into the cave system and many myths and legends have grown around its dark, Encourage Stewardship Traigh Allt Chailgeag NC443654 Balknakeil NC391687 Photography: Kevin Arrowsmith Photography: Kevin.