Achiltibuie

Achiltibuie is a community straggling along the west coast of Ross and Cromarty, north of Ullapool in the Scottish Highlands. As well as the village, the name (which in Gaelic means "field of the yellow-haired boy") applies to all the coast between Achduart and Reiff, taking in the hamlets of Polglass, Polbain and Altandhu.

Get in
Follow A835 north from Ullapool or south from Ledmore (the junction with A837) to the turn-off at Drumrunie, then take the narrow single-track lane west. There's no through road along the coast from Ullapool, though the historic "postman's path" came this way via Ardmair and you can hike the ten miles. You can also drive south from Lochinver along a twisty, hilly, narrow but scenic and well-tarmacked lane.

KSM Bus 811 runs from Ullapool to Achiltibuie, twice M-F and once on Saturday, taking 80 minutes.

See Ullapool for buses to Inverness and ferries to Stornoway on Lewis.

Get around
You'll need a car or bike, or be a hard-core hiker.

See

 * a mile offshore is the largest of the Summer Isles. Boat trips sail from Bardentarbet Pier at the north end of the bay.
 * a mile offshore is the largest of the Summer Isles. Boat trips sail from Bardentarbet Pier at the north end of the bay.

Do



 * is the Table Mountain of this area, a six-mile ridge of Torridonian sandstone weathered into striking shapes. The summit is 743 m (2438 feet), very prominent as it rears up from sea level. The simplest approach is to drive to the road's end at Culnacraig and ascend from the southwest. It can also be climbed from the car park at Bleughasary from the southeast. Trying to traverse the ridge, to ascend one way and descend the other, is much harder than it looks, with bogs, fast streams and scrambles; allow at least four hours.
 * Rock climbing: Rieff has sandstone sea-cliffs suitable for all levels of ability.
 * Made in Altandhu is a music festival in Achiltibuie, next held 30 Aug - 1 Sept 2024.
 * Made in Altandhu is a music festival in Achiltibuie, next held 30 Aug - 1 Sept 2024.

Buy

 * Achiltibuie Garden opposite Summer Isles Hotel is just a garden centre speciaising in hydroponics, there's no garden to view.
 * Summer Isles Smokehouse at Altandhu is famous for its smoked venison, lamb, beef, eel, haddock, sea trout and five varieties of smoked salmon.
 * Summer Isles Smokehouse at Altandhu is famous for its smoked venison, lamb, beef, eel, haddock, sea trout and five varieties of smoked salmon.

Eat

 * Summer Isles Hotel (see "sleep") has a good restaurant.
 * Catch your own mackerel off Badantarbet Pier and cook it fresh on a barbeque.
 * Catch your own mackerel off Badantarbet Pier and cook it fresh on a barbeque.
 * Catch your own mackerel off Badantarbet Pier and cook it fresh on a barbeque.

Drink

 * Am Fuaran and the Summer Isles Hotel are the only bars.

Connect
As of July 2022, Achiltbuie has no mobile signal from any carrier, nor has its approach road.

The Post Office is the contact point for information and booking for the Summer Isles boat. +44 1854 622200

Go next

 * Take a boat across to the Summer Isles, where you can rent a cottage.
 * To go north, if the weather's decent take the twisty back lane to Lochinver.
 * Otherwise it's back to the main road for routes south towards Ullapool and Inverness or north to Kinlochbervie and Durness.
 * North Coast 500 is a motoring itinerary, with Achiltibuie as a side-trip.