ACTIVE OUTDOORS: Beneath the cliffs of Caithness – a sea kayak trip from Latheronwheel to Dunbeath

By John Davidson

Published: 18:30, 09 October 2023

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Exploring the cliffs along the coast south of Latheronwheel.

The Caithness coast is not the first place that springs to mind for a calm spot of sea kayaking, but the conditions made this a perfect day for exploring this wonderful stretch.

I’d met up with Ben MacGregor, an experienced local kayaker who has paddled every inch of the seaward side of the far north county many times over.

He’s also a regular contributor to the Caithness Courier, where his Out and About With Ralph column has been running for more than 40 years.

I consider myself a bit of a fairweather sea kayaker, so it is always good to watch a skilled operator like Ben in his craft. His calmness and relaxed manner were inspiring to witness, and I learned a lot from just observing how he moved in the water.

We met at Latheronwheel, where we sorted out kit and left the boats on the beach before dropping a car at Dunbeath and returning to the old harbour at Latheronwheel. This is a beautiful spot, with a small parking area and nearby picnic spot overlooking the bay.

The kayaks loaded up at Latheronwheel harbour.

At the bottom of the twisting single-track road there’s also a lovely old stone bridge, known locally as the Wade’s Bridge, that crosses the Latheronwheel Burn and is now part of the John O’Groats Trail footpath, as well as a ruined harbour house.

Launching the boats, we had a gentle paddle around the quiet harbour before making our way out into the open sea. A low sea stack in the bay gave us our first point of interest as we headed south along the coastline, the water remarkably calm on such a fine afternoon.

Ben’s approach to kayaking is similar to my own, in the sense that he prefers to take his time and enjoy his surroundings, rather than trying to complete long routes in the shortest possible time.

So we were in and out of every little nook and cranny, exploring sea stacks, caves and inlets as we made our way down the coast.

After many years of dreaming, I finally got my own sea kayak this summer – a second-hand plastic boat that is perfect for my needs – so it was great to finally get it out on the water for real. I enjoy the close control of trying to squeeze the boat through tight turns and around rocks, and the calm conditions meant we could really get in close to the edge of the impressive cliffs.

Ben emerges from one of the caves at the bottom of the cliffs.

Ben has paddled this coastline many times and was at pains to point out how lucky we were to be enjoying it like this. He led us into deep inlets with hidden routes into caves which then emerged back out in the open.

At one point he went ahead to check out a pitch-black cave and when he gave the all clear I followed – realising that it might be easier if I removed my sunglasses! After paddling ahead into the blackness, I eventually made out a small glint of light in the distance and had a spot to aim for. That was quite an exhilarating feeling to head into the darkness and back out the other side.

We decided to take a break at Cleit Mhòr, where a rocky landing was fine for our plastic boats. Ben and I enjoyed a bit of lunch and a warm drink as we chatted about Ben’s passion for Caithness and for the outdoors – and he clearly wants the landscapes and seascapes protected for their wild qualities rather than their industrial possibilities.

After a fascinating discussion, we got back in the boats and continued our journey towards Dunbeath, spotting seals and cormorants as we meandered around rocks and into a few more caves.

Soon we passed the headland and caught a glimpse of Dunbeath Castle perched on the top of the cliffs across the bay. But our short journey was coming to an end, and we turned the corner to access the beach ahead of Dunbeath harbour.

I’d recently finished reading Neil Gunn’s novel, Highland River, and the Dunbeath-born author’s statue can be found alongside the harbour, close to the fisherman’s bothy and ice house.

Like so much of the coastline here, it is all too often bypassed in the mad dash up or down the A9, but the harbour and the village are a beautiful spot in themselves – and the perspective from the water is a whole new way of seeing Caithness.