Moine Path

Start location: Unclassified road near south end of Loch Hope (NC 458 507)
End location: Kinloch Lodge road end, Kyle of Tongue (NC 554 523)
Geographical area: Sutherland
Path Type: Rural Path
Path distance: 18.5km
Accessibility info: Suitable for pedestrians

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Route Description

Sadly we have no survey of the whole of this route. However, it has been reported to us that access is dissuaded by a painted notice on the gateposts at the Kinloch Lodge road end. Although this is the line of the Moine Path right of way, a suggested alternative is to use the estate track that lies 400m further north along the public road. This passes the derelict Kinloch House and joins the Moine Path at NC551525. Any recent survey of this right of way would be very welcome indeed.

OS Landranger 9 (Cape Wrath) & 10 (Strathnaver)

Heritage Information

This path is something of a mystery. It appears in the first edition of Ordnance Survey's 6 inch to the mile series of maps, which was surveyed in 1874 and is depicted by two parallel lines in Ordnance Survey's first one inch to the mile maps, surveyed in 1872.  Therefore it is certainly an old track, it was significant enough to be portrayed as a road in the 1 inch to the mile maps and is supposed to be quite a wide track in places and therefore suitable for carriages.

The modern road (A838) which lies to the north follows the general line of a road built in 1830. A worn plaque is sited on the side of the now derelict Moin House, upon which once could be read words lauding the Marquess of Stafford for having the road constructed. This Marquess is probably better known as the notorious Duke of Sutherland. The plaque included the words: "This house erected for the refuge of the traveller was to commemorate the construction of the Road across the deep and dangerous morass of the Moin, inpractible to all but the hardy and active native; to him even it was a day of toil and of labour".

It could be concluded that the Moine Path was a road which initially developed as it was a more direct route than the later road, but one that was steeper and probably more prone to being washed away.  No date can be placed on the road although it has probably existed for centuries.  However, being less accessible and not passing any habitation must have left it without much traffic and so ignored as the modern road network was being improved.

It is currently a very enjoyable walk though and is quiet with majestic views. 

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