Camping in Lochinver

Assynt's empty, dramatic landscape has long made it a favourite for wild camping, which is legal across most of unenclosed Scotland under the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, provided campers follow the code's guidance on numbers, distance from roads and buildings, and leaving no trace. Pitches beside remote lochans below Suilven or Canisp, or tucked into the dunes above beaches such as Achmelvich and Clachtoll, are among the most memorable wild camping spots in the country, though the terrain is genuinely remote and weather can change with little warning even in summer, so campers need proper equipment, navigation skills and a realistic sense of the distances involved. For a simpler option, established campsites at Achmelvich and Clachtoll offer serviced pitches with showers and facilities, right beside two of Assynt's best beaches, and are a popular and much easier alternative to a backcountry pitch.

Midges are a genuine consideration for anyone camping in Assynt between late May and September, especially in still, humid conditions near water or woodland at dawn and dusk; repellent, a head net and a pitch with a breeze all help. The most settled weather generally falls between May and early September, though even then conditions on the open moor and hills can turn quickly, and winter camping here is a serious undertaking best left to experienced hillgoers. For those who want the scenery without sleeping on the ground, a small but growing number of glamping pods, bothies and shepherd's huts have appeared across Assynt in recent years, offering solid shelter and often a wood-burning stove within reach of the same views that draw wild campers to the area, and a good compromise for families or those newer to camping in exposed Highland terrain.