Skip to main content
Wild About Lochaber

Wild About Lochaber

where great adventures begin...

Search form

Menu

  • Home
  • Explore
    • Wild Lochaber
    • Ardnamurchan, Moidart & Morvern
    • Fort William and Glen Nevis
    • Glencoe and Loch Leven
    • The Road To The Isles
    • #WildLochaber Photo Gallery
  • Accommodation
    • Hotels and B&Bs
    • Caravan & Campsites
  • Walking
    • Map of All Walks
    • Ardnamurchan and Moidart
    • Arisaig Mallaig and Glenfinnan
    • Fort William and Glen Nevis
    • Glencoe, Loch Leven & Argyll
  • Wildlife
    • Map of Wildlife Sites
    • Wildlife Experiences
    • Wildlife Habitats
  • Things To Do
    • Activity Providers
    • Beaches
    • Castles
    • Destinations
    • Gardens
    • Geology
    • Geopark Rock Route
    • Historic Attractions
    • Museums and Interpretation
    • Railways
    • Wildlife Experiences
    • Wildlife Hotspots
  • Travel
    • Electric Vehicle Charging Points
    • Ferries
    • Petrol Stations
    • The Caledonian Sleeper
  • What's On
    • Calendar
    • Arts, Culture and Community Events
    • Family Friendly Events
    • Walking Events
    • Wildlife & Geology Events
    • Events on Discover Glencoe
    • Road to The Isles & Ardnamurchan
  • Blogs
    • Ardnamurchan Area Blogs
    • Glencoe Area Blogs
    • Lochaber Blogs
    • West Coast Island Blogs
    • Wild About Lochaber Blog

Silver Walk

  • The Silver Walk path gets quite close to Loch Moidart
  • The start of the Silver Walk near Kinlochmoidart
  • View from the picnic bench on the Silver and Ardmolich walks
  • Ancient Atlantic Oak
  • Salt marsh
  • Loch Moidart
  • The path skirts behing Port a Bhata
  • The Silver walk joins up with the Blain Burn and Castle Tioram walk
  • Otter seen from the Silver Walk

Details

A lovely, but fairly strenuous, and long coastal walk along the shores of Loch Moidart, with the possibility of seeing otters and a range of coastal birds.   The walk is a ‘there and back’, although parts of the Silver Walk are incorporated into other routes, namely Blain Burn and Castle Tioram Walk. 

The Silver walk got its name from a hoard of Elizabethan coins found during the construction of the path.  The walk contains some vertiginous sections and scrambles over large boulders near the coast, as well as some boggy sections and a few small stream crossings.  Some sections of path also descend close to the beach and may not be easily passable at high tide. 

There are some fantastic views on route of Loch Moidart with its pine-studded islands.  Good views are afforded of the deserted township of Port a’ Bhata (the bay of boats), the island of Eliean Shoan and Castle Tioram.  Along with many other townships, Port a’ Bhata supported a whisky distilling industry, with barley imported from Tiree and Uist, until the introduction of licensing in 1780.

The walk passes through a range of habitat types including Atlantic oak woodland, coniferous plantation, salt marsh and rocky shoreline. There are good opportunities to see waders, diving and dabbling ducks, cormorants along the coastlines and a range of woodlands birds in the Atlantic oak woodlands fringing sections of the walk.  If you are lucky, you may also see white-tailed and golden eagle; the latter flying high along the crest of the high hills and crags.  Look out for red deer on route, and otters feeding at high tide.    

The path is mostly gravelled with a few rocky outcrops in places, an exposed narrow stretch skirting the edge of the hill and some coastal sections.  You can also start the Silver Walk at Dorlin. 

Route Details

1. Park at car-park off the A861 with an interpretation board introducing the walks around Ardmolich.  Head off through the magical mixed spruce plantations, strewn with bryophytes.  Listen out for the high-pitched lilts and ’twangy’ calls of gold crest, siskins and coal tits respectively.  The path descends initially, and passes through a gate/ stile from where the path begins to ascend steeply.  There is a welcome bench on route with good views of Loch Moidart and The Small Isles. 

2. Take the right hand path by the coast and then right again.  The path follows the contours of the rocky coast line descending to the edge of the beach on occasions. 

Look out for a range of woodland birds in this coastal section fringed with Atlantic Oakwoods with its Calluna-Erica understory.  Oak woodland also supports a remarkable diversity of lichens, most notable members of the foliose Lobarion and Parmelion communities, strewn on the branches and trunks of ancient oaks, as well as epiphytic ferns.  There is also an abundance of liverworts and mosses in the crevices and the wetter areas, and crustiose lichens on rocks and boulders.

The walk descends to the edge of a small salt marsh with a few deserted houses inland.  The walk then heads inland ascending to the deserted  township of Port a’ Bhata (the bay of boats), with its many abandoned stone buildings.  Continue along the track through the hill heading downhill on a well defined track/path, eventually crossing a small stream walking over some large boulders.  The path skirts along the coast with oak, birch, pine and larch, aspen woodland above and the indented coast and sea below.  

3. When you reach a stone cairn continue along the coastal route, ignoring the path to the left.  The latter path goes to the ruined village of Briag, which can be explored on the Castle Tioram walk.

4. Continue along the coastal path fringed with Atlantic oak woodland which affords fantastic views over Loch Moidart to the small islands of Eilean an Fheidh, Riska, Shona Beag and Eilean Shona, in order of increasing size. These smaller islands are covered in pine woodland, whilst the larger islands have coastal woodland fringes.   Look out for otters and a range of coastal birds on Loch Moidart. 

The path tightly hugs the coastline and in section requires some scrambling over boulders as well as descending close to the coast where the path traverses a boulder block.  The path crosses close to the edge of the rocky cliffs, with a particularly vertiginous section as you near Castle Tioram, where the path skirts around the edge of an outcrop. There are also some muddy sections.

The effort is rewarded by stunning views of the ruined Castle Tioram on its rocky tidal island at the confluence of Loch Moidart and the River Shiel.  The Castle was built in the mid 13th century and extended in the 14th century, providing an impenetrable stronghold for the Clanranalds borne of its design, construction and location.  The castle was destroyed by fire in the 18th century on the order of Allan, 14th chief to prevent it falling into the hands of the Government. It now stands as a sombre testament to the changing fortunes of the Clanranalds.

5. Continue along the path, climbing up some stone steps and passing through a low iron gate and then descending to a lovely beach at Dorlin.   At low tide, you can walk to the Castle along an exposed sandy isthmus. Due to the dilapidated state of the castle it can only be viewed from the outside, although it is well worth a visit.  However, you should be aware of the tide, as at high tide the castle becomes cut off from the mainland.  Take time to enjoy the beach and castle.  This is also a good place for a picnic stop. 

6. After exploring the area, return by the same route.

Location

starting grid ref: 

NM716714
NM665723

Links to useful information

  • Port a' Bhata
  • Ardmolich Woodland Walk
  • Blain Burn and Castle Tioram walk
  • Ardnamurchan Day Trips - Castle Tioram, The Siver Walk and Dorlin

grade: 

  • moderate

terrain: 

mixed

length: 

12.6km (7.9 miles)

Type: 

  • there and back

Map: 

OS Explorer Map 390 - Ardnamurchan

OS Map

>>view map in full window

Google Map

Safety

Route details and information are provided in good faith.  All walking is potentially dangerous and it is your responsibility to ensure that you are properly dressed and equipped, have a map and compass, have checked and planned your route in advance and are able to navigate effectively.  Maps displayed on these walking pages are intended as an overview of the walk and are NOT suitable for navigation.  Please follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code and respect landowners and residents' privacy.  Always check the weather forecast and let others know if you are walking in the hills.

Walking

  • Walking Overview
  • Map of All Walks
  • Ardnamurchan and Moidart
  • Arisaig, Mallaig and Glenfinnan
  • Fort William and Glen Nevis
  • Glencoe, Loch Leven & Argyll
Booking.com

Holiday Cottages in Fort William and Lochaber

The Invergarry Hotel
Invergarry Hotel

The Invergarry Hotel - A charming 4 Star Scottish Highland Country Inn

Ardnamurchan Walking Pages

  • Alphabet Trail
  • Aoineadh Mor
  • Ardmolich Woodland Walk
  • Ardnastaing and Scotstown
  • Ardtornish Castle
  • Ariundle Oakwoods
  • Bay MacNeil Beach
  • Bay of Flies
  • Ben Hiant
  • Ben Resipole
  • Blain Burn Circular
  • Bourblaige Cleared Settlement
  • Camas nan Geall
  • Castle Tioram Circular
  • Castle Tioram Viewpoint
  • Claish Plantation
  • Corrantee Lead Mines from Ardnastaing
  • Corrantee Lead Mines from Polloch
  • Dalilea Walks
  • Dorlin Low Road
  • Fairy Walk
  • Fascadale and Port Eigin-aig
  • Galmadale Dam
  • Garbh Eilean Wildlife Walk
  • Ghardail Loop
  • Glen Moidart
  • Glenborrodale Nature Trail
  • Glendrian and Port Eigin-aig
  • Greadal Fhinn Chambered Cairn
  • Kentra Bay and The Singing Sands
  • Kentra Moss Circular
  • Kilmory Beach
  • Kinlochaline Low Road
  • Kinlochmoidart Old Road
  • Loch Teacuis Northside
  • Mingary Castle
  • Ockle to The Singing Sands
  • Polloch and Loch Shiel
  • Portuairk and Bay MacNeil
  • Portuairk to Sanna
  • Prince's Walk
  • Rahoy Hills - Black Water
  • Rahoy Hills - Loch Arienas
  • Salen Oakwoods
  • Shielfoot Torr
  • Silver Walk
  • Smirisary Walk
  • Sonachan Wood and Heathland
  • St Columba's Chapel, Drimnin
  • Strontian Community Woodland
  • Tennyson's Waterfall

Glencoe

Discover Glencoe

Glencoe and Loch Leven

>>

Walking

Walking

Take a Walk on The Wild Side...

with over 100 wildlife focused walks across Lochaber, you'll be spoilt for choice

>>

Fort William

Fort William

Fort William, The Outdoor Capital

>>

Wildlife

wildlife

Wildlife

Home to Scotland's Big Five, red deer, golden eagle, otter, red squirrel, seals and so much more. A Wildlife Adventure Awaits.

>>

Ardnamurchan

West Highland Peninsulas

Ardnamurchan and The West Highland Peninsulas

>>

Activities

Activities

Activities

kayaking, wildlife watching, cruising, cycling, golfing, climbing, skiing, slow adventures and many more things to do

>>

Road to The Isles

The Road to The Isles

The Road to The Isles

>>

Day Trips

Day trips

Day Trps

Take off for the day to see the puffins on The Treshnish Isles, A Day trip to Mull, Skye, The Small Isles, The Most westerly point on the mainland and many more local ideas for a day out

>>

  • Advertising
  • Contact
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy

Photos and Content Copyright ©2011-2025 Wild About Lochaber - All Rights Reserved

  • Wild About Lochaber on Instagram
  • Wild About Lochaber on FaceBook
  • Wild About Lochaber on Twitter