Glen Affric Basecamp
Ancient Caledonian pinewood, still lochs, deep quiet.
A small, low-impact basecamp set among Scots pine on the north shore of Loch Affric. Ideal jumping-off point for the Affric–Kintail Way and gentle loch-side spins on the e-bike.
- Loch-side pitches
- Composting loos
- Firewood on request
- Waymarked trails
Peace of mind in the Highlands.
The Highlands are beautiful but remote. A few minutes of preparation means you can enjoy them with complete peace of mind.
Mountain Rescue, Ambulance, Police, Fire, Coastguard. Ask for the service you need — the operator will connect you.
Free advice for anything urgent but not life-threatening — a bad sprain, feeling unwell in the tent, a cut that won’t settle.
Cover Glen Affric, Kintail and the Five Sisters. Request "Kintail MRT" when connected.
Route planning tip: save the postcode to your maps app before you leave signal.
Reliable 4G at the eastern car park by Dog Falls. Signal drops sharply past the loch head — send messages before you set off.
How to give your location to emergency services.
When you ring 999, the calmer and clearer your location, the faster help arrives. Any one of these three works — give the operator whichever you have to hand.
OS Grid Reference
A six-figure grid reference pinpoints you to 100 metres. Read it from an Ordnance Survey map, or open a free app like OS Maps or ViewRanger — both show your live grid ref at the top of the screen.
What3Words
Every 3-metre square on earth has three unique words. Open the What3Words app or the website, tap the location arrow, and read the three words aloud to the operator.
Describe your surroundings
If tech fails, plain words win. Nearest landmark, water feature, path junction, direction of the last waymark. Anything that helps a rescue team narrow it down.
Save your campsite’s grid reference and What3Words before you lose signal. A screenshot in your camera roll is quicker than any app when the phone’s wet and the wind’s up.
See our Coming Home guide for tips on wrapping up your ride safely.
Nearest accessible parking — park close, ride easy.
A wee brief on the closest accessible parking to this pitch — how far, what surface, and whether there’s a height barrier to worry about. Handy to check on the phone before you set off.
Compacted gravel with two tarmac bays nearest the gate
2 designated accessible bays · extra-wide (approx. 3.6 m) for side transfer
Height barrier at entry: 2.1 m · lifts on request via the Forestry & Land Scotland number posted at the gate
Blue Badge holders may park in the two marked bays nearest the gate. Toilets 40 m from the accessible bays; nearest picnic bench is level and firm underfoot.
Always check current conditions before travelling — tracks and car parks can change seasonally. A quick ring to the local ranger service (listed on the Coming Home guide) is the surest way to know what you’ll arrive to.