Places To Visit In The North Of Scotland
Scotland is well known for its rugged beauty, but Northern Scotland in particular is unrivalled when it comes to dramatic landscapes, fascinating wildlife and charming towns. This is mainly due to the remoteness of a lot of locations but the doesn’t mean you can visit these magical places. In this post we’ll go over some of the best places to visit in the North of Scotland.
Places to visit in the North of Scotland
Ullapool
John O’ Groats
Achmelvich Beach
Dunrobin Castle
Smoo Cave
Ullapool
When talking about places to visit in the North of Scotland, we have to mention Ullapool. The small town is the main harbour town for the Outer Hebrides, with boats leaving from here to the enchanting islands of Lewis and Harris. The town itself sits on the edge of Loch Broom, sheltered from the wild waters of the Summer Isles and the further abyss of the Atlantic Ocean.
This quaint harbour town has a beautiful charm to it, with old, whitewash houses lining the harbour-front, overlooking the boats that creak and sway in the calm water of the bay. It’s the perfect place for a relaxing stroll as you take in the beautiful views. You can also sample some of the delicious seafood Scotland is so famed for.
There are many great things to do in Ullapool including visiting the museum, taking a stroll around the independent shops and going to see the Rhue lighthouse, located around 4 miles from the town. Finish your visit to Ullapool off by watching the sunset over Loch Broom. As the day comes to an end, the surrounding hills begin to light up a magnificent pink, which in turn illuminates the buildings and the water, it is one not to be missed.
John O’ Groats
The town of John O’Groats was founded in the 15th century when Dutchman Jan de Groot first built his house here. Jan de Groot ran a ferry from here to Orkney for 2p a trip, and the town of John O’Groats has been named after him ever since.
In the past, this small seaside town has not had the best reputation for tourism but in recent years there has been a lot of work done to recover the reputation of this popular stop and in our opinion, it has come a long way.
John O’ Groats has a wonderful combination of unspoilt scenery and interesting wildlife, mirroring the dramatic nature of this remote highland town. You might be able to spot killer whales, seals and dolphins in the surrounding waters as well as many types of birds along the cliffs.
Aside from enjoying some delicious food in one of the cafes or strolling along the coastal paths, one of the top things to do here is to see the famous John O’ Groats sign! Marking the beginning, or end, of the 876 mile ‘end to end’ journey all the way down in to Cornwall, England, the sign has been a famous landmark since its installation in 1964.
Achmelvich Beach
Achmelvich Bay is located in Sutherland on the north west coast of Scotland. Situated only a short 3 mile drive north from the small fishing town of Lochinver, Achmelvich beach sits in one of the most remote parts of the country. This beautiful, scenic beach could have you believing you are abroad somewhere tropical, especially on a warm day, and not at the edge of the North Atlantic Ocean.
Achmelvich Beach is commonly known as the best beach on the NC500, which is why it is such a popular place to visit by those travelling the NC500. The road to access the beach isn’t the easiest due to how narrow it is but it is well worth the drive. The white sand contrasting with the turquoise blue water makes it one of the most beautiful beaches to do some wild swimming. Due to how secluded and sheltered the bay is, it is also popular with those who enjoy watersports.
If you don’t fancy getting in the water, there are some beautiful walking trails around the beaches, one of our favourites being the trail to the right of the beach that takes you over the hill to a secluded cove on the other side. This beach is just as beautiful but a lot quieter and you don’t have the view of the caravans behind the beach
There are no shops or amenities in Achmelvich, only accommodation options, so you will need to travel to Lochinver for food shopping at the local Spar.
Dunrobin Castle
Home to Clan Dunrobin, the magnificent Dunrobin Castle dates back to the Middle Ages and is definitely one of the best places to visit in the North of Scotland. Whilst the majority of the current structure was built between 1835 and 1850, the castle is one of Britain’s oldest continually inhabited houses, going as far back as the 1300s. During WWI, It was used as a naval hospital and then briefly as a boarding school in the 1960s and 70s.
The exterior of this 189 room castle takes inspiration from French chateaus and perched atop the hillside among the landscape, paints a rather breathtaking picture.
Entry to the castle is £14.50 for adults and that includes the museum, falconry and gardens as well. If you don’t fancy going inside, why not go for a walk around the grounds and admire the outside of the building instead, as well as the quiet beach at the bottom of the hill.
The castle is open annually from 1st April to 31st October but do check the website for up to date information as there are seasonal opening times.
Smoo Cave
Smoo Cave is an incredible natural sea cave located on the north coast of Scotland in the small village of Durness. It is one of the largest sea caves in the UK and is made up of three parts; the large entrance, the first chamber with a large waterfall and the second chamber which sits at the back of the cave.
The cave is open all year round and is accessible via a staircase. If the weather is suitable during the peak season, tours are operated which take you further into the cave on a short boat ride. The tours are weather dependent and will not run if there has been poor weather as heavy rain can cause the water levels to change within the cave meaning it can often be closed during winter.
The water at Smoo Cave is inaccessible unless you have paid for the tour that takes you further into the chamber. You will travel through the cave on a small boat but there is absolutely no swimming in the cave.
Have you visited any of these places in the North of Scotland recently? Or do you have suggestions for other great places to go to? Share your thoughts and suggestions in the comments section.
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