Ben Makin of The Lighthouse Keeper's Cottage, Noss Head shares her crafty guide to local souvenirs and gifts from Caithness and Sutherland!
What to buy as souvenirs and gifts?
You want a gift from Scotland for yourself or a friend, it must be special, maybe hand made, and from the area you’re visiting. What to get….? Where to get it….?
We have some truly talented artists and makers in Caithness and Sutherland, and some fabulous places to buy gifts. So here are a few suggestions. I decided to organise these by size and weight because you can get a lot less into a carry-on bag than you can take home in a motorhome.
Read on for ideas and there’s a map at the end with lots of links to shops and markets!
Kelly Munro Jewellery
Scottish Design
We are all familiar with images of tartan, highland cows and thistles, and there is something reassuringly traditional about this work. But younger Scottish makers and artists create stylish designs which are uniquely Scottish, drawing on the landscapes of the far North, and the centuries-old heritage of Caithness and Sutherland. The result is work that is sharp, contemporary, and unique to the region.
Be careful what gifts you buy – you won’t want to give them away!
What to buy
Jewellery
Small, light, very Scottish, and uniquely special. These are just three of the silversmiths and jewellers in Caithness and Sutherland:
Lindsey Gallagher’s shop is upstairs in Traill St in Thurso, she specialises in jewellery made from local stone – if you pick up a pebble on a beach she can make it into earrings or a pendant and send it on.
Patricia Niemann’s jewellery studio at Berriedale is next to the River Bothy café which also sells crafts and clothes. Kelly Munro makes jewellery and runs silversmithing workshops in Wick.
Yarn
Yarn is a treat if you are a knitter or make crochet; many Scottish yarns are hand-dyed with natural dyes. I get quite giddy at yarn fests!
When you are buying yarn for the craftsperson in your life, ask advice and either buy a kit or get enough yarn for a small project, like a hat, or a pair of socks or wristlets.
Two of my favourites are Helen’s lovely yarns from Ripples Crafts, and Gong Crafts handy kits for socks and wristlets. But you will spot a lot of locally shorn, locally dyed, and utterly gorgeous yarns in craft shops across the region.
CC Chocolatier
Tablet, fudge, chocolate and shortbread
Tablet is basically an experiment to see how many calories you can compress into a delicious cube of melting sweetness – it is very traditionally Scottish and you’ll spot handmade tablet in local shops and even in petrol stations across the Highlands.
Caithness Chocolate is available online and in some shops, and is my go-to present when I want to send someone a treat from Caithness. And check out Cocoa Mountain who have outlets in Dornoch and Balknakeil. You could also try your hand at making your own chocolates as gifts at CC Chocolatier!
Soaps, candles, and aromatics
A treat for the senses, and there are so many to choose from. I always have a car freshener from Caithness Aromatics in my car and reed diffusers from North Coast Candles keep the house lovely, and Scottish hand-made soap is a lovely gift or stocking-filler.
Gloves, Scarves and Hats
Scotland is rightly known for its wool, and there are so many options from the traditional to the eclectic! I particularly love these Aurora bobble hats from the Coo’s Tail gallery in Thurso. You can also get lovely, felted scarves and cashmere items in craft shops across the region. And look out for fingerless gloves and mittens.
Watch out for tartan scarves that say “produced in Scotland” – the wool was probably shipped halfway round the world to be woven in factories and then shipped back. No harm in that – it makes them affordable – but do be aware that is what you are buying.
Tweed purses and bags
Harris Tweed is an amazing product, hand woven in people’s houses and sheds. It’s rightly expensive, but you can get your very own piece of the Hebrides in the form of a purse or a bag. There are plenty of other makers of gorgeous Scottish tweed, so keep a look out for those too.
Timespan, Helmsdale
T-shirts, jumpers and other clothing
Dressing in Scotland is all about layers, and Scottish wool is second to none, so I often suggest that people buy their jumpers here. Outlets range from Edinburgh Woollen Mill’s shop in John o’Groats to the corner in Timespan in Helmsdale where local knitters sell their work.
I love the range of the t-shirts available at John o’Groats, and though they are made in Bangladesh, they are sold by locally-owned businesses and have some great designs.
Glasses, mugs, crockery and ceramics
These are part of Scotland you can use every day or keep for special occasions, but undeniably heavy, of course.
Tain Pottery have a shop on the east coast. For a more individual experience, go to Northshore Pottery which is the studio of ceramic artist Jenny Mackenzie Ross.
Highland Stoneware have outlets in Ullapool and Lochinver. And look out for Marks and Pencils lovely engraved glasses in shops throughout the region.
Dunnet Bay Distillery Shop
Coasters, mats and Highland homeware
Many artists share some of their most popular work on coasters and mats; they are small, light and durable, so it’s a lovely way to see their work every day.
Honey, jams and chutneys
If only these weren’t so heavy! But they are so delicious! Often made with family recipes and home grown fruit or vegetables.
Carnegie Whisky Cellars
Whisky and other spirits
Every distillery which does tours will also have a small gift shop; some focus on the spirits, and others sell accessories and local crafts too. And if you don’t like whisky, you’ll find many, like Dunnet Bay Distillers, also distil gin or rum.
Lampshades, lamps, cushions and furniture
These souvenirs are best suited for a motorised holiday perhaps. Many shops on the map sell homeware, and if you are near Dunnet, take time to drop into Keith Parke’s Rustic Interiors, and explore The Coo’s Tail in Thurso.
The Coos Tail
Where to browse and buy
The map below is not complete, but it does have lots of wonderful places to browse and buy, ranging from individual makers’ workshops to gift shops specialising in local and Scottish art and crafts. Check the links in each pin for details.
Shops and workshops – Blue on the map
See the map for a selection of the independent shops in the region that showcase the work of local artists and makers. And if you like talking to individual makers, artists and craftspeople, look out for their workshops and studios.
Museums and heritage centres – Not marked on the map
Almost every museum and heritage centre will have a small shop of local items; these may be books or postcards, but many include local craft items too.
Makers’ Markets – Purple on the map
If you love talking to makers and craftspeople about their work, then the Facebook Group NC500 A.C.E (arts, crafts, events) is a good place to look for markets that may be happening during your trip.
Also check the noticeboards in shops during your stay, because local events are often advertised there. Click through the links in each pin to find out when they are on.
Highland Stoneware Pottery
Treasures full of memories, memories to treasure
The connection is real. Every time you get out that felted scarf, or drink from your hand-made mug, you will touch your memories of Scotland.