Day 1

Arts at Lyth

Begin your journey of creative experiences in the North Highlands by discovering what Lyths Arts Centre has to offer. From performing arts to creative workshops, to dance, music and comedy, you’ll soon discover why this creative space is one of the key hubs for art and culture. Not just for Caithness, but for the entire North Highlands, with travelling artists and exhibitions regularly visiting the venue. Lyth Arts Centre is a wonderful place in which to enliven your senses. But don’t imagine yourself merely as a passive consumer of art; visit their online calendar and see what activities you can get involved in, and let your own creativity shine. 

Mixology at Dunnet Bay

Whether you opted for music, drama or art during your time in Lyths, you might have built up a wee thirst, so it’s time to take yourself North to Dunnet Bay Distillery, just 3 miles from the most Northernly point on mainland Scotland.  

During the Summer months (as well as some winter seasonal activity workshops), you can get hands-on in cocktail making classes, where you’ll be given the opportunity to experiment with some of the best premium spirits to come from the North Highlands. Play with Dunnet Bay Distiller’s award-winning spirits, whether it be rum, gin or vodka. Sample your creation at the end of the evening and take home a recipe sheet so you can impress with your newly developed bar skills at home, too! 

After an inspiring day of arts workshops and honing in on your mixology skills, it’s time to rest and recharge for day 2 of even more creative experiences in the North Highlands. Choose Thurso as your base for the night, whether you opt for The Pentland Hotel or The Station Hotel, a good night’s sleep and tasty sustenance is guaranteed.  

Day 2

Chocolate Making in Caithness

You’ve been creative with our fine North Highland drink, now time to get involved in our food experiences. This morning you’ll be visiting CC Chocolatier in Bower, where Mandy, owner and expert chocolatier (having worked baked in some of the finest kitchens in Scotland, including for royalty at the Castle of Mey) will be leading you on a Chocolate Making workshop. Enjoy and experiment with a range of different designs and flavours to create something truly unique to take home with you – but don’t worry, you don’t have to share! You can even enjoy a Ritz-style afternoon tea afterwards.  

Now make your way for the North coast of Sutherland, where you’ll find tonight’s retreat. Check into your luxury glamping pod at The Halladale & North Coast Touring Park at Melvich. Enjoy a warm and hearty dinner in the Bistro and take this time to be inspired by your surroundings. From golden sands to remote and solitary rolling hills, all forever changing with the dancing sunlight. Let this magical landscape inspire you for tomorrow’s activities.  

Day 3

Jewellery and Craft Workshops in Skerray

Make your way for Skerray, where you’ll be meeting Konstantina Pateraki, your host for the day. Konstantina will guide you on a professional jewellery making workshop, learning all about how the North of Scotland and our vibrant landscapes inspire her work, and how it can inspire yours, too.  

Don’t worry if traditional jewellery isn’t your forte, Konstantina offers an array of craft workshops. Choose from creating bespoke copper indoor and outdoor decorations to designing fly ties, a skilful and intricate craft that is still very popular in the North Highlands today. Konstantina offers the perfect environment to inspire creativity. This is a place where you’re not only here to make your own jewellery, but to also experience a truly authentic craft in one of Scotland’s most dramatic and undisturbed corners.    

Now, to take yourself and your handmade treasures even further west, where the next project you’ll be working on is your own mind and body. Check yourself into your perfectly equipped glamping pod at Oldshoremore Retreats and familiarise yourself with this tranquilly beautiful area, it’s going to be home for the next two nights.  

Day 4

Creative Retreats at Oldshoremore

Sometimes the greatest creativity happens when we work on ourselves. Oldshoremore Retreats offer space, time, and support in which to rest, recharge and reconnect with what makes you unique. Andy and Angela offer a range of well-being and self-discovery activities. Get in touch and they’ll be able to tell you which session suits your needs best. 

You can also discover how this region inspires its own makers. Visit the Oldshoremore Craft Shop and discover a range of handmade produce and crafts, all made from locals in the area. Take home your own piece of this magical place.  

While you’re here, take your time in this stunning area to stir your own imagination. Let the white sands of Oldshoremore Beach and dramatic peaks of Assynt inspire you. Whether you’re drawn to the lens, the brush, the pen, or something entirely your own. It’s no wonder why being in the North Highlands makes being creative feel effortless, and the experiences endless. Here, the landscape itself becomes your muse, and inspiration isn’t just found, it’s felt.  

After a morning of self-discovery and an afternoon of being inspired by the natural wonders, let yourself rest and recharge back in your comfortable Pod, and dream of tomorrow’s activities.  

Day 5

Hands-on Skills at Lairg Learning Centre

Today, you’ll say goodbye to the coast, to take a trip into the stunning heart of Sutherland, where a catalogue of hands-on activities awaits you at Lairg Learning Centre, in the very centre of the North Highlands. From sewing, to cooking, to woodwork, The Lairg Learning Centre not only offers a place for you to learn completely new or improve on your skills, but also an opportunity to meet new people, visitors and residents, and really experience the region as a temporary local. Just visit their website to see what classes are being offered during your stay. 

After a day of learning new skills and making new connections that will last well after your holiday is over, it’s time to relax, unwind and switch off. Check into Ardgay Glamping Pods, just 15 minutes from Lairg. Take in the stunning rural views form your own private patio and you might even be lucky enough to spot the local wildlife, including elusive red kites!  

Take this time to relax and reflect on everything that’s inspired you throughout your trip. From being influenced by both natural and man-made wonders, and having enjoyed some of the best creative experiences that the North Highlands has to offer, you might just find yourself planning out your next trip back to do it all again.