Venture North: Tourist Information for Caithness & Sutherland
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  • Plan your stay
    • Accommodation
      • Harrow Cottages
      • Melvich Hotel
      • Highland Glen Lodges
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      • Eddrachilles Hotel
      • Apartment 65B, Thurso
      • Munro House / Croft 148 3 Bed Caravan / Campervan Parking
      • Langhills House
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      • Dornoch Castle
      • Ulbster Arms
      • Bannockburn Inn
      • Ferry View Campsite
      • The Sheiling B&B / NC 500
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      • Ceol Mor Highland Lodges
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      • Inver Lodge
      • Tongue Hotel
      • Dunnet Head Lighthouse
      • The Hawthorns B&B
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      • Mackays Hotel
      • The Norseman Hotel
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      • The Halladale & North Coast Touring Park
      • Links House
      • Dunnet Bay Accommodation
      • Sharvedda
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      • Greenland House
    • Food & Drink
      • The Blue Door Coffee Shop Diner, Thurso Bay
      • No. 1 Bistro
      • Mr C's Bar
      • Crannag Bistro
      • The River Bothy
      • Bydand Licensed Restaurant
    • Activities & Experiences
      • Assynt Fly Fishing
      • Richard's Garage (Car Hire and Repairs)
      • Ulbster Alpaca Trekking
      • RobbieMac Tours & Ancestry Services
      • Royal Dornoch Golf Club
      • James Curley FlyFishing
      • Caithness Seacoast Ltd
      • North Coast Wet n' Wild
      • Above and Beyond Tours
      • Sutherland Adventure Company
      • North Coast Watersports
      • A Highland Blend
      • Go-Hi App - Travel Made Simple
      • John O'Groats Ferries
      • Connell Outdoor Pursuits
      • Vitality with Donna Booth
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      • Thrumster Station
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      • Dunbeath Heritage Trust
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      • Wick Heritage Museum
      • Strathnaver Museum
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      • Camster Cairns
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      • The Flow Country
      • Clan Gunn Heritage Centre
      • Whaligoe Steps
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    • Local Shopping
      • Biron's Ironmongers
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      • Jail Dornoch
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      • Patricia Niemann Design
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      • Lindsey Gallacher
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    • Suggested Itineraries
      • Space to Just be
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      • Wick Away-Day: History and Heritage
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      • Wick/Caithness multi-day itinerary
  • What to do
    • Golf
    • Surfing
    • Mountain Biking
    • Beaches
    • Bird Watching
    • Cycling
    • Paddlesport
    • Flora
    • Hiking and Walking
    • Archaeology
    • Wildlife
    • Fishing & Fieldsports
    • Aurora Borealis
    • Scuba Diving
    • Castles
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    • East Caithness
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  • Hiking and Walking

Hiking and Walking

Why not enjoy some of the most spectacular scenery by walking and hiking, accessing areas that are impassable by other ways of transport, whether it's along the coastal cliffs or through the mountains of the West

Andrew MacLeod

There are so many places to walk and hike in the north of Scotland

Forest walks:

From heart pumping hikes to easy access routes, there is something for everyone to enjoy. As well as a great selection of woodland trails, you can go wild on the natural play features at Camore. Our forests aren't only about trees, so get near to nature with some of Scotland's finest wildlife, or step back in time and discover Brochs, battle sites, burial cairns and more.

Borgie Forest takes its name from an outstanding northern salmon river which flows from Ben Loyal to Torrisdale Bay.

Rosal township in nearby Strathnaver was once a thriving community. A short evocative trail tells the story of traditional life before the sheep came to Strathnaver

Sibster Forest is a great place to spot small birds, Raptors and rare insects - like the great yellow bumblebee which feeds on Sibster's pretty wildflowers. Stop here for peaceful trails and long open views.

Rumster Forest . Gaze out over the sea to the Cairngorm mountains from the base of a 1960s telecoms mast and follow a forest trail past the evocative remains of traditional Caithness longhouses.

Ferrycroft in Lairg takes you through the walls, fields and hut circles of farmers who lived here 5000 years ago. You can find out all about them at the excellent Visitor Centre, from where two delightful forest trails wander through pinewoods beside Little Loch Shin.

Falls of Shin salmon viewing platform and three gorgeous forest trails beside the river and in the woods. Visit any time of year to burn off energy in the forest play areas and to enjoy the waterfalls, but make sure you stop in autumn for the unforgettable sight of salmon leaping up the falls.

Suspended boardwalks follow the Allt Mor burn through a magical steep-sided gorge, criss-crossed with bridges and overhung with towering conifers. This is the much-loved Raven's Rock, a fairytale forest full of surprises. It's a gorgeous hidden gem not far from Rosehall and well worth a small detour.

Skelbo and Camore woods near Dornoch, and Tain Hill and Aldie Burn near Tain. These smaller forests are great for family walks, with a natural play area at Camore and children's dipping ponds in Skelbo and Aldie Burn

Coastal Walks

The John O'Groats Trail comes along the east coast of Caithness and Sutherland, taking in some of the rich wildlife, sea birds and heritage.

  • View our Visitor Attractions page for ideas on what to see while you're out walking
  • View our Restaurants and Bars page to find the best place to eat and relax

Photos on this page by Wendy Sutherland.

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Cape Wrath Ultra - Scotland's Exhibition Race

Cape Wrath Ultra - Scotland's Exhibition Race

WHAT PLANS DO YOU HAVE FOR THE SUMMER? How about joining us for a one-off journey to Cape Wrath this August? This iconic, bucket-list event is normally held in May, but today a limited number of entries became available for this unique August edition of the Cape Wrath Ultra®. We would be delighted to see you in Scotland for a very special summer adventure! KEY INFO: Dates: 1st-8th August 2021 Price: £1399 payable upon entry + final instalment of £400 due 1st June When do I need to arrive? Read up on the key itinerary What do I need to bring? Read up on kit requirements Tell me more about the route! It’s 400km over 8 days and the full route can be viewed here


1 August 2021 - 8 August 2021
Cape Wrath
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Venture North are the Destination Management Organisation for tourism in Caithness and Sutherland. We play a lead role in tourism across the region, working with local partners, tourism businesses and communities to ensure Caithness and Sutherland continues to be a high-quality tourism destination offering a wide range of activities and experiences for visitors in a unique and stunning natural landscape and environment.

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