Dunnet Bay


Just west of the Dunnet headland, the sweeping curve of Dunnet Bay offers one of Scotland’s finest beaches, backed by high dunes and a campsite. Rangers organise guided walks here in summer. At the southern end of Dunnet Bay lies the tiny harbour of Castlehill. Here a heritage trail explains the evolution of the local flagstone industry.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Seadrift

0.69 MILES

Backing the dunes of Dunnet Bay, this is a small wildlife display and base for local rangers, who organise walks in summer.

2. Dunnet Bay Distillery

1.12 MILES

There's something rather fetching about this small-batch distillery on the main road through Dunnet. The very tasty Rock Rose gin and Holy Grass vodka are…

3. Mary-Ann's Cottage

1.31 MILES

Mary-Ann lived in this 19th-century croft, on the headland near the main road, for nigh on a century. In-depth guided tours take you round her humble but…

4. Dunnet Head

4.57 MILES

Eight miles east of Thurso a minor road leads to dramatic Dunnet Head, the most northerly point on the British mainland. There are majestic cliffs…

5. Castle of Mey

5.45 MILES

The Castle of Mey, a big crowd-puller for its Queen Mother connections, is 6 miles west of John O’Groats. The exterior is grand but inside it feels…

6. Duncansby Head

12.11 MILES

Two miles east of John O'Groats, Duncansby Head has a small lighthouse and 60m-high cliffs sheltering nesting fulmars. A 15-minute walk through a sheep…

7. Longhope Lifeboat Museum

12.86 MILES

At the southern end of Hoy, Longhope’s former lifeboat launching station holds a small lifeboat museum, centred around one of the old boats itself, the…

8. Castle Sinclair Girnigoe

13.62 MILES

Three miles northeast of Wick is the magnificently located clifftop ruin of Castle Sinclair. It's a short walk from a car park, with some interpretative…