The northernmost part of Scotland doesn’t have any of the usual attractions – imposing palaces and castles, grand museums and art galleries, operas and theaters, or verdant greenery and rose gardens.
Instead, you will find a stark, raw kind of beauty – remote ruins, waves lashing on rocks, craggy cliffs – and hardly any people.
Perfect for us!
Our base for exploring this area was a picturesque village called Bettyhill, located at the northernmost tip of the Scotland. It is on the A836 road (also known as NC500 today) almost equidistant between John-O-Groats on the east end and Durness on the west. We drove into this village after exploring the east coast of the NC500 route.
Bettyhill is a typical Scottish village (population of about 500) with no gas station or ATM! It has one post office cum grocery which sells petrol and serves as an ATM (you will get a cashback if you buy something small from the shop at the post office). And yes, the lady in charge is quite friendly.
We stayed in a very nice Airbnb cottage overlooking the Farre beach, with sheep grazing on our backyard. We stocked food and groceries from a large supermarket chain located about an hour’s drive away and stayed here for 4 days.
This part of Scotland gets some rain almost every day, despite which we did several interesting day trips during our stay.
Here’s the route map of our day trips.
DAY TRIP 1 – FORSINARD FLOWS
About an hour’s drive from Bettyhill, a bit off the NC500 route, is the Forsinard Flows reserve – part of a vast expanse of blanket bog, sheltered straths and mountains known as the Flow Country.
This nature reserve has a viewing tower, visitor centre, several trails and some special guided walks.
It was raining slightly when we went here, hence we spent a bit of time at the visitor centre browsing through the informative exhibits and watching a short film on the background of this place. We received a lesson on climate change and carbon stores.
The deep layers of peat lying below the surface of the locks away carbon which would otherwise have been released as carbon dioxide. This type of bog covers just three percent of the earth’s surface but holds nearly 30% of all its carbon.
Scientists are trying to understand and conserve the Flow Country as an important global carbon sink as well as a wildlife habitat.
We followed the Dubh Lochan trail – a short but truly unique walk – to get an introduction to the Forsinard Flows National Nature Reserve. The walk was interesting, and also educative because there are informative signboards along the way.
The trail crosses the blanket bog on a wooden walkway leading to the Lookout tower which overlooks this remarkable landscape of bogs and habitat. The boardwalk continues to the Dubh Lochan pools. This is a great walk for bird watchers as well as those interested in plant and insect life. The walk took about an hour including stops here and there.
Serious bird watchers visit this reserve looking for rare birds.
Breaking news : UNESCO has awarded World Heritage Site status to the Flow Country, the first time that a “mere” peat bog has received this recognition. Grand Canyon and Great Barrier Reef – move over, and make room for the Forsinard Flows.
DAY TRIP 2
CASTLE VARRICH
This is an enjoyable one hour round trip hike with spectacular views.
As you drive westward from Bettyhill, you will come across Castle Varrich – a ruined castle. It is in a picturesque area on the north coast of Scotland, just a 30-minute drive from Bettyhill.
Visiting the castle involves a 2-mile walk which starts and finishes in the beautiful coastal village of Tongue, located on the east shore of the picturesque Kyle of Tongue.
The castle’s precise origins, age and history are unknown. However, many believe the castle was built in the 1400s and was once occupied by the Mackay clan.
There isn’t a lot of parking in the village of Tongue. When we visited in late spring, it wasn’t the busy season, and we managed to find a parking spot in the small car park on Main Street, opposite Ben Loyal Hotel.
This was probably one of the easiest trailheads to locate, and the path was well marked and a pleasure to follow. The path winds back and forth for a fairly easy ascent, and gets a bit steep when you are near the castle, the overall climb being about 87 metres (286 ft).
It took us around an hour to walk to the castle and back. It is a lovely walk, and worth doing because you get to see some stunning scenery from the top of the castle, which makes the uphill effort worthwhile.
ARD NEACKIE VIEWPOINT – HEILAM – LOCH ERIBOLL
We got some truly amazing and unique views at this viewpoint.
This stretch of driving towards and around Tongue is very picturesque. It is a winding road, almost totally single-track.
The north coast of Scotland is deeply indented by a series of sea lochs and river estuaries. As we drove towards Tongue, we crossed the Kyle of Tongue – an estuary fed by the Kinloch River to the south. We then crossed the Loch Hope and came to Loch Eriboll.
Here, we saw this unique view of a craggy peninsula jutting out into Loch Eriboll, connected to the mainland by a thin isthmus of sand which links it to the east shore. It is like a sandy beach sticking out into the Loch! This is truly the most intriguing and attractive feature of Loch Eriboll
This is the ARD NEAKIE VIEWPOINT – a bit of a tongue twister.
Ard Neackie has an interesting history of lime quarrying and lime kilns. Also, it was home to Heilam ferry across Loch Eriboll.
Unfortunately, there is no parking here, and there is no suitable place to stop on the roadside. The best one can do is to take some quick pictures from the car.
DAY 3
SMOO CAVE
Getting to the Smoo Cave, and further into Durness, requires a longish drive from Bettyhill. It is 40 miles and just over an hour on paper but takes much longer due to the twisty, single-track road. Also, in keeping with being tourists, we tend to stop here and there for pictures.
The local vehicles, especially the delivery vans, drive fast because they know the roads and are always in a rush. We have seen this in most countries, and consequently learnt to move out of the way soonest possible.
Smoo Cave is a unique large cave (freshwater and seawater) with a spectacular waterfall inside the cave.
It is a geological wonder and totally worth visiting. The cave has three inner chambers featuring a massive waterfall. You can enjoy a guided boat ride in the peak season.
There are other interesting facts about this cave. Archeologists have discovered Neolithic, Norse and Iron age artifacts inside the cave. Legends talk about the cave being a gateway to the fairy world, guarded by spirits. A more mundane belief is that the cave was used by smugglers as a natural hiding place.
A detailed description of what to see and do here is in our blog post: Magical cave and waterfall.
DURNESS, BALNAKEIL AND FARAID HEAD
Driving further for about 5 miles from Smoo Cave on a mediocre road brings you to these remote gems, well worth a visit. This is literally the farthest you can drive a normal car on the western tip of northern Scotland. Beyond this, you will need a proper 4WD as the roads are rather rough.
The views in this part of Scotland are amazing – lots of sheep, greenery, beautiful beaches and dramatic landscape!
There is a bay and beach at Durness – the most north-westerly village in Scottish mainland. Durness is popular with hillwalkers and mountain climbers as it offers towering cliffs, rugged mountains and expansive moorlands, all of which provide fantastic and challenging walking trails.
The ruined Balnakeil chapel dates to 1619, as you will be informed by the numerous and informative signboards. We enjoyed walking through the chapel ruins while feasting our eyes on the deep blue waters of the Balnakeil beach that was just next to it.
Finally the Faraid Head – it juts out into the sea at the northernmost end.
A combination of deep blue ocean, sand dunes and tall grass where birds make their nests – this is a great place for long walks.
DAY 4
STRATHY POINT & LIGHTHOUSE
This is one of our favorite day trips.
Strathy Point is the location where the land projects sharply outwards from the central section of Scotland’s northern coastline.
Visiting its lighthouse makes for a straightforward walk with some excellent coastal views, including a dramatic arch.
It is also a great place to watch for cetaceans. Whales and dolphins are frequently seen in the summer months.
Reaching Strathy Point itself is an adventure. Drive eastwards on the NC500 route for about 10 miles. Then there is a turnoff to a narrow (private) road leading to a dead end – about a 5-minute drive. You cannot drive beyond this point. There are huge signboards saying ‘End of public road’, and ‘No vehicles, but public access welcome’!!
So, you need to park here, in a small parking space for about 5 cars, which also houses stacks of crab pots. Then cross the wooden barrier and gate and start walking on the 1.5 mile long private road towards the Strathy Lighthouse.
You will pass a few local houses first, and then it is an open road with green landscape on both sides. You will find alpacas and sheep grazing around you, and little streams winding through the grass. You can see the deep blue sea on both ends beyond the landscape.
We enjoyed this beautiful walk!
The lighthouse (built in 1958 – 46 feet high) is in full view now. Climb up a few steps at the lighthouse and the views from here are totally breathtaking. It was very windy when we visited. Walk further up a small path towards the craggy rocks. There is a bench provided to take a break and admire the scenery. You can still go further near the end of the rocks and view the waves crashing below you. Absolutely spectacular experience!
If you are lucky, you might spot cetaceans and seabirds, especially Gannets.
BRIMS CASTLE
A bit further from Strathy’s point driving eastwards is this derelict and roofless castle ruins.
History says it was a property of the Sinclairs – James Sinclair of Brims Ness in 1643. Then it was passed to different branches of the Sinclair family. Until around the 1970s, it looks like the castle was occupied.
When we visited this place, it looked totally deserted! There seemed to be no houses or even sheep for miles!
Some Tips for travelers to the northern highlands of Scotland
Accommodation in the Northwestern part of Scotland – around Tongue and Durness – is very difficult and scarce. You need to book months in advance.
However, there is a good supply of bed and breakfasts, small hotels and Airbnbs in the eastern and southern part of NC500 route.
It is best to avoid traveling in these parts in June, July and August due to the prevalence of dreaded Scottish midges! These are tiny two-winged flies that move in swarms especially near marshy areas. Their bites can be nasty, and you may need protective clothing and face mesh.
Luckily, we ended our trip by mid-May and did not come across any midge.
Bettyhill turned out to be a great base for us to explore around this northernmost part of Scottish highlands.
We are planning a return visit soon to check out the Western part of this picturesque route!
This looks amazing! We love non-touristy destinations! That waterfall in the cave looks especially beautiful!
Goorgeous! I have never been to this part of Scotland, but it’s interesting just how much it resembles the West of Ireland with the wild coastline. I LOVE the look of the castles and all those gorgeous walks. You were lucky with the midges – they are such little bite-y bastards!
We have Scotland on our travel planning board for a long road trip and are collecting ideas for places to visit. The raw beauty of northern Scotland would definitely be for us. Bettyhill certainly looks like a lovely village to use as a base to explore the area. I love the variety of different sites you visited on your day trips. The Smoo Cave was brought to my attention and great to see it was worth a visit. We too would be heading out each day to explore new local gems. Good to be warned about the dreaded midges in the summer!
What an incredible landscape! Beaches, bogs, castles, caves, waterfalls and no crowds. Sign me up!
I don’t know what to write about this trip. It sounds like a dream, more like an outdoors adventure. Less people and lots of nature. I would love to go to Scotland to see these exotic locales. The walk to the lighthouse looks fantastic. The cave too sounds awesome and the idea of seeing whales and dolphins and exotic birds is so enticing. Thanks for the tip on fast delivery van drivers and parking spaces.
Awesome area to explore and enjoy its serenity and pretty castles?
Thanks for introducing me to this northern part of Scotland. I have visited Scotland several times (last time we went to the Speyside area) but never thought about going to the North coast. Cave and the beach in Durness look truly spectacular. And anyway the light in Scotland is the best.
Smoo cave looks so beautiful. I’ve been thinking about traveling abroad for the first time in the near future and this seems like a destination I would really love. Thanks for sharing!
Can you believe I have lived in the UK for the past 11 years but only this year I’ve made it to Scotland for the first time? Only to Edinburgh though, but that opened my appetite for this beautiful part of the country. The rough coast around Bettyhill looks perfect for me – I prefer nature over cities. Even though this area is so remote I see that there are still a few castle ruins and that Smoo Cave looks very intriguing as well.
Love the pictures in your post. Who wouldn’t be tempted to visit this region? It is hard to pick any specific place because each of these are so beautiful. Still, if I had to, it would be Smoo Caves.
Wow! This is what we can raw beauty and this is something that we’d love to see and explore. Thank you for the heads up regarding the accommodation and the midges. Will definitely keep this in mind.
This looks like an amazing place to stay–on the wild coast, away from the crowds, but with some great day trips!
I had the pleasure of exploring Scotland during an RV trip, and it was one of the best road trips I’ve experienced in Europe. The Ard Neackie Viewpoint was absolutely breathtaking, offering some of the most unique views I’ve ever seen. I also loved visiting the Balnakeil Chapel and Strathy Point Lighthouse—both were incredibly memorable stops. However, I haven’t made it to Smoo Cave yet. After reading your article, it’s definitely on my list for next time!
I agree with you – Bettyhill is the perfect tranquil base to explore the beauty of rugged cliffs, deserted beaches, and hidden gems like Forsinard Flows and Smoo Cave. It’s wonderful how you’ve combined the awe of nature with informative insights about conservation, history, and local culture.
I haven’t been to Scotland, but this looks like such a great road trip itinerary! I love that it includes so much variety—history, lighthouse, beautiful views, and so much more. I think the cave would definitely be really interesting to see, too. I’m surprised the lighthouse wasn’t built until the ’50s, and you’re right—the walk looks so pretty. What a great trip!!
What a beautiful trip. It sounds as though driving is a must for this destination. The waterfall in a cave would be reason to visit on its own.
Smoo Cave sounds fascinating and the waterfall inside the cave is beautiful. A Scotland road trip would be amazing. Hope to do something similar in the future.
I would love to visit the cave and waterfall!
We loved Scotland and this more remote area is so worth a visit !!
Scotland has always been a place I’ve wanted to visit! All of these stunning locations look like the perfect spots for a day trip. I’m hoping to be able to visit a few when I’m in the UK this autumn!
The Northern most part of Scotland is beautiful. We visited it as part of a road trip around Scotland. Smoo cave was beautiful and I think Strathy Point is always windy.
What unspoilt beauty. I would need to see the cave and the lighthouse especially. The maps are always appreciated, and so is the tip about the midgets. Preferring sunnier weather, I would have probably gone in the middle of summer…… and found myself tormented unbearably by the little devils.
Wow it’s great that there is so much to see and do around Bettyhill. I imagine it’s much quieter than other nc500 villages because it’s so far north. I’d love to visit smoo cave or go walking through the flows to see the peat reserve. I bet the wildlife species there are amazing.
What a unique destination to explore! Thanks for taking the time to see such a remote area. I love the maps too. So helpful.
This scenery is an absolute dream. We have Scotland on our bucket list and I’ll be saving our articles for reference.
I didn’t even know about Betty Hill when I was in Scotland 5 years ago. I was there in April. That Smoo Cave though, I want to see that waterfall! Beautiful area!
Interesting itinerary and great pix! Would love to visit Scotland some day
I still need to visit Scotland! Thank you for all of the valuable information!
Absolutely stunning scenery. I love the road less traveled, and this region of Scotland would fit me perfectly. I can already see hiking amongst the sheep past castles and churches. The Smoo waterfall is breathtaking.
I was in the part of Scotland recently and for some reason I never heard about Betty Hill. How did I miss this! I hope to do another road trip up there soon (as I am from London) and I will make sure I include this. great post.
Scotland is always green in my mind, but these pics… Love how it looks! And then that cave waterfall!! I had to open your article on Smoo Cave, just to see more of it. I’d love to see a video actually! Well, I’d love to see it live, to be most honest 🙂