Dornoch Point.

Start. Dornoch.

Route. Dornoch - Dornoch Castle Hotel - Castle Street - River Street - Littletown - Shore Road - Airstrip car park - Dornoch Beach - Dornoch Point - Dornoch Beach - Dornoch Burn - Dornoch Caravan Park - Shore Road - Littletown - Dornoch.

Notes. Nestled on the edge of the Dornoch Firth is the small historic town of Dornoch, many important buildings line the streets, from the 13th century cathedral and Bishop’s Palace, now the Dornoch Castle Hotel to the Old Town Jail, the only things occupying the cells today are gift shops. Blessed with a sunny climate and miles of golden sand it’s an excellent place to take a beach walk, which is exactly what this is.

After parking in St Gilbert Street directly in front of the cathedral we wandered towards the Dornoch Castle Hotel turning left when we reached the road, at the end of the main thoroughfare we turned right into Church Street, the tarmac of Church Street ushered us passed the Free Church into River Street, when the housing ended we swung right onto a single ribbon of tarmac. This guided us across the golf links depositing us in Dornoch Aerodrome car park, here we turned east a green trod marked by posts guided us over the dunes onto a stunning beach of golden sand.

South along the beach we strolled, the tide was rising wavelets kissing the golden sand, we dawdled it took ages to reach Dornoch Point. Once around the point we opted to take a path cutting behind the dunes, initially this green trod was dry, but soon turned into a mire the result of high tides and a night of heavy rain. Picking our way through the morass was slow, eventually we reached the path that guided us onto the beach earlier, we followed it back through the dunes onto the beach, this time we swung north.

With sand under our boot soles we wandered on to the mouth of the Dornoch Burn, a path ran along the bank, this we followed to a bridge accessing a caravan park, we crossed. Between static caravans we wandered to access Shore Road which soon guided us back into the streets of Dornoch.

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Dating back to the 1500s the Dornoch Castle Hotel.

The Dornoch Burn tamed as it meanders across the Royal Dornoch Golf Course.

A brooding sky above a lone tree backed by the Tarbat Peninsula, seen from the Aerodrome car park.

Views northeast from the beach at Dornoch, dark across the horizon the mountains above Golspie, Ben Bhraggie and Meall Coire Aghaisgeig, with sunlight on the dunes at Embo.

On Dornoch Beach soaking in views over Dornoch Burn and Dornoch Firth to the Tarbat Peninsula.

Skirting the fringe where land meets sea.

Under a dark grey cloud Dornoch Point.

Heading round Dornoch Point looking back to the mountains of East Sutherland.

Sun shafts through shifting rents.

Seen from Dornoch Point, Struie Hill across Dornoch Firth.

Behind the dunes guided by this deep chanel we headed back.

The way ahead.

Sunlight on Sydera Wood and the tiny hamlet of Eaglefield.

Grey clouds stretch to the horizon.

Stunning views across the pools and Marram Grass behing the extensive dune system.

Looking to the exclusive properties on Golf Road.

The sun paints the landscape along the edge of the Dornoch Firth.

Dark moody skies over Easter Ross.

An amazing play of light.

From the banks of the Dornoch Burn views to Ben Bhraggie.

Sunlight paints the landscape between the sea and houses of Dornoch.

Royal Dornoch Golf Links with views to the mountains of East Sutherland.

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