Achmelvich Beach

The sand stretches for what feels like miles at Achmelvich, backed by a proper scatter of rock pools and dunes that make it look more like somewhere you'd stumble upon in a dream than in the Scottish Highlands. It's the kind of beach where you can walk for hours without seeing another soul, which is either exactly what you want or proof that you've taken a wrong turning somewhere near Sutherland.

Families with younger children will find those rock pools absolutely absorbing - you can lose a good couple of hours turning over stones and watching for small crustaceans. Walkers get the bonus of wild, windswept coastline without the crowds you'd face at more famous spots further south. The sand is firm enough for proper beach combing, and on rare sunny days the light on the water is genuinely special.

There's no charge to use the beach, obviously. Allow at least two hours if you're doing anything beyond a quick walk, longer if you've got kids or a camera. Summer months are best for visibility, though autumn can produce dramatic skies that photographers seem to get quite excited about.

Clachtoll Beach Campsite sits just 1.8 miles away and makes a sensible base if you're planning to spend time exploring this stretch of coast. It's not the kind of destination you'd build an entire holiday around, but as part of a wider sweep through Sutherland's wild northern coastline, it absolutely earns its place.