Antler Cave

The cave mouth gapes dark and inviting from the moorland above Durness, and the scramble down to it is half the adventure. Antler Cave takes its name from the reindeer remains found here during excavation - evidence that humans hunted these creatures in the Scottish Highlands thousands of years ago. It's a proper archaeological site, though what you'll see is the cave itself rather than the finds, which have been carted off to museums.

The interior is tight in places but navigable without specialist gear, and the light that filters through the entrance creates that satisfying cave atmosphere - cool, echoing, slightly mysterious. Most visits take forty minutes to an hour, depending on how thoroughly you poke around. The views across the moorland on the way down are frankly better than the cave interior itself, so don't come expecting anything cavernous or dramatic.

History buffs and archaeologically-minded walkers will find it worthwhile; families with young kids might tire quickly of the cramped passages. It's free to visit and unmanned, so you can turn up whenever suits. Durness sits at the northwestern tip of the Highlands, which means the light lingers late in summer - worth timing your visit for. Just nearby, Sango Sands Oasis offers comfortable holiday park accommodation if you're spending a few days exploring this remote corner. Pair Antler Cave with walks around Cape Wrath or time on the actual beaches; don't make it your sole reason for the trek up here.