Castle Stuart Golf Links

Castle Stuart Golf Links sits on a proper dramatic stretch of the Moray Firth coastline, about twenty minutes from Fortrose. The course itself is genuinely something special - eighteen holes that weave through natural links terrain with views across the water that'll distract you from your swing whether you're a scratch golfer or someone who hacks it round once a year.

You're looking at a championship-standard track here, the sort that hosts professional events and takes itself seriously about course conditions. The routing uses the landscape rather than fighting it, which means you get genuine links golf - wind, rough, undulating greens - without the feeling it's been artificially manufactured. Walking the course takes a full day, and you'll want to allow at least five hours minimum.

This is squarely for golfers, obviously. Non-players won't find much to do beyond admiring the view from the clubhouse, which is admittedly worth twenty minutes of anyone's time. If you're staying at Fortrose Bay Campsite nearby, Castle Stuart makes for a proper day out - ring ahead to book a tee time as they don't take walk-ins and green fees run to the premium end. The Highland location means weather can turn quickly, so pack layers regardless of the forecast.

If golf's your thing and you want to base yourself on the Moray coast rather than Inverness, this is the main reason to be in the area. It's a genuine links course with history, not a manicured parkland pretending to be something it's not.