Food
Days Out
Beach
Bike & Hike
Sports
Nature
Gardens
Activities
Historical
Eating & Drinking
With its stunning views across the sea loch, there can be no better place to unwind with a good malt whilst watching the sunset! The Caberfeidh is one of just a few restaurants located in the picturesque fishing village of Lochinver in the north-west Highlands.
The Oystercatcher is a small seafood restaurant with themed décor and an intimate and quiet ambiance. Its speciality is locally caught shellfish, served to traditional recipes in its own unique style.
Abstract - 8.8 Miles (14.1 KM)
This award winning restaurant was the first to introduce a chef's table, situated in the kitchen, where parties of four or six can enjoy the stunning 'tasting' menu, while watching the head chef and team at work! The chic piano bar boasts a huge list of malt whiskies.
Set amidst stunning countryside, this new restaurant uses locally sourced foods to create simple, wholesome and traditional dishes for all the family to enjoy in warm and friendly surroundings.
La Mirage - 20.9 Miles (33.4 KM)
This somewhat iconic Highland restaurant is famed for its fish and chips and its ability to attract celebrities! They serve lunches, evening meals and Scottish high teas.
This highly regarded country manor restaurant has a 'Taste of Scotland' menu which includes haggis and smoked salmon among many other delights. Tony Blair has visited this manor house twice.
Fun Days Out
Forres Highland Games take place annually in Grant Park and usually take place around the first Saturday in July, regardless of the weather. They incorporate a range of traditional highland games together with many other attractions making for a great day out for all. Anyone can get involved in the fun and activities, just fill in an application form and you could be competing and being cheered on by the supportive and encouraging crowds who gather to watch. It is a popular event and draws large crowds who come to enjoy the colourful, energetic and cheerful occasion. In addition to cheering on at the games that include, Tug O' War, Heavy events, Athletics, Highland dancing, Grass Cycling and a road race, you can watch the bands perform, enjoy some delicious local food and treats and shop on the many craft and local stalls found here. Be prepared for for all weathers and you will have a fabulous day and see some fantastic athletes, maybe witness a new record being set, and see and hear amazing performers, highly recommended.
The Dolphin and Seal centre is run by the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, and provides information about dolphins, seals and other wildlife you can see in this area.
At the site of the last battle fought on British soil, the visitors' centre has an interactive exhibition, 360º immersive film bringing the battle to life, battle field tour, licensed restaurant and shop. Culloden has always been a memorable place — and is now even more so.
Trips depart from Inverness harbour out onto the Moray Firth, where you will have the best chance of seeing the most northerly group of bottlenose dolphins in the world, plus common seals, grey seals and porpoise.
Beach
Dornoch Beach - 1.5 Miles (2.4 KM)
Located on the Dornoch Firth, and awarded for its status as a clean bathing beach, Dornoch's long expanse of golden sands reach from Dornoch point, past Embo Beach to the mouth of Loch Fleet National Nature Reserve. Keep your eyes peeled for some local wildlife in the adjacent Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Biking & Hiking
Voted one of the top 10 walks by the forestry commission, this spectacular route through Raven's rock gorge runs under the canopy of fir, beech and spruce. This 0.75 mile trail should take you approximately 45 minutes.
Golf & Sports
This championship links golf course was designed by Tom Morris and has been a royal club for over 100 years now. There is a bar that serves food between 11am-9pm and a pro golf shop too.
This easy walking course set at the foot of the Ben Bhraggie in the Highlands of Scotland is a fine setting for a round of golf. Its clubhouse serves a range of food and drink overlooking the 18th green. Locker and changing facilities are also available.
This 25m swimming pool complex situated in the town of Golspei is also within easy reach of Brora, Dornoch, Rogart and Lairg. Facilities include a steam room, sauna and fitness suite.
This traditional Scottish Highland links course was designed by Tom Morris in 1890. The sheltered location of the course ensures favourable weather for most of the year - winter greens are seldom used at Tain.
This course is ideally situated overlooking Kindtradlwell Bay and with the Sutherland Hill as its backdrop. There is even a railway which comes into play from the tenth tee. Choose from a simple round of golf to a selection of packages that include food.
Fish for Atlantic salmon! In a beautiful setting, this impressive river has quite the reputation as a prolific source for these fish and you never know who you could bump into along the banks!
Kinloss Country Club is located in Forres, it is a friendly and welcoming club and extends a true Scottish reception to all players. It was originally a nine hole course but has been extended to eighteen holes and represents an American style of play, with varying courses on each side of the clubhouse. It has evolved into a fine course that offers a good standard of golf and the course caters to all level of golfer, with some difficult holes and steep climbs. This parkland course is situated amongst some lovely scenery and has great views across the Moray Firth. The course is well maintained, the greens are well kept and are true and fast. It is predominantly a pay and play facility but, it is best to book at weekends as it dos get busy. Other facilities here include driving practise bays, practise chipping area and putting green. The clubhouse is warm and welcoming and serves a lovely selection of dishes that are freshly prepared and excellent value for money too, staff are friendly and the customer service is very good. Kinloss Country Golf Club is a lovely welcoming club, with excellent facilities, offering a great game of golf on a nice course, green fees are excelent value, definitely worth a round if you are in the area.
Nature Reserves
One of the foremost attractions in the Highlands, set next to the famous Falls of Shin. See some Atlantic Salmon leaping around the falls, attempting to get to their breeding grounds. Visit the gift shop and children's playground whilst there.
A great exhibition depicting the lives of local people, their culture and the abundant wildlife in the area. Take a nature walk whilst your there and keep your eyes peeled for pine martens and black-throated divers.
Gardens & Woodlands
The reserve is located at one of the highest mountains in Easter Ross (1046m) and this attracts many people to the area. It is home to many interesting plants like dwarf birch, and a variety of wildlife including red deer and golden eagle.
Local Attractions
Half a mile north of Tain on the A9, in a tranquil glen overlooking the Dornoch Firth, lies the home of Glenmorangie Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky. Enjoy the museum, shop and guided tours — opening hours are generous but please phone to book.
A geological centre comprising a large exhibition of minerals and local rocks, workshops with extensive stone working machinery and a shop specialising in minerals and stone goods.
Britain's most exciting new glass studio workshop is not a demonstration studio but visitors are welcome to view the glassblowing process when it is taking place or by prior arrangement.
See Malt Whisky production and taste the finished product. Left of main A9 1 mile north of Brora, signposted.
Since, 1839 Dalmore's Award Winning Malts have been distilled on the picturesque shores of the Cromarty Firth. Enjoy a free tour, and a wee dram. There's a visitor centre and shop.
The Findhorn Foundation is a unique international spiritual community and holistic education centre and the cornerstone of an exciting ecovillage.
Benromach - 24.7 Miles (39.5 KM)
Benromach have being producing since 1898 a fine collection of single malt scotches using the traditional hand made method and the finest ingredients. This small distillery is located in Speyside, next to the coast and the team are dedicated to producing a high quality whisky. They use spring water from the nearby Romach Hills and this together with other locally sourced ingredients are put through the various stages producing a high quality product that has stood the test of time. During a guided tour you will see all the stages of production ending with a tasting session. There are a choice of tours that vary in duration and detail and range from an introductory tour through to a personal experience where you get to fill your own bottle from the special single cask. You will find the tour guides to be warm and friendly and very jovial with lots of anecdotes to share, tours are interesting and informative and pitched at just the right level to keep them entertaining. Tours operate throughout the year but advance booking is recommended particularly if you are a group. Benromach has a lovely welcoming atmosphere, with a nice visitor centre with lots of history on the distillery and a well stocked gift shop with whisky's and other related memorabilia for sale, all at really reasonable prices. Whether you are a whisky connoisseur or not you will enjoy a visit to this family run distillery, a must if you are in the area.
Babalu - 24.9 Miles (39.8 KM)
Babalu can be found on the High Street in Forres. It is an eclectic shop that stocks a delightful range of hand made goods from all over the world as well as locally. The goods on sale are made by artists or artisans and the shelves are full of interesting and unusual items. They stock jewellery, bags crystals, clothes, accessories, gifts, treats and much more. The shop is colourful and bustling with goods, it offers a casual and relaxed shopping experience. Many of the items are sale are made from recycled products the result are quirky and unique products. Babalu is a real treasure trove and definitely worth a visit, come to browse and you are sure to find something special, great for gift ideas.
Highland Beauty Clinic and Day Spa are located in Forres, on the High Street and are well established being a fixture here for many years. There is a welcoming reception area and the clinic has a tranquil and relaxed atmosphere. It is beautifully decorated and has a nice modern but cosy feel about it. They offer a large choice of treatments and are one of a few clinics in Scotland offering a new Elemis Biotec electric facial treatment. They use high quality products and all treatments are carried out by professional and highly trained therapists who will go through your requirements with you. The staff are great really friendly, capable and very accommodating, a real pleasure to deal with. They are open Tuesday through to Saturday and offer a choice of monthly promotions so worth checking these out, as they offer great value. Highland Beauty Clinic and Day Spa offers a calm oasis where you can escape the hustle and bustle for a few hours you will leave feeling refreshed and relaxed definitely worth a visit.
Logie Steading is located within the Logie Estate in the gorgeous Findhorn Valley, it is a unique shopping village with the purpose of promoting Scottish craftsmanship and produce. The setting is lovely, the sandstone buildings are gorgeous and are set around a courtyard, offering a really relaxed and casual shopping experience. You will find a great selection of shops as well as the lovely Olive Tree Cafe. Artisan makers, producers and retailers have established themselves here to sell a host of high quality products including, books, a farm shop, whisky shop and much more. The Olive Tree Cafe serves a lovely selection of quality beverages, snacks and light lunches in a pleasant and welcoming environment, prices are reasonable and the staff are lovely. Owing to its lovely rural setting it never gets too busy so you can stroll around at a leisurely pace and is idyllic on a sunny day. The grounds have lots to offer too once you have finished shopping with lovely walks and a playground for younger visitors, as well as a garden centre. Logie Steading might be a bit out of the way but it is certainly worth the trip the goods on offer are fantastic and the setting is beautiful a real treat and a real change from the typical high street experience.
New spacious, welcoming Highland Gallery. Hundreds of paintings from Scotland's best artists: contemporary, landscape, wildlife and so on, plus interesting sculpture, cards, prints and in-house silversmith.
Historical & Heritage Sites
This museum tells the story of Dornoch parish from pre history to present time, with permanent displays and changing exhibitions. Learn about witch trials and violent Viking raids.
Tain Through Time tells the story of Tains St Duthac and pilgrimage to his shrine. It includes the award winning local museum, sound and light show, cd tour of town, children's activities and a shop.
This majestic castle is the most northerly of Scotland's great houses and dates back to the 1300s. Wander the beautiful gardens and grounds inspired by the Palace of Versailles in Paris and don?t miss the daily bird of prey demonstrations. (Wheelchair access to the Gardens only)
Carn Liath - 8 Miles (12.8 KM)
The name of this Scottish Broch (building) means "The Grey Cairn" and has walls that still stand 12 feet high in places. The entrance passage and lintled doorway are well preserved. An excavation in 1986 found a bronze age burial on the site, complete with grave goods.
Spend the day with the whole family at this great heritage centre. The interactive facilities and interesting exhibits are fun for children and are perfect for teaching the local history of this lovely area.
Hugh Miller was born in this 300 year old thatched cottage on 10 October, 1802. Miller rose to international acclaim as a geologist, editor and writer. The furnished cottage contains an exhibition on his life and work. To the rear is a Scottish wild garden of colourful native plants.(Limited disabled facilities)
This award-winning museum provides access to exhibitions, heritage, arts and learning activities throughout the year for young and old alike. Be sure to experience the storytelling room, a novel concept that involves a real-life story teller.
A great museum, with some original artwork which explores Pictish history and provides a forum for current research in that area. It also features the impressive Rosemarkie cross-slab, decorated with its mysterious Pictish symbols.
Explore the fascinating multiple underground arched chambers, built over 150 years ago to store ice for packing salmon on the way to London. The vast chambers are now used to display all aspects of the net salmon fishing industry in the Moray Firth.
Burghead Visitor Centre is the round white building with a flagpole on Burghead Headland, which itself was the site of the largest Pictish fortification in Scotland. External interpretation panels give information on the fort, Burghead Well and St Aethans graveyard.
The museum boasts a superb military museum, a reconstructed kitchen and a wonderful outdoor area which is great for picnics!
Cawdor will be forever linked with Macbeth. This fairy-tale castle dates from the 14th century and is still home to the Cawdor family. Along with the castle there are three gardens, the Cawdor Big Wood, and a 9 hole golf course.
This vast Artillery Fortification was built following the Battle of Culloden. The fort includes reconstruction of barrack rooms in different periods and a display of muskets and pikes. The cafe is open during the summer only.
Explore the history of childhood in the Highlands, amongst crofters and townsfolk, through recorded by oral testimony, displays, photographs and video. There is also a fascinating doll and toy collection, Gift and Bookshop and Coffee Shop.
A different attraction where the visitor is asked to step back in time in a truly fascinating experience. A much loved Victorian past-time, recreating Strathpeffer Spa. Great interactive displays, models and displays offering insights into the history of the spa and the reasons behind its popularity as high society's favoured place to visit for 'the season'.
An extremely well preserved set of prehistoric burial cairns are an intriguing attraction to pay a visit to. Dating from about 4000 years ago, the cemetery has a collection of kerb cairns, ring cairns, passage graves and some chapel remains. This Bronze Age cemetery was first excavated in the 1990s.
Pluscarden Abbey is the only medieval monastery in Britain still inhabited by Benedictine monks. It produces stained glass, apiary and other croft products and Gregorian chant is internationally known.
