Dunbeath

Whether you’re into sea views, literature, heritage, or archaeology, Dunbeath makes for a great day out. A small but picturesque village, there’s plenty to keep you and the family occupied for several hours.

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Dunbeath may look like a sleepy village, but it has numerous attractions to keep you entertained for the day. We highly recommend Dunbeath Heritage Centre, which has wide range of exhibitions ranging from archaeological finds to more recent social history, as well as a well-stocked gift shop. There’s always a book we want to get in here! A post office is located just around the corner.

Need to get your broch fix? Then take a short stroll to Dunbeath Broch. For the more adventurous you might consider a walk up Dunbeath Strath, where you can encounter many interesting historical sites and vast, sweeping views of Caithness, before popping down to the harbour and enjoying a wee lunch.

Along ‘the Village’, the row of houses along the northern end of the bridge, is the oldest part of Dunbeath, and within the attractive line of houses is the birthplace of Neil M. Gunn, Caithness’ most famous writer. You can learn more about Neil – who wrote so lovingly of the Caithness landscape – in Dunbeath Heritage Centre. Along this street you can also find the Dunbeath Shop, which sells a variety of goods.

A stroll along Dunbeath Harbour and beach also makes for a relaxing end to any day. Here you can spot salmon jumping, or small creel boats gliding into the bay with their catch. The scene is a far cry from the herring heyday of the 1800s, when hundreds of boats were said to have worked from the harbour. The dramatic view of Dunbeath Castle in the distance has not changed, however!

Travelling north of Dunbeath will take you past The Bay Dunbeath where you can enjoy a fine meal; for those only looking for tea and cake, then we’d recommend Laidhay Crofting Museum and Tearoom, where you can learn all about farming and crofting in the 19th and 20th centuries.