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A sandy beach curving beneath dune grass, a rocky headland closing the bay
Sutherland

Balnakeil Beach

A wide white beach backed by tall marram dunes, running from the old church at Balnakeil out towards Faraid Head, a mile from Durness.

Welcome

A mile out of Durness, the little road to Balnakeil ends by an old white house and a roofless church, and beyond them the bay opens up: a long, wide beach of white sand curving north, backed by a great bank of dunes grown over with marram grass, and out at the end, the rocky finger of Faraid Head reaching two miles into the sea.

Visited and photographed by Simon Hird

The sand is pale and the water clear, and when the sea is up it crashes onto the beach in long white lines. The house above it, Balnakeil House, was built in the 1700s on the site of a summer palace of the Bishops of Caithness, and the church in its graveyard dates from 1619.

The walk out along the sands to Faraid Head and back is a fine one. Nearby, Durness Golf Club claims to be the most northerly course on the British mainland.

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Before you go

The beach is open at all times and free, with parking at the road end by the church.

Swimming here is at your own risk; there is no lifeguard.

Where
A mile north-west of Durness, at the end of the Balnakeil road.
Walk
Out along the sands to Faraid Head and back.

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Did you know

A curving sandy beach backed by dune grass, hills rising at the far end of the bay
Did you know

A bishop's summer.

Balnakeil House was built between 1720 and 1744 on the remains of a summer palace of the Bishops of Caithness.

A curving sandy beach backed by dune grass, a rocky headland closing the bay
Did you know

The most northerly nine.

Durness Golf Club, beside the bay, is said to be the most northerly course on mainland Britain.

A curving sandy beach backed by dune grass, hills rising at the far end of the bay
Did you know

Two miles out.

Faraid Head reaches two miles out to sea beyond the dunes.

Hidden Scotland

From our guide to Sutherland

A mile out of Durness, the little road to Balnakeil ends by an old white house and a roofless church, and beyond them the bay opens up. It is a long, wide beach of white sand curving north, backed by a great bank of marram-covered dunes. At the far end, the rocky finger of Faraid Head reaches out into the sea. The water is clear, and when the sea is up the waves come in in long white lines. Walk the sands out towards Faraid Head and back, then warm up with a hot chocolate at Cocoa Mountain along the road.

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Where it is

A mile north-west of Durness, at the end of the minor road to Balnakeil.

Close byDurness.
  1. Balnakeil Church's roofless walls above a kirkyard of old stones, the bay beyond.Balnakeil ChurchThe roofless church of 1619 above the bay.Under a mile 1 min by road
  2. Cocoa Mountain BalnakeilCocoa Mountain BalnakeilUnder a mile 1 min by road
  3. Balnakeil Craft VillageBalnakeil Craft VillageUnder a mile 2 min by road
  4. Durness Golf ClubDurness Golf ClubA nine-hole links at Balnakeil, on the edge of Faraid Head, with a second set of tees for eighteen and a par 3 played across a sea inlet.Under a mile as the crow flies
  5. DurnessDurness1 mile 3 min by road
  6. Ard Neakie Lime KilnsArd Neakie Lime KilnsLime kilns on a near-island in Loch Eriboll.19 miles 28 min by road
Directions
Vast limestone cave arch with a wooden viewing shelter beside the streamAttractionsSmoo Cave2.2 miles
Wooden viewing platform inside a large cave with rocky floor and green-lit wallsAttractionsSmoo Cave2.6 miles
Pink boulder overlooking moorland lochs and coastline from a Scottish hillsideAttractionsKyle of Durness3.0 miles
Tumbled stone walls of Ceannabeinne township on a green slope in evening light, the sea beyond.AttractionsCeannabeinne Village Ruins3.8 miles
A white church-like building sits at the foot of a rocky, grass-covered hillside, sheep grazing on the slope above.DurnessCeannabeinne CottageSleeps 4 · 4.0 miles
Rocky headland and grassy dunes above a sandy beach with calm seaAttractionsCeannabeinne Beach4.3 miles
A curved timber-roofed house catches the evening light beside a sea loch, gorse and heather covering the foreground.LaidShore CottageSleeps 2 · 8.1 miles
A curved timber house glows with lit windows at dusk, set low into a grassy hillside.Port na ConHill CottageSleeps 2 · 8.1 miles
River winding through a glen beneath cloud-covered hillsAttractionsRiver Dionard9.7 miles

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Stay nearby

Places to stay near the beach, and when each is next free.

A white church-like building sits at the foot of a rocky, grass-covered hillside, sheep grazing on the slope above.Ceannabeinne Cottage
  • Sleeps 4
  • In Durness
  • 4 miles from Balnakeil
Free 18–25 JunA curved timber house glows with lit windows at dusk, set low into a grassy hillside.Hill Cottage
  • Sleeps 2
  • In Port na Con
  • 6 miles from Balnakeil
Check datesA curved timber-roofed house catches the evening light beside a sea loch, gorse and heather covering the foreground.Shore Cottage
  • Sleeps 2
  • In Laid
  • 6 miles from Balnakeil
Check datesA stone cottage with a slated roof and skylights sits on a lawn, a bench, fire bowl and basket of logs set out on the patio in front.Ferryman's Cottage
  • Sleeps 4
  • In Hope
  • 7 miles from Balnakeil
Check datesPlaces to stayEvery stay in SutherlandAll our places to stay nearby, to search by date and by who is coming.See them all
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The collections it is in and more in Sutherland.

CollectionScotland's Best Beaches
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