Dunnet Bay – A Long Sweep of Sand Below Caithness Dunes
About 4 miles on foot.
Dunnet Bay is a two-mile sweep of pale sand on the north coast of Caithness, backed by high dunes of marram, with the headland that runs out to Dunnet Head closing its far end.
Walking the whole beach and back is about four miles on the flat. Dunnet Community Forest, close by, has firm paths among the trees for a windy day.
- Time
- About two hours for the whole beach and back: two miles of sand from end to end, about four miles in all. Any shorter stretch is a walk in itself.
- The path
- Boardwalks and railed paths through the dunes, then sand. The forest's red trail has even paths with hard surfaces; its yellow trail is harder going, with seats every 300 to 400 metres.
- Where to start
- Dunnet Bay's visitor centre, beside the caravan site, with a path through the dunes to the sand. Dunnet Community Forest has its own public car park.
- When to go
- All year in daylight. Stay out of the forest in a storm and just after one. From May to August terns nest in a fenced part of the beach.
- Dogs
- On a lead near the fenced tern nesting area by the Burn o' Mid Sands, from May to August.
- Children
- Flat sand for as far as small legs want. The forest has a play area, a bird hide and sculptures.
- Toilets
- At the visitor centre at Dunnet Sands, when it is open.
- Before you set out
- Stay out of the forest in a storm and just after one. In December the sun sets at about twenty past three.
The walk
Park at Dunnet Bay's visitor centre, beside the caravan site. Railed paths and boardwalks go down through the marram to the sand, and no cars are allowed on the beach. The bay is a two-mile sweep of pale sand below high dunes, with a dark headland closing its northern end.
Walk the whole of it and back and you've done about four miles, though any stretch is worth having. There are other ways onto the sand at the Castlehill end, the Burn o' Mid Sands, the salmon bothy and Dwarwick Pier. Dunnet Community Forest is close by, with its own car park and 17 km of paths.
Its red trail is firm and even through woodland and meadow, and the yellow trail is harder going, with seats along the way. From mid October to March this is a bright, hard walk in a north wind, and the light goes early. Stay out of the forest in a storm and just after one.
If it rains
The beach has no shelter at all. In a shower, the community forest's red trail is firm underfoot among the trees.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
The nearest of ours is House of the Northern Gate, a mile away. Sleeps 18.
For further reading, before you go.