Northern Highlands & Islands - Scotland - page 752

views of Ben Loyal . Continuing west, the road crosses a desolate moor to the northern
end of freshwater Loch Hope . Beyond Loch Hope, as the main road descends towards the
sea, there are stunning views over Loch Eriboll , Britain's deepest sea inlet and a shelter
for ships during WWII.

Durness
POP 400
The scattered village of Durness ( www.durness.org ) is strung out along cliffs, which rise
from a series of pristine beaches. It has one of the finest locations in Scotland. When the
sun shines, the effects of blinding white sand, the cry of seabirds and the lime- coloured
seas combine in a magical way.
There are shops, an ATM, petrol and plenty of accommodation options in Durness.

Sights & Activities
Walking around the sensational sandy coastline is a highlight here, as is a visit to Cape
Wrath. Durness' beautiful beaches include Rispond to the east, Sargo Sands below town
and Balnakeil to the west; the sea offers scuba-diving sites complete with wrecks, caves,
seals and whales. At Balnakeil , less than a mile beyond Durness, a craft village occupies
what was once an early-warning radar station. A walk along the beach to the north leads
to Faraid Head , where you can see puffin colonies in early summer. You can hire bikes
from a shed on the square.

Smoo Cave
A mile east of the village centre is a path, near the SYHA hostel, down to Smoo Cave.
The vast cave entrance stands at the end of an inlet, or geo, and a river cascades through
its roof into a flooded cavern, then flows out to sea. From the vast main chamber, you can
head through to a smaller flooded cavern where a waterfall sometimes cascades from the
roof. There's evidence the cave was inhabited about 6000 years ago. You can also take a
boat trip (adult/child £4/2.50; trips Apr-Sep) to explore a little further into the interior.

CAVE

Sleeping & Eating

Mackays££

HOTEL