Sutherland

Sparsely beautiful and one of the least populated areas in the whole of Europe, you can find Sutherland by tracing your finger far up on the map of Great Britain. Reach the tip of Scotland, and the feathery outline of the north and you’ve found it, sandwiched between Caithness and Ross and Cromarty.

Through these wild and windswept lands, a heavy hint of history carries on the breeze. Beacons of historical interest come in the form of turreted castles with Celtic carvings. Ancient tombs and strange formations speak to us about the rituals of our Neolithic ancestors and Norse influence shows us the settlements where fearsome Vikings once resided. Infact Sutherland’s etymology is a Viking reference to the ‘south land’ down from Caithness.

Sutherland’s coastline is characterised by crashing cliffs and foggy sea mists that cling to ruinous castles and caves. In between, there are surprising swathes of white sand, lapped by crystal clear, but the oh-so cold North Sea. The shallow sea loch of the Kyle of Tongue faces north, backed by the sometimes snow-swirled Ben Loyal. Inland, valleys unfold into dramatic landscapes, softened by scented heather with huge skies overhead. Whether stormy or sunny, this vast, empty panorama is what calls visitors back again and again. Its stillness and desolation also provide a place for wildlife to thrive. The ancient Caledonian forest and its temperate pines are still in evidence and here red deer, osprey, golden eagle and the native wolf can be seen. Sea cliffs, mirror-like lochs and peaty bogs reveal more diversity from guillemots, otters and seals.