Helmsdale

KW8 6JF

A sandy and stoney beach backed by rocks and cliffs

Dog Friendly
Great Rock Pooling

Great for Fossil Hunting

Nearest public toilets on A897 just over the bridge across from Timespan
Parking overnight in Helmsdale Harbour for a donation to the Wick Lifeboat
Parking next to the Emigrants Statue
Nearest Fuel is 11m (17 minutes) south at Brora or 35.9 miles (52 minutes) North at Wick
Nearest ATM is inside the SPAR shop 2-4 Dunrobin Street KW8 6JA
Nearest Shop is the Spar shop which opens from 6am to 10pm daily
Helmsdale Highland Games Saturday 19th August 2023

Helmsdale might not have the prettiest beach but I am including it because there is so much to see and do here, especially if you are travelling with youngsters. From fossil hunting to gold panning, this town is worth a stop.

Below is a map of the centre of Helmsdale. There are lots of places to park and lots of things to see and do here. Take a break and explore the history of this lovely Scottish Town.  

The beaches to the south of Helmsdale offer the best chance of seeing seals as they often bask here with their pups.  The the harbour wall and the bridges in the village are good places to see the salmon. North of Helmsdale, cliffs rise steeply from the sea and these are home to colonies of seabirds, cormorant and shag are overlooked by guillemot and kittiwake, are overlooked in their turn by puffins and razor bills. In the caves you can find rock doves, wild ancestor of the racing pigeon, still nest in numbers. Also, sea campions and candytuft and the golden lichens.

The village was planed at the time of the Highland Clearances in the early 19th century, on the site of an ancient settlement. Located on the shores of the Moray Firth, it is natural that many of the local community make their living from the sea. The herring industry (the silver darlings) brought prosperity to the village until the beginning of the last century and, although the boom is now over, you can still stand at the picturesque harbour and watch fishing boats prepare to bring in today's harvest of lobster, crab and white fish.


The Emigrants Statue

Standing in Couper Park above the south side of the River Helmsdale and overlooking the village and the harbour, is the Emigrants Statue.

The statue can be accessed by footpaths climbing from either of Helmsdale's bridges, or from the car park beside the Wee Cafe, next to the A9 immediately to the south of the modern bridge. The Emigrants Statue was unveiled by the Rt Hon Alex Salmond MSP, then First Minister of Scotland, on 23 July 2007


The statue is the work of sculptor Gerald Laing. It depicts four figures The kilted man is looking ahead into an unknown future, while beside him a boy is looking up to him for guidance or reassurance. The woman, wrapped in a shawl, is holding a baby and is looking back towards the home they have been forced to leave. The inscription reads "The Emigrants Commemorates the people of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland who, in the face of great adversity, sought freedom, hope and justice beyond these shores. They and their descendants went forth and explored continents, built great countries and cities and gave their enterprise and culture to the world. This is their legacy. Their voices will echo forever thro the empty straths and glens of their homeland."


Fossil Hunting

Helmsdale is the best place to collect Jurassic fossils in Scotland. Geologists have been fascinated by the strange ‘Boulder Beds’ for many years and some questions have remained unanswered as to how the beds were formed. The area is rich in reptile remains, giant corals, fish remains and the occasional ammonite.

Helmsdale is also famous for its giant corals, which can simply be picked up from the foreshore. There are plenty around and you are almost guaranteed to come home with at least one large, well-preserved coral.

From the A9 towards Helmsdale, cross over the bridge at Helmsdale and take the turnign to your left,  following it down, taking the first road on the left and follow this under the bridge that you originally crossed. You will then reach the harbour.

Park here in the main car park. To avoid the rocky foreshore, you can walk down a turning left from the car park, towards a row of houses. This is the last turning before you reach the end of the harbour. At the end of this road is another, narrow road. Follow this and there is access to the beach at places along the road.

I recommend reading the Helmsdale page on the UK Fossil Network website. Click the link to reach the Helmsdale page. You will find lots of excellent information on what to look out for and where to look.



Gold Panning

The idea of gold prospecting in Scotland might seem strange, but Scotland, has an unknown reserve of gold buried deep within its mountains. Panning for gold has been a popular pastime for centuries, ever since the first gold was discovered in her burns and streams.There is known to be gold in Kildonan Burn, Helmsdale, Sutherland as in the video below. This was the focus of a gold rush in the mid 18th century when many people went gold prospecting.

Strath Kildonan carries the Helmsdale River south east through lonely upland country from its origin at Loch Badanloch to the North Sea at Helmsdale. In 1869 parts of Strath Kildonan were home to Scotland's very own gold rush. It began in 1818 when a nugget of gold large enough to produce a ring was found in the Helmsdale River. The ring remains in the family of the Duke of Sutherland. Fifty years later, in 1868, Robert Gilchrist, a local man who had worked in the Australian goldfields, was given permission by the Duke of Sutherland to prospect for gold in the River Helmsdale and its tributaries.  Gilchrist found significant quantities of gold in two tributaries of the Helmsdale River, the Kildonan Burn and the Suisgill Burn. Word reached the newspapers and by Spring 1869 some 600 prospectors had found their way to Strath Kildonan.

Gold panning licenses are no longer available to  buy from the Timespan Museum. Try the Bannockburn Inn or the Garrison in Helmsdale (Closed when we were here).  You can get panning instructions and advice here too. A gold panning outfit including gold pan, riddle, trowel, instruction leaflet pipette and canister for the findings costs just £5 per day to hire from the visitor centre, pans can be bought outright as well. This activity is particularly popular with children.

From 2018 permits have been introduced. Permits may be purchased from The Garrison in Helmsdale Harbour and The Belgrave Arms. The fee is £10 per day per person for a permit.  Children under 16 free of charge.  16 to 18 yrs and concessions £5.  A 50% discount is available if staying in a local hotel or b&b.  Lapidary enthusiasts can also find small garnets, these are in good quantity but usually well travelled and fractured, occasionally one can be found which is of facetable quality.

Personal Review: We arrived in Helmsdale at 11am but the Belgrave Arms was closed and did not answer the door despite several goes at knocking.  We went to Timespan to ask about a permit. They rang the Bannockburn Inn in Dunrobin Street and the lovely lady who runs it said she would sort out our permit. She was extremely helpful and if you have a coffee she gives you a 20% discount on your permit. If you stay you get a 50% discount. I recommend you go to her first, she was brilliant, and would be our first choice if wanting to do this again.

We headed to Kildonan and my other half had a fabulous time mooching around in the river. We parked opposite the car park as it was a bit rough and not level.  Sean did find gold and also lots of tiny garnets. We didn't have much time to stop as we were on a tight schedule but your licence will last from 8am to 10pm. My advice would be to arrive the day before and get a permit for the following day so you have more time for panning.  Here are some pictures of our stop at the Kildonan Burn.

Timespan Museum and Art Gallery

Timespan is a meeting place between the past, the present and the future. It was established in 1986. Timespan developed from a local heritage centre to an award-winning museum and the only public contemporary art gallery in Sutherland.

From Harbour to Hill is a narrative journey through the museum space where visitors can travel from sea, to harbour and river mouth, upstream, and inland to discover the rich and varied history of Helmsdale and the surrounding area.  The exhibits look at both salt and freshwater communities, through a personal lens, addressing larger themes. Learn about the inspirational people who harvested the sea and worked in the fishing industry. It was their skill, hard work and bravery that made Helmsdale what it is today.

Visitors can explore the area’s history through object collections, historical narratives, local stories, archival images and interactive cabinets.  Timespan is also an important local meeting place and hub of local activity. This combination ensures a warm welcome is extended to everyone. Timespan’s River Café  Overlooks the community garden tucked under the Telford Bridge and next to the River. Here you can treat yourself to cream teas, cakes and fresh coffee. Light lunches are also available and there is free WiFi available here.

There are constantly changing exhibitions and activities so please check out their Website.

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This page was updated by Fiona on 7th March 2023