Dornoch Beach

Sat Nav IV25 2DL
Sandy Beach
Dog Friendly
Ample Free Parking
Public Toilets
No Overnight Camping at Beach Car Park
Outdoor Play Area
Ice Cream Van Visits Beach Car Park
Nearest Petrol Station is Evelix IV25 3NG On the A9 just past the turn off for Dornoch
Nearest Shop is Co-op on Cathedral Square IV25 3SJ 7am-10pm every day
Nearest ATM is inside the Co-op and only available during opening hours
Nearest Pharmacist is Mitchells Chemist (Top Right in Town Centre Close Up)
Dornoch Highland Gathering 1st  August 2025
The Sutherland Show 19 July 2025
Dornoch Pipe Band Parade - Dornoch Square - 8pm Saturdays usually from May to September

Dornoch beach is a beautiful expanse of golden sand which stretches around the point to the south and all the way to the village of Embo in the North. Dornoch beach is quiet and tranquil with soft sand to build sandcastles, sheltered dunes to explore and shallow, safe clean water to swim in as this is a blue flag beach. There are seashells to collect and sea birds to watch as well, and if you are very lucky you might spot some seals or even some dolphins playing in the firth.

There is ample free parking available at Dornoch Beach but you cannot park here overnight. You will find the car park at the end of Golf Road (see the map above)

In 2013 the Highland Council applied to ban “Wild Camping” for motorhomes so the signs here are legally enforceable and legitimate.  You may be prosecuted if your camp here overnight so we would not risk it here.

There are camp sites near this beach as well as more secluded  "wild" camping spots elsewhere.

Next to the outdoor play area and marked on the map above you will see that there are public toilets available at this beach. You can find them on Beach Road.

If you are using a camper without toilet facilities then this is useful to know. All the beach guides in this blog will tell you where the nearest public facilities are. even if your vehicle has a cassette toilet, we would suggest that you use public facilities when needed




Other things to see in the area on your visit...

There is a rather unremarkable stone which marks the spot where the last witch in Scotland was executed. The stone is actually in the back yard of a private home in the garden of the last house in Carnaig Street, Littletown. It is well maintained and easily viewed from the street. The year 1722 on the stone is incorrect as it was in fact in 1727 that Janet Horne met her fate on this spot. Despite being old and confused, her neighbours had accused her of using witchcraft to turn her daughter into a pony for the devil. The fact that her daughter had a deformed hand may be the reason why people accused her of this crime.

Janet and her daughter were imprisoned in Dornoch jail where they were both tried and found guilty of witchcraft. They were sentenced to death but the daughter managed to escape. Janet was not so fortunate. The day after sentencing she was stripped and rolled in tar. She was then placed in a barrel and taken in a procession to what is now Carnaig Street where she was burned alive, the last person in Scotland to suffer this fate. 


Explore the Whisky Trail...

Raise a glass to your holiday...For lovers of single malt, Dornoch is the ideal place to learn more about the process and history of Scotland’s national drink. Here you can visit four famous distilleries: Clynelish, Balblair, Glenmorangie and Dalmore. 

Glenmorangie Distillery looks on to the Dornoch Firth, just north of Tain and approximately 10 minutes’ drive from Dornoch. There are 3 different distillery tours available. Please call 01862 892477 for full information.

Balblair Distillery is just 10 minutes from Dornoch across the Dornoch Bridge in the small village of Edderton. The distillery shop is open daily and tours are available by arrangement. Please call 01862 821273 for full information.

Dalmore Distillery is on the Cromarty Firth between Alness and Invergordon, less than half an hour south of Dornoch. Distillery tours are available and may be booked by calling 01349 882362.

Clynelish Distillery is  located on the A9 at the popular coastal town of Brora, around half an hour north of Dornoch. With beautiful views of the North Sea and hills to the north where the Clynemilton burn runs over seams of gold in the rock.

Dornoch Cathedral...

The Cathedral has many interesting features: On the outside of the Cathedral, gargoyles have been set in the eaves.At one time they were thought to be evil spirits which the ringing of the tower bells had driven from the Cathedral and turned to stone. Inside the Cathedral is the piscina, a small basin from which a pipe leads to the cemetery outside. Any wine remaining after the Catholic mass would have been poured into the piscina (after the reformation, Dornoch was no longer a Roman Catholic church - the name "Cathedral", which means seat of a bishop, has been retained as a reminder of the church's history).

Also of interest, especially to American visitors, are the stained glass windows on the north side of the chancel. These windows were donated in memory of Andrew Carnegie, who was born in Dumfermline and often summered at his estate Skibo, located four miles from Dornoch. The three windows represent music, peace and literacy, three of Carnegie's concerns. Visit dornock.cathedral.com for more information about visiting the Cathedral.



Loch Fleet

Loch Fleet is a sea loch situated on the east coast of Sutherland mid-way between Dornoch and Golspie. As well as being an extremely scenic area, the loch and its surrounding countryside are important for their flora and fauna and as such have been designated a National Nature Reserve. It is a large tidal basin with sand dunes, mudflats, coastal heath and pinewoods. The pinewoods support Scottish crossbills, crested tits and pine martens, as well as woodland plants, such as one-flowered wintergreens.

The reserve is located east of the main road A9 in Sutherland, between Dornoch and Golspie. Just before you enter Golspie, turn right onto the golf course road to Littleferry. There are two car parks at Littleferry and two smaller car parks before this. Have seen pics on Facebook of "Wild" camping here.

The reserve supports many different species of plants and animals because of the varied habitats around its shores. Common seals can often be seen, particularly at low tide when they haul themselves out onto the sandbanks. There are good vantage points all along the southern shore where they can be viewed from the road. There are mudflats that support waders and wildfowl. The pine woodlands support many rare plants and are also home to mammals such as roe deer, pine martens and red squirrels. These woods also support a wide range of bird life including crossbills, treecreepers and woodpeckers. Buzzards and sparrowhawks are common and ospreys can be seen fishing in the loch.

Download a Leaflet about the reserve or visit their Website


Off Site Stop Over

Loch Fleet is a good place for an overnight as it will give you a chance to spot wildlife. The spot shown here from google maps actually has a MH in it so it is probably a popular place. There are other car parks and wild stops in this area. Always leave a reasonable distance between vehicles, arrive late, leave early and take all your rubbish with you. If you need to empty toilets or want a site then check out the sites below.


Dornoch Caravan and Camping Park  IV25 3LX

This is a huge site with lots of facilities so if you don't feel like wild camping and want to stay a few days then there is a local site available (location shown on top map).  The caravan site is situated on the north-east shore of the Dornoch Firth in Sutherland-shire, it is 5 minutes from the main A9 trunk road.  The site is run by Billy and Sandra Macrae. Please visit their Website to book a pitch or telephone them to make an enquiry on Tel: 01862 810 423. A serviced pitch is £22 for up to four people. (Extra person £4) 


Camp Site Facilities
Ample Touring Pitches
Tent Pitches
Static Vans to let
Shop
T.V. Room - Satellite T.V.
Launderette
Free Showers
Electric Hook Ups
Children's Play Area
Games Room
Putting Green
Dogs allowed (strictly on lead)
Wi-Fi available

Grannie's Heilan' Hame Holiday Park

The NC500 map shows a camp site at Embo which is at the North end of Dornoch beach. This is not a traditional camp site but a Park Resorts Site which is large and called Grannie's Heilan' Hame Holiday Park. There is a minimum stay of two nights and it is priced at around £30 per night for up to 8 persons per pitch including entertainment. Visit their Website for more information or to book. This site is located at IV25 3QD Dornoch, Sutherland.


Camp Site Facilities
Water Point
Waste and Water Disposal
Shower and Toilet Block
Launderette
Dishwashing Area
Disabled Bathroom
Parking Near Pitch
Swimming Pool and Sauna
Tennis Court
Bar and Restaurant
Shop and Off Licence
Adventure Playground
WiFi