6 Best Sights in Durness, The Northern Highlands and the Western Isles

Sandwood Bay is one of Scotland's most spectacular—and most isolated—beaches. The only way to reach it is to walk 4 miles each way across sheep fields and sand dunes. It's a lovely, fairly easy walk, and while it's not quite the hidden gem it once was, leave early and you're still likely to have the long, sandy beach, with its dramatic sea stack Am Buachaille, all to yourself. To get here turn off the A838 onto the B801 at Rhiconich (14 miles southwest of Durness), then turn off at Kinlochbervie to Balchrick. Just before you reach the latter, look for a tiny white sign to "Sandwood," then follow this single-track lane to its end, where you can park and start walking. Plan for a four-hour trip in all, including a good amount of time on the beach. Amenities: parking (no fee). Best for: solitude; walking.

This atmospheric cavern, hollowed out of the limestone by rushing water, feels like something from a fantasy novel. Located a mile east of Durness, the combined sea-and-freshwater cave, complete with gushing waterfall, can be reached via a steep cliff stairway from the Smoo Cave parking lot. But don't start your descent before reading the explanatory boards at the top of the stairs: they tell the history of those who lived and used the caves in much earlier times. From April through October, 20-minute boat trips (£10) into the cave's inner chamber are available. Once you've climbed back up to the parking area, cross the road for a view down into the cavern from atop the waterfall.

Artisans sell pottery, leather, weavings, paintings, chocolate, and more from their studios at Balnakeil Craft Village. It's a charmingly odd place consisting of rows of shabby former military buildings located on an unnamed road running northwest from Durness and framed by dramatic views of Balnakeil Bay. The village is open during the summer, with most shops open daily from 10 to 5.

If you've made it this far north, you'll probably want to go all the way to Cape Wrath, a rugged headland at the northwest tip of Scotland. The white-sand beaches, impressive dunes covered in marram grass, and crashing seas of nearby Balnakeil Bay make it an exhilarating place to visit. As this land is owned by the Ministry of Defence (it is listed as an area for air force training), you can't drive your own vehicle. From May through September, a small boat ferries people here from Keoldale, 2 miles outside Durness. En route, look out for Clo Mor: at 920 feet, they're the highest sea cliffs in mainland Britain. Once you're across the sea inlet, a minibus will take you to the lighthouse. Call ahead or check departure times on the board at the jetty.

Situated 10 miles east of Durness, between Rispond and Sangobeg, Ciannabeine is one of Scotland's most achingly beautiful beaches, a spectacular sweep of sand caught in the embrace of 10,000-year-old rocks. There is a car park opposite and a path down to the beach itself. You will recognize it by the white house just beyond, once the village school. Amenities: parking (no fee). Best for: swimming; walking.

This odd garden of delights provokes a double-take from most drivers traveling along the A838, thanks to its incongruous ceramic-topped gates. Park opposite, and stroll down into Danish artist Lotte Glob's pottery wonderland, where ceramic and metal sculptures are scattered across the gardens. Several paths lead down to the coast, and there are hundreds of pieces, including a library of ceramic books, en route. Her work reflects and adds to the landscape, using natural shapes and forms and building patterns into the rocks themselves. End your visit with a trip to the studio and pottery shop.