Our guide to the best things to do in Durness is a sponsored post, in collaboration with Classic Cottages.
At the start of the year, we decided it was time: we would plan that much-needed escape with our fellow tired Mum friends.
Instead of the usual spa retreat or sunshine-filled getaway, we were craving something different. Something quieter, wilder, and far away from the everyday noise. That’s when we set our sights on Durness—one of the most remote villages in Britain.
Perched at the very top of mainland Scotland, Durness is a windswept hideaway framed by dramatic cliffs, endless mountain range and midnight-blue lochs. We booked ourselves into Cape Wrath Lodge, a former hunting lodge with just the right amount of rustic charm and breathtaking views in every direction.
It turned out to be one of the most memorable trips we’ve ever taken.
We arrived with low expectations—thinking we’d mostly read, hike and catch up on sleep—but what we found was a surprising number of things to do in Durness. Some were unexpectedly thrilling, others soul-soothing and all of it felt like stepping into another world.
We left so in love with this rugged corner of the country that we decided to put together a guide to help others make the most of it too. Whether you’re wondering where to stay in Durness, what to do, or how to plan your own remote retreat, please read on.
Here is our ultimate guide to exploring Durness, Scotland.
Where is Durness?
Admittedly, we hadn’t heard of the remote coastal village of Durness before our trip to the Highlands. Located in the far northwest of Scotland, in the county of Sutherland, Durness hugs the North Atlantic Coast.
Considered one of the most remote villages in Britain, Durness boasts dramatic sea views and pristine beaches. Although it may seem a little unattainable to reach, travelling to Durness is actually very straightforward and offers those willing to make the journey a truly special experience.
How Do You Get to Durness?
We travelled to Durness from the south of England and it was surprisingly straightforward.
Flying to Durness from London
We flew with Easyjet from London Luton to Inverness airport, which was a quick one hour flight and cost us just under £80 each return (hand luggage only).
Car Hire from Inverness Airport – Driving to Durness
From Inverness, we hired a car from the airport through Alamo car rental, which is located close to the arrivals terminal. Car rental at Inverness includes a variety of other providers, including Enterprise, Sixt and Hertz – all of which are pretty reasonably priced.
For four days, our car hire total (a large people carrier) including insurance, cost us £250. As a side note, rather than being persuaded into paying those expensive excess insurance policies sold by rental companies, make sure you invest in a one off policy before you arrive – this can save you around £150.
Places to Stop Between Inverness and Durness
The drive from Inverness airport to Durness took us 2 hours 45 minutes. Although this is a fairly long drive, the routes we took were jaw-dropping and so we barely registered our time in the car.
For the most part, you’ll take small highland roads that weave through mountains, past inky-black lochs and along rugged coastline. The landscape changes with every hairpin turn and, of course, so does the weather. On our way to Durness, we headed via the beautiful coastal town of Tongue, which is located in the north west of Scotland, before following the coast east to our final destination.
Alongside stunning Tongue, we would defintely suggest stopping in Lairg to visit both the Cereal Bakery and The Pier – both of which offer delicious local food. The Pier, in particular, offers a traditional Scottish breakfast (including ‘Tatty Scones’), all whilst overlooking the dark waters of Loch Shin, below.
Places to Stay in Durness
Cape Wrath Lodge
If you’re looking for accommodation for a large group in Durness, then look no further than Cape Wrath Lodge, managed by Classic Cottages.
Once an old hunting lodge, and then a hotel, today Cape Wrath Lodge is a privately owned family home, with rentals available on request throughout the year.
As we arrived at Cape Wrath Lodge, our mouths hit the floor as we realised that this sprawling country house would be all ours. With 8 double rooms (the majority of which are ensuite), a games room, bar, sauna and massage room, cinema room and views across the expansive Kyle of Durness, this is easily the best accommodation in Durness.
As there was six of us visiting, we had the luxury of a bedroom each – with ensuite. As we’re all used to sharing a bed with a wiggling child, or being woken at 6am, the luxury of a quiet room did not go unappreciated. Having said that, we couldn’t help but think what a brilliant house Cape Wrath Lodge would be for families – with so much space to run around, its own playroom and the beach on your doorstep.
The housekeepers, Lin and Bob, warmly welcomed us and made sure we didn’t want for anything. As the property is fairly remote, it was nice to know that they were also on site, should we need them.
Amenities at Cape Wrath Lodge
We were well-prepared for a long weekend in Durness and collected all the food and drink we’d need from Inverness.
However, we were surprised at the quality of amenities in and around Durness, and while we were prepared for a weekend off grid, it turns out that civilisation wasn’t far away at all (more on that below).
Once in the house, there was actually very little reason to leave – Cape Wrath Lodge offers absolutely everything needed for a relaxing trip. As Mums, we were worryingly elated by the fact there were three dishwashers in the house, three sinks, four ovens and a walk-in fridge; all making it the perfect party house in Durness.
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Long Summer Evenings at Cape Wrath Lodge
As we visited in early June, we were treated to Durness’ long summer days – the sun not setting until 10.40pm and rising at 4.30am. We soaked in these long evenings, often going for a walk along the waters edge at 10pm, putting the world to rights as the sun reluctantly dipped below the horizon.
Activities at Cape Wrath Lodge
For those looking for the thrill of adventure, Cape Wrath Lodge offers kayaks and quad bikes, which are free to use. For nature lovers, the Kyle of Durness that surrounds the lodge is brimming with sea life, including a family of seals and otters.
We loved (trying) to spot the otters in the early morning, alongside a variety of sea birds (including the iconic Oyster Catcher), and even spotted a stoat.
9 Best Things to do in Durness
When we were planning our weekend in Durness, we didn’t expect there to be much to do.
In fact, we’d planned a fairly laid back weekend, with a few blustery walks and plenty of wine and reading. What we discovered, however, was a remote destination that actually offers plenty of activities, spots to eat and even – should you fancy it – a trip to a haunted house. Rather than a weekend of reading and walks, we instead found ourselves zip wiring across Scotland’s most beautiful beach, exploring caves by boat and wandering a cute little craft village.
Piqued your interest? Here are the best things to do in Durness, by someone who has just visited.
1. Explore Smoo Cave
We hadn’t planned to visit Smoo cave, but after seeing signs for it above a beautiful beach, we went to see what the fuss was all about.
It turns out that Smoo Cave is pretty impressive – one of the largest sea caves in Britain, in fact, featuring a whopping 50ft high entrance.
You can explore Smoo cave for free by foot, or you can pay £15 to enjoy a boat ride into its bowels (please note, they only accept cash). Intrigued, we decided to splurge on the tour and soon found ourselves in a small inflatable dinghy with hard hats on, travelling into the cave’s lake chamber.
When it’s been raining (which is often, given this is Scotland), you’ll be greeted by a thunderous waterfall – although, too much rain means the cave fills and floods quickly, so tours can never be guaranteed.
After learning about the geology of the rocks inside the lake chamber, we ducked under a small rocky arch, before continuing the tour by foot to a third chamber, once used by cavemen. The tour is super interesting and run by passionate volunteers – we’d highly recommend visiting.
2. A Beach Zip Wire
Zip wiring wasn’t something we had considered for our ‘tired mum’ trip to Cape Wrath Lodge. However, one bright and breezy Friday morning, we found ourselves flying over one of the most beautiful beaches in Scotland.
Golden Eagle Zipline is the most northerly zipline in the UK, sending thrill seekers across picture-perfect turquoise seas at speeds up to 45mph. It’s a truly unique and exhilarating experience – and definitely one of the best things to do in Durness.
As its remote location is subject to particularly varied weather, you can’t pre-book the zip wire – but you can check it’s open on their Facebook page on the day.
During our stay in Durness, we got very lucky with the weather and had glorious sunshine and blue skies, meaning the zip wire was running all day. Quite surreally, you simply park up opposite, walk up the coastal path, and do a direct bank transfer to your guide (it costs £19 each).
Once done, you’ll be given a guide on how to secure your harness, before taking flight – enjoying 25 seconds of bird-like freedom across Scotland’s most northerly coastline.
3. Visit Balnakeil Beach
One of the most beautiful beaches in the Durness region is the famous Balnakeil Beach.
Known for its large sand dunes carpeted with marram grass, this wide beach is ideal for a long, windswept walk and offers particularly beautiful sunsets. Next to the beach is a rather beautiful collapsed church, with graveyard, which we loved exploring.
Balnakeil beach is also famous for the herd of cows that’s often shepherded across it – although alas, they weren’t there when we visited.
When we visited Balnakeil beach, we decided to hike back inland to Durness, which was around 45 – 50 minutes and stunning. Along this route, you’ll find endless rabbits running through the sand dunes, seabirds and great views of the surrounding mountains.
4. Buy Trinkets from Balnakeil Craft Village
Once you’ve had your fix of Balnakeil beach, head to Balnakeil Craft Village. This former Ministry of Defence base is now an arts village, full of quirky studios full of eclectic gifts to take home with you.
It’s a bit of an odd place, in parts, but home to local artists, including ceramic, woodwork, and glass craftsmen, and we picked up some great souvenirs.
5. Drink the World’s Best Hot Chocolate (in the Highlands, at least)
I was not expecting to drink the best hot chocolate of my life during my weekend in Durness, but this is a destination that likes to surprise. Cocoa Mountain is located just outside of Durness in Dornoch, next to the Craft Village, and makes for the cosiest, most delicious stop.
Their legendary hot chocolate has been served since 2006 and is garnished with melted swirls of white and dark chocolate. It’s utterly delicious, as is the rest of the chocolate on offer at Cocoa Mountain, so come prepared to stock up.
6. Enjoy Award Winning Cheese Toasties
More of a savoury fan? Don’t worry – Durness has you covered, with their award-winning cheese toastie truck, Cheese ‘N’ Toasted.
You can find the truck in central Durness, overlooking yet another beautiful beach (exotically) named Sango Bay. We feasted on these artisan toasties after our exhilarating zip wire experience, and it was pretty much the perfect lunch.
7. Hike Beautiful Coastal Routes Around Durness
It’ll come as no surprise that Durness is a dream for hikers, with a mix of dramatic coastal paths, golden beaches, and wild Highland terrain.
Whether you’re after a gentle stroll or something more adventurous, there’s no shortage of breathtaking routes. We’d definitely recommend checking Komoot for detailed trail info, but do come prepared—the weather can shift quickly, and the cliffs and paths are often exposed to strong winds.
Be sure to have a good pair of walking boots.
Some great walks include the route from Smoo Cave to Balnakeil Bay, a scenic and relatively easy path with stunning sea views. For a longer walk, continue on to Faraid Head, where grassy trails and hidden military ruins await.
If you are more adventurous, sections of the Cape Wrath Trail or a circuit near Loch Eriboll offer remote beauty.
Taking hikes like these is definitely one of the best things to do in Durness.
8. Cape Wrath Ferry Ride
Situated just outside of our dreamy Cape Wrath Lodge was the ferry terminal, where you can catch a boat to the wilds of Cape Wrath (pronounced ‘roth’).
Cape Wrath is the most north westerly point of British mainland and can be reached by ferry and then minibus, which will take you to its historic lighthouse, built in 1828.
The ferry runs everyday from Keodale point, but cannot be pre-booked as it is weather dependant. The tour costs £6.50 per person and dogs are permitted on the boat. Once on the west coast pier, a mini bus takes you on the 11 mile route (taking an hour) to the lighhouse, where you can enjoy views of what many once thought was the end of the world.
9. Spot Otters, Seals and Dolphins
Finally, a weekend in Durness wouldn’t be complete without spotting otters, seals or dolphins, all of whom call these waters ‘home’. Where we were located at Keoldale, we were able to spot a family of otters in early morning and evening, as well as a family of 14 seals around the coastline.
Being able to spot these critters was definitely a highlight of our trip and we were amazed at just how much wildlife there was in the area, including stag. Indeed, Durness is a brilliant location to explore for nature lovers, so be sure to pack your binoculars.
Is Durness Part of the North Coast 500?
Yes, Durness is part of the North Coast 500 – something we didn’t appreciate before visiting. As Durness is part of this famous route, there was actually plenty more people and amenities around than we expected, which was a pleasant surprise.
The North Coast 500 route is ‘Scotland’s Ultimate Road Trip’, taking you on a 500 mile adventure through the Highlands and its coasts. On route, we came across plenty of caravans, camper vans and motorbikes all enjoying the scenery.
It definitely left us plotting a longer trip up to the Highlands.
Are There Shops in Durness?
One of the biggest surprises when arriving in Durness was just how many food outlets there were.
Of course, by city standards it’s incredibly remote, but we actually found far more available than we expected. There are a number of food trucks tucked into the bays of Durness, including the incredible artisan toasties of Cheese ‘N’ Toasted, a fish and chip van and a fresh sea food truck. There is also a bar – Sango Sands – which offers takeaway pizzas, alongside a local pub (although we were warned this is very much a ‘locals’ pub, so prepare for some staring).
As well as these foodie spots, there’s a surprisingly well stocked SPAR, which had fresh veg, fruit, meats and anything else you might need. In fact, we probably could have got most of what we needed from the SPAR for our entire 3 night stay in Durness.
Is Durness Worth Visiting?
We truly cannot stress enough how worthwhile it is to plan a weekend escape to Durness. While we were excited about our stay at Cape Wrath Lodge, none of us could have anticipated just how magical this remote corner of Scotland would be.
Durness takes your breath away. Rugged cliffs, sweeping beaches, mirror-like lochs, and the sound of nothing but wind and waves—it’s the perfect antidote to the chaos of everyday life.
As six constantly-on-the-go Mums, this trip gave us exactly what we didn’t know we needed. It was a rare chance to unplug, explore and simply watch the world go by. Durness helped us step off the hamster wheel, refill our cups, and return home just a little lighter.
So, do we think Durness is worth visiting? Absolutely yes – we’re already talking about when we can go back.