Things to see & do

Golfing

Dornoch is a world class golfing destination.

The town boasts 2 courses, The Championship Course and The Struie. Royal Dornoch Championship course is acknowledged as one of the great golf courses of the world and is set on a strip of links land that is as spellbinding in its beauty as it is challenging and exciting to play. Golfers from all over the world make the pilgrimage to play here and experience the wonderful natural links that  Tom Watson described as “the most fun I’ve ever had playing golf”. It is a must play for all lovers of the game.

4 other historic, top quality golf courses are within 20 minutes drive :
Golspie golf links – formed in 1879, redesigned by James Braid in 1925
Brora golf links – five times Open Champion Peter Thomson’s favourite course in the world
Tain golf links – founded in 1890, designed by Old Tom Morris
The Carnegie Links at Skibo Castle.
Within 1 hour from Dornoch The Nairn Golf Club, host to The Walker Cup and The Amateur Championship and Castle Stuart Golf Links, a newcomer, but already established as one of the great links of Scotland that has held The European Tour event, The Scottish Open.
Use East End Cottage as a base for the golfing trip of a lifetime.

Golden Beaches

Miles of golden sand border Dornoch, stretching from Dornoch Point around the coast to Embo.
This magnificent award winning beach features in the Best Beaches of Britain guide and is a short stroll from the house.

Walking and Cycling

Coastal and woodland trails are numerous and for serious hill walkers, there are several Munro’s easily accessible from Dornoch;
Ben Wyvis, Ben Hope and Ben Klibrech. The magnificent Assynt range with it’s iconic mountains Suilven and Stac Pollaidh just over an hour away.

Historic Sites

Dornoch cathedral, History Links museum, Dunrobin Castle and its stunning gardens and falconry, Castle of Mey, Pictish trails, brochs and relics and The Timespan museum in Helmsdale.

Distilleries

Clynelish Brora – Malt Whisky
Glenmorangie- Malt Whisky
Dalmore- Malt Whisky
Balblair – Malt Whisky
Old Putney – Malt Whisky
Highland Park – Malt Whisky
All of which can be sampled in Dornoch Castle Hotel Whisky Bar.
Dunnet Bay – Rockrose Gin
For beer drinkers there is also
The Black Isle Brewery and Cromarty Brewing Company.

Wildlife

Birdwatchers will be in their element with the abundance of coastal birds together with raptors in the area.
Bottlenose dolphins, otters and seals can be seen in the surrounding coastal waters and Forsinard and Loch Fleet Nature Reserves are readily accessible.

Further Afield

Dornoch is ideally placed as a base to explore the wilderness and beauty of the far North of Scotland. Enjoy trips to Durness and Cape Wrath, The Summer Isles and Applecross. Day trips can be taken to Orkney from John O’Groats or Scrabster.

Availability from June 2021