Published in Scotland Magazine Issue 38 on 11/04/2008.

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10 of the best..beaches

Scotland has some of the most dramatic coastline to be found anywhere in the world. Liz Pickering highlights some beautiful beaches.

Achmelvich, Sutherland If you are willing to take your life in your hands on a single track coastal road, the beaches at Achmelvich will reward you.

Achmelvich itself comprises a campsite, caravan park and a youth hostel – hardly a village – but its collection of stunning white sand beaches amongst craggy headlands typifies the sort of scenery that makes northwest Scotland so special.

Geologically speaking, a short walk along the beaches here can display the processes of rock formation and deformation spanning 1200 million years.

Rather more recently, around 1950, Scotland’s most peculiar castle was built close to the beach. The concrete structure, known as Hermit’s Castle, was built by an artist as a retreat and could almost be part of the rock it stands on, but for its unusual windows and bulky square chimney stack.

The sea views from here are breathtaking.

Sandwood Bay, Caithness If you like the sort of scenery that makes you gasp at the magnificence and sense of drama, then Sandwood Bay is the beach for you. As one of the most northerly beaches on the Scottish mainland, the bay faces out into the wilds of the Atlantic and its imposing cliffs give the impression that this coast of Scotland will stand proud against the encroaching sea until the end of time.

Saying that, the experience of exploring Sandwood Bay can be very peaceful and private. The silvery sea, pinkish sands and the isolated sea stack, Am Buachaille, are perfectly framed by the bay’s cliffs and great r.....

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By Liz Pickering

Section : Scotland Beaches

Page number : 54