Dog friendly beaches in The Highlands

Sanna Bay - Dog Friendly Beach in Acharacle, Highland. I arrived early for this re-visit to Sanna Bay, at mainland Britain's most westerly point. The rising tide was halfway in over the white sand and not a soul was about, a timeless scene. The geology is exceptional here, with… Read more

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The Silver Sands of Morar make up the most northerly of a string of beautiful beaches that stretch south from below Mallaig to Arisaig, the other two being Camusdarach and Arisaig itself. Testimony to the wild, natural beauty here is the fact that Morar beach was used in the… Read more

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The village of Plockton is one of the tourist magnets in the Highlands, attractive, a sheltered haven for passing yachts and with an up-market feel during the summer season. The beach here is known as Coral Beach and can be found a mile or so outside the village. It's well worth… Read more

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The beach at Glen Brittle is in an isolated spot, at the end of a long, winding lane on the west side of Skye. The beach is wide, but has prominent headlands at both sides. Try a craggy walk out from behind the campsite shop and you'll be rewarded with wonderful views back to… Read more

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Located in the North East corner of Skye, Staffin Bay has a fine example of the crofting strips that used to be commonplace in such parts of Scotland. There's older history too, with fossilised dinosaur footprints visible at low tide. The spectacular Quiraing dominates the… Read more

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Fine weather prevailed at Applecross for this summer re-visit. The views across to the Isle of Mull were clear and evocative. The setting here is ancient, volcanic granite towering above the expansive strand. There's a headland with a small building at the end, weathered into… Read more

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Tarskavaig Bay has a pebble beach, set in a characterful location on the Sleat Peninsula, in the south west of Skye. With a westerly aspect, the beach has the meagre remains of an abandoned castle behind it and distant views up to the Black Cuillins in the north. There's an… Read more

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An elemental tranquility pervades Achmelvich beach. You notice it on your approach over the macchair from the car park and as you reach the beach via the dunes, you are surrounded by evidence of its volcanic origins, granite outcrops looking as if they had cooled only yesterday.… Read more

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There's a discreet, family-friendly campsite and holiday cottage nestled behind the dunes at Clachtoll beach, providing all the facilities you'll need for more than a day visit. On this occasion, my visit coincided with the Scottish schools' summer holidays and a piper played in… Read more

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In any weather, Claigan Coral Beach makes a case for inclusion in the "best beaches..." listings that the holiday companies regularly compile. On this occasion, it was at the middle of a breathtaking vista, under blue skies on a tranquil, early morning re-visit, the maerl beach… Read more

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There is more than one beach on the edge of Loch Gairloch, in Wester Ross. You have a choice of the expansive Big Sand beach, which faces south, the beach at Gairloch itself, just in front of the west-facing golf course and more beaches at Red Point, further round to the south.… Read more

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Arisaig sits on the West Highland Railway line, between Fort William and Mallaig. It's one of the most attractive train lines in the country and features the steam train "The Jacobite", so this is a great way to access the village and its beaches, although the "road to the… Read more

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A beautiful sandy beach, and yes it really is called Sand Fantastic for dogs to run free and watch the seals swimming by Monty Hall stayed in his bothy on this beach, his bothy is still there Our German Shepherd Blue certainly recommends it to all his doggy pals Read more

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The beach at Findhorn Bay in Moray sits between the pine trees of Culbin Forest to the west and Burghead Bay to the east, where seals can be found by the shore. The area was once known as “Scotland’s Sahara”, before the forest was planted in the last century. The setting is… Read more

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This is a candidate for the most beautiful beach in Scotland. Chosen as a location for many films, including "Highlander" with Sean Connery and Christopher Lambert, the beach enjoys spectacular views across to Eigg and Rum from its wonderful natural shoreline. The approach is… Read more

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Achnahaird beach is in an isolated spot, on its own promontory below the main Assynt peninsula in Sutherland. On approach, there is the feel of a North Cornwall beach, with two long headlands that shelter the long, deep expanse of sand. On this occasion, the tide was out,… Read more

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Mellon Udrigle - Dog Friendly Beach in Laide, Highland I know that Mellon Udrigle has remained unspoilt for over 50 years, but I imagine that it has looked this way for a lot longer. There's a primeval feel here, with a granite backdrop and islands visible out to sea. A river… Read more

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Clashnessie Falls were in spate after recent heavy rainfall, but conditions were benign for this early morning return to manonabeach's most northerly mainland beach, here on the Assynt peninsula. Also known as Red Beach, there is indeed and ochre tinge to the sands, particularly… Read more

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The walk to the beach from Talisker House is one of the most beautiful approaches you could imagine, particularly in high summer, as was the case on this re-visit. The glen draws you down to the sea and a sense of anticipation is unavoidable. The impact on arrival is ancient,… Read more

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Located seven miles south of the Small Isle of Muck, Ardnamurchan Point and its Stevenson-built lighthouse constitute the most westerly point in mainland Britain. As you can imagine, this is an isolated spot, forming the southern edge of Sanna Bay and approached by a long single… Read more

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The beach at Ness faces east, sheltered from the prevailing winds, with its own attractive harbour. It's at the northern end of Lewis and the nearby Port of Ness is well worth a visit, with a good choice of family activities. There is also a west-facing beach nearby, backed by… Read more

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The Singing Sands at Gortenfern are accessed by a walk around Kentra Bay and then via a pine and Sitka Spruce plantation, sprinkled with foxgloves, wood sorrel and mosses. It's a natural wonderland on the Ardnamurchan Peninsula. The beach itself is backed by heath and features… Read more

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The beach at Uig is located in the south west corner of Lewis and is reasonably sheltered, despite its westerly aspect.  There are good facilities for visitors, including a campsite and a strong historical association. This is where a full Viking chess set was discovered, 93… Read more

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