An excellent, and often breezy, coastal walk with good opportunities to spot sea birds, seals and many different shells. From the Point there are good views up the Dornoch Firth to the mountains beyond.
Summary
Beach and dune walk, near the Point care needs to be taken during incoming tides to ensure you are not cut off.
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1. From the main square in Dornoch walk south along Church Street, signed for Beach, Church and Hotels, and pass through a residential area. Turn left into Carnaig Street and follow this between the houses and their gardens. In the last garden a small stone can be seen. This marks the execution spot of Janet Horne, an elderly lady who in 1727 was convicted of being a witch along with her daughter. The daughter managed to escape but Janet Horne was imprisoned, rolled in tar and paraded through the town in a barrel before being burnt to death.
2. At the end of the street turn right then immediately left along the road next to the golf course and heading towards the caravan site. Go through the entrance to the caravan park and keep on the track to the right, soon passing over a wooden bridge. Keep on this track as it passes through the caravan site, passing a toilet block on your left. As soon as you are clear of the caravan site turn left towards the coast and make your way through the dunes to the beach. There are a number of faint paths following this route. Once on the beach turn right and follow the sandy shoreline.
3. This part of the beach is particularly good for seabirds especially terns, plovers, eider ducks and turnstones. In the winter you may see red throated divers and common scoters. From this point you can also see the lighthouse at Tarbat Ness and on a clear day, the houses at Portmahomack. Continue following the beach until you round the end and Tain comes into view across the water. Keep following the curve of the sand, taking care to stay near the sand dunes if the tide is coming in; you may see the waves breaking over the sandbanks of Gizzen Briggs offshore. Note that the route may vary from the waypoints provided if the tide is further in.
4. At Dornoch Point, which is ill-defined, you can usually see down the Dornoch Firth to the mountains beyond, including the Seana Bhraigh range in the distance. Nearer, you may see common seals on the sandbanks ahead. Follow the edge of the dunes all the way round the corner until the edge of a salt marsh is reached and a faint path follows this inland. Follow this path, skirting the the edge of the dunes and the marsh.
5. Eventually the path heads across the dunes and the buildings of Dornoch come into view. There are a number of faint paths, keep heading north towards the caravan park, keeping the airfield on your left. You should eventually reach the same point where you left the caravan park earlier in the walk. From here retrace your steps to the centre of Dornoch.
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