This part of the north coast offers wide beaches coupled with heritage and history.
The next beach along the A836 beyond Thurso is at Murkle Bay. It is a beautiful sweeping expanse of pale sand, speckled with abundant shells, including the highest abundance of the elusive cowrie shells that you will find along this coast - not that they are easy to spot nonetheless.
However, getting to Murkle Bay is not easy and there is no general welcome here for tourists. It is not signposted well and there is no official car park. The most direct road, running perpendicular to the A836 is only a thin track that does not have a lot of traffic down it so it is unsuitable for a normal height car. You may be OK if you have a four by four with good clearance. There is a longer route, starting perpendicular to the A836 and then taking a right turn off towards the farm houses. Should you choose to venture down to the beach then please make sure you park respectfully, avoiding blocking the road or any access gates as this is an active farming community.
Continuing along the A836, the next stop is Castletown. If you stick to the main road, you could easy drive through Castletown and not realise that it actually has quite a lot to offer the tourist. There are signs off to the left to the Heritage Centre and it is well worth following these.
The Castlehill Heritage Centre is an award winning visitor attraction with themed exhibitions and displays throughout the year, featuring the industrial, maritime, military, agricultural and social heritage of Castletown and the Parish of Olrig.
You may have noticed that, whereas in Sutherland, the field boundaries are marked by traditional drystone walls, in Caithness the field boundaries are often made using flat blocks of stone stood on their end. This rock is Caithness Flagstone and Castletown has a long history of quarrying and exporting this stone for construction and paving. However, before this 18th Century industry, the area had a rich Viking history, and in more recent times, RAF Castletown played a role in protecting Scapa Flow during World War II.
The Heritage Centre is open all year round on Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday afternoons between 2 and 4pm. However, should you be in area outside these times, it is possible to enjoy a wander along the Heritage trail. This well maintained even footpath has various information boards along the route and leads out to Castle Hill Broch.
Heading south from the Heritage Centre, the road takes you down to the attractive and historic Castletown Harbour. And further along, you will reach Castletown Beach. This wide expanse of pale sand runs straight into Dunnet Beach and it is easy to park right at the edge of the beach from where you can enjoy the view from your car or jump out and go for a walk.
Notes for visitors with limited mobility:
In Castletown, it is worth taking the left turn onto Harbour Road (signposted Heritage Centre). This takes you on a D-shaped detour drive, returning to the main road, along the attractive, historical harbour side. If you wish to stop and visit the area more thoroughly then Castlehill Heritage Centre and the Heritage Garden are both step-free and fully accessible, with dedicated Blue Badge Holder parking adjacent to entrance.