Here you will find a jetty, a rocky beach, caves and some of the most impressive rockpools you will find along this coast.
Just as you enter Melvich, take a turn to the left signed for Portskerra. Part way down the road forks but both forks end up in the same place, although the right fork is the shorter route. Follow the road to the end to the car park next to the concrete jetty and boat house.
To the left you will see a stony beach, bordered by cliffs with caves and this can be a fun place to explore, although quite hard going across the rocky terrain .
Alternatively, if you walk off to the right, you will be on a platform of rocks offering a myriad of different pools, ranging in size from small puddles to some big enough to sustain a mermaid.
Watch your footing and keep an eye on the sea as some of the pools are deep, whilst others you can happily splash through in wellies. In windy weather, the waves can crash threateningly against the rocks and into the inlets so keep your distance. Look for crabs, small fish, shrimps, anemones and even sea urchins.
If you don't fancy grappling with the ups and downs of the rockpools and often slippery seaweed, then an easier route along the coast can be taken by following the signpost to the Drownings Memorial.
The half mile route is via a pleasant grassy path that, despite a little bit of hillyness is relatively easy walking. Along the way you may spot some brown hairy caterpillars, the fox moth caterpillar.
At the end of the the short walk you will find yourself in another small car park and the attractively arranged memorial is contained within an area of upright Caithness flagstones. The memorial commemorates the lives lost of local men is three disasters, one in 1848, one in 1890 and one in 1918, lost within sight of their homes.
Beyond the memorial is Melvick Pier and then the sweep of Melvick Bay, edged with the orange yellow sands of the beach.
Notes for visitors with limited mobility:
It is possible to drive to the jetty at Portskerra and park up right next to it. This gives views across the beach to the west and rocks to the right but accessing these any further would be difficult. Although the coastal path is relatively easy walking, it is not suitable for wheelchair users.