A trip down the east coast of Sutherland makes for an interesting day out, although it involves a fair bit of driving and requires plenty of time. It would not be possible to complete all the locations in this section in one day and do them justice so pick and choose the ones that most appeal.
If ticking off bits of the NC500 is your plan, then head out to Thurso and pick up the A9 and follow that down to Helmsdale. It is the longer route but, being a main road, it is possible to drive faster on that road than on the internal single-track roads so, although you will cover many more miles, it does not add much to the overall time of the trip, taking about an hour and a half.
If you are more interested in understanding the context of the location of The Captains and Bettyhill, then take the Strath Helmsdale single track road through the inland moorland. This route takes about an hour and 15 minutes.
In order to do this, turn left out of The Captains, cross over the bridge to Invernaver and turn off left onto the Strathnaver road (B871). After a few miles of single-track, you will come across a left turn sign-posted to Kinbrace and Helmsdale (this is a continuation of the B871).
This road winds it way through miles and miles of remote moorland with only the occasional farm building or ruined stone barn. Remarkably, about 40 minutes into your journey when you feel as if you are truly in the middle of absolutely nowhere, you will come across the Garvault, a remote 3 star hotel boasting bed & breakfast, dining and free Wi-Fi.
Continue on to Kinbrace then take the A897, Strath Helmsdale road, which follows the River Helmsdale all the way down into the village of Helmsdale. This beautiful river is popular with fly fishermen and sometimes you can see them, netted up against the midges, stood in the river with their rods.
Also along this stretch is Kildonan and Suisgill at Baile an Or, known for the traces of gold in the river. It is possible, for a small fee, to pan for gold here so remember to ask at the Timespan museum in Helmsdale about renting panning equipment and getting a permit if this takes your fancy.
Enter the village past the lovely private garden with gnomes and very quickly you will reach the car park. After your drive you will probably want to stop here to use the public toilets. Across the road there is also a Spar, which can be handy to pick up lunch or snacks. Behind that is the Timespan cultural centre that contains information about the history of the area and a contemporary art gallery.
Also on this corner are some hotels that offer evening meals, and a little further up the street is La Mirage, a very popular restaurant and fish n chip takeaway. In fact, it is so popular that should you wish to sit in to eat then it is best to book in advance. Otherwise, join the queue at the takeaway and take your dinner down to the harbour to eat, although stay in your car to eat as the seagulls here are very keen on chips and won't wait for an invitation!
The harbour is pretty so it is worth driving down here to take a look regardless of whether you have fish n chips on board or not. Historically, it was an important herring harbour and it is still a working harbour. As you leave the village you will probably spot the ice-house built into the hillside, one of two that were used to keep the fish fresh.
Leave the village and join the A9 and continue your journey towards Brora to explore more of the east coast, or head towards Wick to loop back home to The Captains that way, enjoying the ‘Berriedale Braes’ section of the A9, a series of spectacular hairpin bends and steep hills.
Notes for visitors with limited mobility:
The toilets, Timespan museum, shops, hotels, takeaway and harbour side are all easy to access from street level.