The village of Tongue has a post office/store, hotels with bars, café and enviable views over the Kyle of Tongue and Ben Loyal.
After Coldbackie, the next village is Tongue, which is one of the larger areas of population along this sparsely populated coast. As you approach Tongue, you will see signs for a café to the right. To be honest, this café has a tendency to change hands every few years so this information might not be correct, however, at the time of writing, what had previously been the Weavers Café, is currently the Norse Bakehouse. This is a family run bakehouse and pizza restaurant and is well worth a visit.
A few hundred metres beyond the turning for the café, there is turning to the right that says it is unsuitable for heavy vehicles. This is a narrow (even by the standards of roads up here) single-track road that leads steeply (and windy) downhill to the Kyle of Tongue. At the bottom, the road runs next to the Kyle of Tongue, with a concrete pier jutting out into it, and, at low tide, the oyster beds visible. To the left is the entrance to Tongue House, the home of the Duchess of Sutherland until her death in 2019, and historical seat of the Clan Mackay. The house is private property and not a visitor attraction. Following the road round, it rejoins the A836 next to the intriguing Signal House, an octagonal house part of the Duchess of Sutherland's estate.
To go into Tongue itself, from this point you can turn left, or, you can choose not to take this detour in the first place and just continue on the A836. Here you will find the Ben Loyal Hotel and Tongue Hotel, both with eating and drinking opportunities.
There is also a post office with a small shop attached and is part of a stop on the mobile fishmongers route. There are public toilets in the centre of the village and self-service petrol pumps next what used to be Burr's - the old village shop. This has now been converted into a bakery and cafe that is open a few days each week.
And you will see signs for the footpath out to Castle Varrich close to The Ben Loyal Hotel. With Anders Povlsen's investment in the village, there will be new developments and projects in the village over the next few years.
Whatever you choose to do during your visit to Tongue, take a moment to appreciate the spectacular views across the Kyle of Tongue and to Ben Loyal and Ben Hope.
Notes for visitors with limited mobility:
The village of Tongue can be accessed via roads and footpaths that are as suitable for wheelchairs as any typical urban area. This includes access to the hotels/bars, post office/shop/café and public toilets. It is easy to find suitable parking.