Point of Stoer

The walk to Point of Stoer is proper rewarding - a straightforward coastal path that climbs gradually to cliffs with views that stretch for miles across the Minch towards the Isle of Skye. On a clear day, you can see right across to the Outer Hebrides. The headland itself is windswept and dramatic, with sheer drops and the sea crashing against the rocks below. There's a small lighthouse perched on the point, modest but iconic.

This is one for walkers and photography types rather than families with small children - the path is easy enough but there's nothing to keep kids entertained once you're there, beyond the blunt fact of standing on a cliff edge. Allow yourself two hours there and back from the car park, maybe longer if you want to sit and properly absorb the landscape. The wind can be vicious, so dress for it.

It's free to visit, naturally. Best time is either early morning or late afternoon when the light's softer and there are fewer people about. The nearest base is Sutherland, though Clachtoll Beach Campsite just down the coast makes a proper good staging post - close enough that you can do Point of Stoer as a half-day outing without it swallowing your whole schedule. The raw beauty of this bit of the northwest coast is the real draw. It's not the most famous headland in Scotland, but that's rather the point.