It was a weekend of great food and eye-opening activities but, on the drive back to Aberdeen, I had one question lingering in my mind.
Why didn’t I know about all this sooner?
Earlier this year I spent two nights in the far north of the country with one of my oldest friends, on something of a mini wellness retreat in Caithness and Sutherland.
We’d been given a jam-packed itinerary from tourism body Venture North, and arrived at Oldmoreshore Retreats, near Lairg, to kick things off.
We were met by wonderful hosts Andy and Angela Johnson, who’d made up one of their three wooden glamping pods ready for our arrival.
Each was the perfect size, kitted out with all the equipment you’d need – ours even had an air fryer – with a brilliant spread of cereals and rolls left for our breakfast the next morning.
Admittedly, we’d arrived a little late, so didn’t have much time to settle in before we were ushered into an outbuilding for a gong sound bath.
Rather than involving water, it uses sound and vibrations to “immerse” your body and help you enter a hypnotic state of relaxation.
At first I was sceptical as the strange sounds grew louder (but never overwhelming). However, I did leave the session feeling completely refreshed – if a little confused as to how it had happened!
That night we headed to the Old School House in Kinlochbervie for a brilliant dinner, then took advantage of the glorious weather for a walk around the nearby harbour.
After a great night’s sleep – it’s, unsurprisingly, exceptionally peaceful there – Angela and Andy had invited us to join one of their morning yoga sessions.
Sadly, there was no time to take part as we had to dash off to Dunnet for the second leg of our trip.
It was another fast turnaround as we checked into the Northern Sands Hotel before meeting Isobel and Angela from Above and Beyond Tours for an in-depth look around the area.
Both were incredibly knowledgeable as they drove us up to Dunnet Head, the most northerly point on the Scottish mainland, pointing out landmarks and sharing little-known tales on the way.
They also offer health and wellbeing activities, and we stopped off at a wonderful secluded beach to practise some mindfulness and search for elusive Groatie Buckies – tiny cowrie shells said to bring good luck.
It was a great opportunity to clear our heads after the hours of travelling that morning, and set us up perfectly for a surfing session from North Coast Watersports.
Instructor Iona put us at ease as we headed on to the glorious beach for a quick on-land demo before taking to the water.
I’ve paddleboarded before and I do enjoy a good North Sea swim, but this was completely different.
Iona was incredibly encouraging as we watched for the best waves to tackle, then tried our bests to get upright on the boards.
And I don’t want to brag, but I did manage on my first try. Iona said I was “a natural”. (It definitely wasn’t just beginner’s luck.)
After two hours in the water, we headed back to the hotel and I had one of the best meals I think I’ve ever eaten. I still think about that chocolate mousse dessert far too often.
Our twin room had everything you could need from a hotel room. It looked stylish but with a great Highland feel, and when the time comes for me to remodel my bathroom, I’m definitely basing it on the one there.
The following morning we drove into Thurso for a private session with Iain Black at Flow North Yoga.
It was just what I needed to loosen up my body after our intense surfing workout, and Iain was brilliant at checking my posture and making sure I got the most from the experience.
He also encourages people to try the great outdoors, offering lessons on beaches – and even balancing on paddleboards.
One thing I took away from my visit was that everyone seemed to know each other, and it felt like we’d entered a real community.
Everyone we met spoke highly of all the others, and were always willing to offer recommendations and suggestions for what else we could do in the area.
Thankfully the introduction of the NC500 seems to have brought many more visitors to the area, who might not have made the trek up north otherwise.
Venture North has certainly tapped into this too, and we only scratched the surface of what it has to offer.
From the activities we tried to hiking, cycling, birdwatching and even scuba diving, there’s definitely something for everyone.
Yes it’s a fair distance to travel – even from Aberdeen it felt like quite a long drive – but it is certainly worth the journey.
TRAVEL FACTS
Oldshoremore Retreats, 152 Oldshoremore, Rhiconich, Lairg IV27 4RS
Visit: oldshoremoreretreats.co.uk
Call: 01971 521036 (Mon-Fri 1-4pm)
Old School House Restaurant, Inshegra IV27 4RJ
Visit: oldschoolhotel.co.uk
Above And Beyond Tours: aboveandbeyondtours.co.uk, 07810 285 848
North Coast Watersports: northcoastwatersports.com, 07982649635
Northern Sands Hotel, Dunnet KW14 8XD: northernsands,co.uk, 01847 851 300
Flow North Yoga and Wellbeing, 1-3 Brabster Street, Thurso KW14 7AP:
bookwhen.com/flownorth
, 07506 613813
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