Golspie: North Sea Coast, Ben Bhraggie and Walking Trails

Golspie lies on the east coast of the North Coast 500, on the edge of the North Sea and at the foot of the 395 m-high Ben Bhraggie. The village’s attractions include a sandy beach; nearby is the Loch Fleet National Nature Reserve. There are also walking trails, cultural activities and Dunrobin Castle north of Golspie. If you’re looking for a hotel in Golspie, you might first consider whether walking, wildlife watching, the coast or local history will be the main focus of your stay.

Walking and trails around Golspie

From the summit of Ben Bhraggie, the view stretches to Portmahomack and across the Moray coast. Inland, you can see Ben Lundaidh and Ben Horn. The climb to the summit takes about an hour from the car park in the centre of the village. This gives an approximate time for the walk, while the named viewpoints describe the summit as its destination.

Other trails have their own distinctive features. The Big Burn Trail passes through a protected gorge and crosses several bridges. The Great Divide walking trail runs from Fishertown in the south to Dunrobin Castle north of Golspie. The John o’ Groats Trail also links two stages here: the fifth runs from Dornoch to Golspie, and the sixth from Golspie to Brora. Golspie is the stop where they meet. This distinguishes a gorge trail, a route between Fishertown and Dunrobin Castle, and a changeover between trail stages by their respective destinations.

Loch Fleet, forest and coast

The Loch Fleet National Nature Reserve, an internationally important wildlife sanctuary, is near Golspie. On the north shore, a 1-kilometre footpath from the car park at Balblair Wood leads to a wildlife-watching tower. A cycle path runs from the village to Balblair Woods at the Loch Fleet National Nature Reserve. For planning purposes, these are two different routes: the footpath from the car park to the observation tower and the cycle path from Golspie to the woods.

Dunrobin Castle is another useful landmark: it lies half a mile north of Golspie. Visitors can watch falconry displays there during the season. Check the display dates before your trip. The sandy beach is also one of the local attractions, adding a coastal element to the walking and nature themes.

History, events and getting there

St Andrew’s Church contains a covered pulpit dating from 1738 and the Sutherland Loft, dating from 1739. Both were carved by Kenneth Sutherland. The Golspie Heritage Society offers exhibitions, talks and a collection about the people and stories that have shaped Golspie. Alongside the trails and nature destinations, local history and how it is shared are therefore also distinct themes to explore during a stay.

Golspie Gala Week takes place every year in late July, and visitors can join in. Golspie Community Markets are currently held at Fountain Road Hall in June, September and November, from 11 am to 3 pm. Dates and arrangements are reviewed regularly. Before your trip, check whether a market day or event falls during your stay.

Golspie is accessible by bus and train. Check the relevant timetable when planning your journey. For other travel plans, the different distances and times help distinguish between destinations: an approximate duration is given for the climb to Ben Bhraggie, while the footpath to the wildlife-watching tower is 1 kilometre long. These details refer to different paths and destinations.

More destinations

Discover more destinations: Inverkirkaig, Munlochy, Dunvegan, Aviemore, Broadford, Auchlunachan, Fort Augustus, Insh.

Go to the main travel overview: Highland.