Tain
Balblair Whiskey
Balblair Distillery
with only Wick and Reay likely to catch a seasoned
golfer’s eye. I headed to John O Groats and the jagged
sea stacks of Duncansby Head. This is as far north on
the mainland as you can go, before you drive west
across the top of the country. The scenery grows ever
more spectacular as the roads grow ever narrower.
The final golf course of note is as far from Inverness
as can be, in the north-west of the country. It took
me close to a day to reach the village of Durness, so
dramatic was the scenery that I stopped constantly to
breath it all in. Durness Golf Club [http://lucy916.wix.
com/durness-golf-club-2] has nine tumbling links holes
that is a slice of heaven. And, if you’re very lucky, you’ll
get a British Navy bombardment of Garvie Island out in
the bay, beneath the appropriately named Cape Wrath.
The west coast is all about the scenery. Even history
has taken a back seat to the drama that unfolds as you
drive south. The NC500 may be marketed as a ‘driving’
route but really you want to be the passenger as roads
Inverness Castle
fall down mountainsides into charming villages perched
at the end of lochs, hiding behind forests or blazing
beneath sunsets. The driver, however, needs to be
paying close attention to the single lane tracks and the
longhorn cattle, sheep and deer that can appear at any
moment. Besides, the views require far more than a
passing glance.
No doubt the biggest decision for visiting golfers is how
to divide your time between the golf courses and the
ever-present beauty of the North Coast 500 route. But
be sure to combine plenty of both and take your time.
FURTHER INFORMATION:
Scottish Tourist Office - Golf
(www.visitscotland.com/see-do/activities/golf/)
North Coast 500
(www.northcoast500.com/home.aspx)
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