BRITAIN BEST BEACHES- SANDWOOD BAY (The Sunday Telegrapgh 29/07/2007)

My tour of the UK coastline involved a long drive this week - all the way from Norfolk to just below Cape Wrath in search of surf, which has been sadly lacking south of the border this summer.

THE BEACH

Sandwood Bay, Sutherland

THE LOWDOWN

Reputedly the most remote beach on mainland Britain, and the four-mile hike across rough moorland to get here certainly adds to that reputation. The trudge is worth it though – pink hued sands, silver-blue seas, imposing sea cliffs, a huge sea stack, a limpid blue loch behind wild dunes and the blue hills of Sutherland rising inland all combine to confirm that Britain does indeed have wilderness of the highest quality.

WATER QUALITY

Washed clean by North Atlantic storms and hundreds of miles from industrial or agricultural runoff, Sandwood Bay’s waters are as clean as they are clear.

ACCESS

The long walk to Sandwood starts at Blairmore, to the northwest of the hamlet of Kinlochbervie on the singletrack B801. The undulating hike is easy enough and there are fine views of the northwest Highlands before you eventually crest a rise and see the magnificent bay laid out beneath you.

GOOD FOR

Solitude; surfing (although beware of currents); walking; wilderness camping

BAD FOR

Access; the gregarious – if you like to be surrounded by people Sandwood is not for you.

WHERE TO PARK

The small car park in Blairmore. There’s a John Muir Trust donation box here, and lavatories.

WHERE TO EAT

You definitely need to take a full day’s supplies with you. The nearest place to find a good range of food and drink is at Durness, around 20 miles to the northeast, although there’s a small shop in Kinlochbervie.

WHERE TO STAY

Take a tent and revel in the wildness of it all, although you will need to carry in all your supplies – and take them all back with you. If you want something less hard core, there’s a campsite at Durness (Sango Sands 01971 511262; adults £5, children 5-15 £2.50, under five free) with superb sea views. The Kinlochbervie Hotel (www.kinlochberviehotel.com; 01971 521275; doubles from £70) has snug rooms with sensational coastal views and a good restaurant specialising in local produce, particularly seafood. Or cheaper B&B accommodation is available the Old School Restaurant with Rooms (www.oldschoolklb.co.uk; 01971 521383; from £27.50), also in Kinlochbervie and also with a varied menu specialising in local produce – check out the prime Scottish sirloin steak (£13.95).

DID YOU KNOW?

Sandwood Bay has a ghost - a member of the crew of a Spanish Armada galleon that foundered hereabouts, who is said to knock at the door of the tumbledown Sandwood Cottage above the bay.