📌 Berriedale, Highland
★★★
Good progress along the A9 coast road is rudely interrupted by the deep gorge at Berriedale Braes. Lorry drivers used to have to slow to a crawl as they negotiated a series of tight hairpin bends on the northern side, though a new section of carriageway opened in 2020 to bypass the worst one. With new road layouts and interesting scenery, it’s easy to miss the village nestling in the valley folds. A lack of signposting seems to suggest that the locals like it this way, but the secluded pebbly bay by the mouth of Berriedale Water is an exquisite spot well worth seeking out. A whitewashed row of houses and tumbling burn here is overlooked by ruined Berriedale Castle on the cliffs above.
🌍 Location
📌 Off Mill Road, Berriedale village
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: ND 121225
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 58.182309,-3.496821
🚌 Bus to Berriedale
🚗 Car park on west side of A9 just north of river bridges, 🧭 ND 118227 / 🛰️ 58.184636,-3.501315
💬 From the car park it’s a 10-min walk (each way) to the beach (⬤ Easy). Follow the old road (no vehicle access) south across the two river bridges, with steps rejoining the A9. Carefully cross the main road & follow the private road on the far side, with a suspension footbridge accessing the beach on the other side of the river.
