If Beauty And Relaxation Are Your Thing, Skip The Caribbean – Try Sutherland, Scotland Instead

Open up a map of the world, close your eyes and place your finger anywhere.  No matter where you’re pointing, there’ll be a wonderfully serene location with stunning scenery and natural wonders nearby.

Although this is apparent, it’s very often the case that people think they need to travel hundreds or thousands of miles to find a place where they can truly relax in beautiful surroundings, wanting to feel as though they’ve been whisked away to another world.

Whilst there’s no doubt somewhere like the Caribbean can do just that, for most of us, there’s somewhere closer to home that can meet those needs exactly – and for us in the UK, that place is Sutherland, Scotland.

Serene Scotland

Scotland itself is well-known around the world for its lochs, glens and mountains, but many Brits – particularly the younger generations – seem to disregard the country as a true relaxation destination, when the truth is it is just as beautifully stunning and serene as many other global destinations.

And there are plenty of people who’d say certain parts of the country, such as Sutherland in the north, are more stunning and serene than anywhere else in the world!

One of the country’s oldest, traditional counties and the fifth biggest in terms of size (although it now falls under the Highlands umbrella), it is so sparsely populated that your average-sized Scottish town has more people living in it, resulting in a landscape that appears to be almost completely unspoilt.

Ben Hope

Take the 3,000 foot high Ben Hope, which provides glorious views of the surrounding area (including the Orkney Islands on a clear day), as an example.  Fantastic for amateur and experienced walkers alike (a phrase that applies to the whole of the county), Ben Hope is one of Scotland’s least climbed mountains – purely because of its location – giving it a very magical, traditionally-Scottish feel.

And a discussion about Sutherland can’t take place without a mention of Sandwood Bay.  Often reported as being one of the most secluded beaches in the world, its wonderful sands can only be reached by foot on a four mile amble along a well-trodden track from the nearest town of Blairmore.

But if you’re happy to make the journey, you can not only sample the golden sands and clear blue sea, but you get to view the awe-inspiring Am Buachille, a sea stack just off the coast that gives you a fantastic feeling of being watched over whilst you relax.

Sutherland is just one part of Scotland that oozes beauty and serenity and although every other part of the country does have its similar areas, when you’ve been to Sutherland once, you’ll struggle to convince yourself you need to go anywhere else when you want to escape the hustle and bustle of every day life.

Images courtesy of Cottages and Castles.

Matthew Bettoli writes for Cottages and Castles who offer holiday cottages in Sutherland for your next getaway.

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Tags: brits, closer to home, generations, global destinations, glorious views, lochs glens, natural wonders, no doubt, Orkney Islands, scotland scotland, scottish town, serene location, stunning scenery, sutherland, traditional counties, true relaxation, umbrella, walkers

Category: Travel Tips, United Kingdom