Christine's Guidebook
Food Scene
Greens Restaurant
11-15 High St(2.5 miles) - very popular for a treat or celebration
Carnegie Hall cafe
Well Street(7.5 miles) Perfect for lunch when out on the beach an inexpensive tasty option
Morangie House Hotel
(2.5 miles) A spot where the locals head to on a sunny Saturday afternoon or evening.
6 locals recommend
St Duthus Hotel
2 Tower St(2.5 miles) A spot where the locals head to on a sunny Saturday afternoon or evening.
(6 miles) Yummy food.... although I'm not much of a foodie and choose the sweet and sour nearly ever time!
9 locals recommend
Shandwick Inn
(6 miles) Yummy food.... although I'm not much of a foodie and choose the sweet and sour nearly ever time!
(7 miles) Nice cafe in Seaboard Village hall. A Pictish stone.... Sometimes you can see dolphins swimming here. A rocky beach but joins onto a lovely sandy stretch at Shandwich bay, as a local if you can't find it, it is tucked away there and is worth finding.
Balintore
(7 miles) Nice cafe in Seaboard Village hall. A Pictish stone.... Sometimes you can see dolphins swimming here. A rocky beach but joins onto a lovely sandy stretch at Shandwich bay, as a local if you can't find it, it is tucked away there and is worth finding.
The Inver Inn
Shop Street(4 miles) Very popular for takeaways and sit in, all freshly cooked
Sutor Creek Cafe
21 Bank StA treat when going across to Cromarty
Tain Library
Stafford StreetWell known fish and chip shop at Helmsdale when you are on a day trip North. You get so much you can't close the lid on the takeaway box!
23 locals recommend
La Mirage Restaurant
7-9 Dunrobin StWell known fish and chip shop at Helmsdale when you are on a day trip North. You get so much you can't close the lid on the takeaway box!
Walks
(7.5 miles) beautiful sea side village, some watersports seen off this harbour, golf course and restaurants. My favourite spot for wild swimming!
21 locals recommend
Portmahomack
(7.5 miles) beautiful sea side village, some watersports seen off this harbour, golf course and restaurants. My favourite spot for wild swimming!
Morangie Forest
Great walks and cycle routes
Great walk up to the monument. 2 hours in total up and back from Both carpark, walking moderately.
49 locals recommend
Fyrish Monument
Great walk up to the monument. 2 hours in total up and back from Both carpark, walking moderately.
Carbisdale Wood
Beautiful scenery, peaceful
The Links
(3 miles) nice for a stroll
Beautiful walk along the beach or along by the golf course. You can reach Embo.
28 locals recommend
Dornoch Beach
Beautiful walk along the beach or along by the golf course. You can reach Embo.
(8 miles) Shandwick Bay is a beautiful sandy beach, well hidden down a small side street.
6 locals recommend
Shandwick
(8 miles) Shandwick Bay is a beautiful sandy beach, well hidden down a small side street.
Tarlogie Wood
Nigg
(9 miles) Nigg beach is nice for a walk.
Bishop's walk is near this cemetery, a nice wood walk.
(23 miles) 2 hrs up to the top and back for a moderate walker... nice quiet hill walk with amazing views over the cromarty firth
49 locals recommend
Fyrish Monument
(23 miles) 2 hrs up to the top and back for a moderate walker... nice quiet hill walk with amazing views over the cromarty firth
(23 miles) salmon jumping (usually mid May to late autumn), restaurant, nice walks
27 locals recommend
Falls of Shin
(23 miles) salmon jumping (usually mid May to late autumn), restaurant, nice walks
(25 miles) Great for a decent walk or head there and try out the cycle tracks.
17 locals recommend
Ben Bhraggie
(25 miles) Great for a decent walk or head there and try out the cycle tracks.
(30 miles) Prepare with map, compass, etc for this one. A local Munro. Very cold at the top, quite a steep walk in places. Can be reached and climbed in a day from Tain
17 locals recommend
Ben Wyvis
(30 miles) Prepare with map, compass, etc for this one. A local Munro. Very cold at the top, quite a steep walk in places. Can be reached and climbed in a day from Tain
Most northern Munro, can be done as a day trip (we left 7am and returned before 5pm, with plenty stops up the mountain). Fantastic views
9 locals recommend
Ben Hope
Most northern Munro, can be done as a day trip (we left 7am and returned before 5pm, with plenty stops up the mountain). Fantastic views
Arts and culture
(2 miles) When its open this is popular with tourists. Tain is the oldest royal burgh in Scotland, it gained this status the same year as the battle of Hastings - 1066!
15 locals recommend
Tain Through Time
Castle Brae(2 miles) When its open this is popular with tourists. Tain is the oldest royal burgh in Scotland, it gained this status the same year as the battle of Hastings - 1066!
(3 miles) Check opening information. You get a fascinating tour, and it's reasonably priced too
49 locals recommend
Glen Morangie
(3 miles) Check opening information. You get a fascinating tour, and it's reasonably priced too
Balblair
(8 miles), check opening status
Dornoch Cathedral
(11 miles)
(20 miles) Interesting castle to view when open, relaxing to walk around gardens. Walks down at the shore. Get an ice-cream in Golspie while you pass through!
80 locals recommend
Dunrobin Castle
(20 miles) Interesting castle to view when open, relaxing to walk around gardens. Walks down at the shore. Get an ice-cream in Golspie while you pass through!
(36 miles) A scenic trip North East about an hour's drive. A well known fish and chip shop also in this village (La Mirage).
31 locals recommend
Timespan
(36 miles) A scenic trip North East about an hour's drive. A well known fish and chip shop also in this village (La Mirage).
RZSS Highland Wildlife Park
(120 miles) A good day our for all
A beautiful drive miles into the countryside. Preserved writing on the church windows from the time of the Highland clearances when folks desperately tried to get in to shelter in the church after being put of their land.
Croick Church
A beautiful drive miles into the countryside. Preserved writing on the church windows from the time of the Highland clearances when folks desperately tried to get in to shelter in the church after being put of their land.
Neighbourhoods
Great little town...of course I'd say that! Large supermarkets for easy grocery shopping- ASDA, Tesco, Lidl, also Home Bargains. Other shops on High Street include Ironmongers (sells, also shooting and fishing tackle), Hospice charity shop with large selection of books, etc. restaurants. Walks up Tain Hill, down at Tain Links, places to see like Glenmorangie Distillery (check opening dates)
21 locals recommend
Tain
Great little town...of course I'd say that! Large supermarkets for easy grocery shopping- ASDA, Tesco, Lidl, also Home Bargains. Other shops on High Street include Ironmongers (sells, also shooting and fishing tackle), Hospice charity shop with large selection of books, etc. restaurants. Walks up Tain Hill, down at Tain Links, places to see like Glenmorangie Distillery (check opening dates)
Beautiful castle to visit. Climb Benbraggie or try out cycle paths - various to suit all abilities. I'm told by a trusted source there's a good ice-cream shop here!
9 locals recommend
Golspie
Beautiful castle to visit. Climb Benbraggie or try out cycle paths - various to suit all abilities. I'm told by a trusted source there's a good ice-cream shop here!
Visit the beautiful sandy beach, play a round of golf, or have a walk around the town square which has historic buildings including a cathedral. The old town jail is transformed into an upmarket clothes and gift shop, a must to visit! Dornoch is another place to stop for ice-cream (Harry Gow's is where I know). It's always worth a visit to the boutique style Hospice charity shop too!!
47 locals recommend
Dornoch
Visit the beautiful sandy beach, play a round of golf, or have a walk around the town square which has historic buildings including a cathedral. The old town jail is transformed into an upmarket clothes and gift shop, a must to visit! Dornoch is another place to stop for ice-cream (Harry Gow's is where I know). It's always worth a visit to the boutique style Hospice charity shop too!!
Going north west, possibly takes an hour by car, is a nice run out. You could carry on further up to Tongue...or come back east to Rogart through the hills...
Lairg
Going north west, possibly takes an hour by car, is a nice run out. You could carry on further up to Tongue...or come back east to Rogart through the hills...
1 hour away - the nearest large shopping centre to Tain, with bus and train terminals, a wide variety of restaurants, hotels and tourist attractions. There is a good tourist buzz about this city especially in summer.
165 locals recommend
Inverness
1 hour away - the nearest large shopping centre to Tain, with bus and train terminals, a wide variety of restaurants, hotels and tourist attractions. There is a good tourist buzz about this city especially in summer.
Golf
Tain Golf Course
Chapel RoadRoyal Dornoch
Golf RoadInvergordon Golf Club
King George StreetTarbert Golf Club
Shopping
Inverness
The biggest shopping centre in the area
About 2 hours away. This is a cosy fancy shop, a place you can expect to find fine chutneys, gifts, upmarket clothes. The restaurant is a great meeting place or drop in point if you are travelling to the like of Aberdeen.
83 locals recommend
Brodie Countryfare
About 2 hours away. This is a cosy fancy shop, a place you can expect to find fine chutneys, gifts, upmarket clothes. The restaurant is a great meeting place or drop in point if you are travelling to the like of Aberdeen.
Jail Dornoch
Castle StreetVery posh and beautiful
R. Macleod & Son
14 Lamington StFishing and Shooting tackle, also general house and diy shop
Cycling
Inverness Bike Hire
12A Church StUllapool Bookshop
Quay StreetBonar Bridge
Balblair cycle tracks are at the far end of this village
Highland Wildcat Trails
cycle tracks at Golspie